Sleeper Holds and Scarlet Youths by Jerry Cole

As a human chameleon, Spencer has had lifelong aspirations to become a master of disguise. However, these dreams are waylaid due to circumstances beyond his control, that is, until the year that changes everything. A bitter shell of a man in his early twenties, Spencer fears that everything good and unique about him has been leeched out of him from years of disappointment.

When a homely heiress goes missing under mysterious circumstances, it falls to Spencer to track her down. A secret client contacts the private investigation firm for which he works and he is finally given the opportunity to prove what he can do. What follows is a series of strange locations, colorful characters, and strange mysteries, including, but not limited to, the enigmatic Mr. Scarlett. After an eventful encounter, Mr. Scarlett seems smitten with one of Spencer’s alter egos. But who is this man and what exactly is he hiding? Spencer feels invariably drawn to the chiseled, stoic persona of Mr. Scarlett, but fears what might happen if he learned of Spencer’s true identity. The pressure is on as the investigation continues even as Spencer is dogged by a determined Mr. Scarlett.

Secrets are revealed as Spencer switches his identities from blue collar workers to wealthy retirees to gorgeous club goers. He encounters unusual horse breeders running a Kafkaesque ranch, secret groups from the upper echelons of American royalty, and some incredibly scary people whose true nature is yet to be determined.

With all this to contend with, does Spencer even have the mental capacity to consider a potential romance? There’s somebody out there who certainly hopes so.