Famine

P.I. Frank Johnson struggles to keep his detective agency afloat when clients stop paying for his investigative services. While he waits for the lean economy (i.e., "famine") to revive, he works temporary gigs such as process serving, background checks, and security assignments. Getting paid for his part-time labor also proves a challenge. He seeks new ways to market and advertise his PI agency while dealing with an armed robbery attempt made at his office.

Frank has the time to think back on his earlier business trips to foreign destinations like Madrid and Hanoi. His attempts to close his overseas cases were thwarted by constant danger, shrewd deceptions, and violent opponents. As usual, he relies on his longtime friend and business associate Gerald Peyton, his wife Dreema, a medical examiner, and his astute but outspoken lawyer Robert Gatlin.