Saint Paul, Minnesota, is a quiet and comfortable city rich with history. Little known are the days when prostitution was a thriving business hidden in storefront saunas and health clubs. For decades, madams and business owners made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling sex. But as the twenty-first century drew near, Saint Paul officials were desperate to shut down the trade and rid its city of the stigma surrounding the sex-for-money industry. Special investigation units were formed, sting operations commenced, and lawsuits were filed. Caught in the crosshairs of a city determined to stop her, Linda May Spencer fought for twenty years against an institution set on taking her down.



A traumatic birth, a painful childhood, and persistent drug addiction are the foundations on which Linda May Spencer built her life. A promise to provide a better future for her own children fueled a fire within that pushed Linda to the edge of morality, sobriety, and life, time and time again.



But Linda's fall was more than just her crimes. Living a double life, constantly reminded of her pain, Linda turned to drugs to conceal her struggle. Ultimately, Linda had nothing left—no business, no money, and no family. She'd fallen as far as a person could go. Until one day she decided to get up.