Mortal Stakes — Robert B. Parker

The Rabbs were a major league success. Marty was the Boston Red Sox star pitcher. Linda loved her husband, her baby, her beautiful home, and the adulation of the fans. She loved everything about her life except the blackmailer who was trying to wreck it.

Spenser's job was to find out if Marty was throwing fastballs or throwing games. It didn't take long to find a link between Marty's performance and Linda's past ... or for Spenser to find himself trapped in a rundown between a crazed racketeer with a score to settle and a vicious enforcer toting an M-I6. America's Favorite Pastime had suddenly become a very dangerous sport, and one wrong move meant strike three -- Spenser's out of the game for good.