In one of the small old bungalows from the 1950s era at the down at the heels Surf and Sand Motel, a young prostitute has been stabbed. As Jesse Stone, Chief of Police in Paradise, Massachusetts investigates the murder of the unidentified woman, he thinks he has seen her before and vows that he will not let her just be another Jane Doe.

Meanwhile, Donnie Jacobs, an old friend of his suffering from dementia, has gone missing from the nursing home where his daughter had placed him. Jess suspects where he is and goes to find him. As Chief Stone returns Donnie to the Golden Horizons Retirement Village, he doesn't like what he sees. What exactly is going on? Why does Donnie have bruises on him? Seeking more evidence, he is shocked by what looks like medical overdosing of patients to keep them compliant. What can he do to protect his friend and the other residents?

As Jesse works to get the faintest of leads into the murder, he discovers that two rivals, Thomas Walker and Fat Boy Nelly, are trying to corner the local prostitution market. Do they have anything to do with the death? Can he find any evidence that would help to identify the dead girl and bring the killer to justice?

DAMNED IF YOU DO is the twelfth book in the well-known Jesse Stone Series and is written by Michael Brandman, a well-known and experienced author and screenwriter. Based on the style and characters of the late Robert B. Parker, a famous and prolific crime writer and with whom Brandman had worked in the past, DAMNED IF YOU DO is sure to be a satisfying new read for their fans.

While the style is sparse with little descriptions, its conciseness still conveys a full-bodied sense of who the characters are and what their motivations while making it a quick and easy read. My only quibble is that at times it seems to read more like a TV script than a novel. Still, it is an entertaining story and I love how Stone manages to investigate what is happening at Golden Horizons.

DAMNED IF YOU DO also reads very well as a stand-alone story and fans, new and existing, will enjoy Chief Stone's interactions with his loyal Deputy "Suitcase" Simpson and Molly. Jesse Stone is definitely a likeable protagonist and I loved his quips and the snappy dialogues between him and the other characters, especially with Molly. Fans who like this genre will definitely want to read this latest addition to the series!