The Godwulf Manuscript to Mortal Stakes

In the first three books Spenser worked in a disreputable part of town.  To get there from the Boston Common:  

"I turned up Boylston toward Tremont and down Tremont toward Stuart.  My office was on Stuart Street.  It wasn't much of an office, but it suited the location.  It would have been an ideal spot for a VD clinic or a public exterminator." - Mortal Stakes ch. 6

How about the view?

"I stood up and looked out my window.  It was a bright day, but cold, and the whores had emerged, working the Combat Zone, looking cold and bizarre in their miniskirts, boots, and blond wigs." - The Godwulf Manuscript ch. 8

And to further narrow it down, how about a landmark?

"I looked at my watch: 3:15.  I hadn't had lunch yet.  I sniffed at the hot breeze.  If the wind was right I could catch the scent of sauerbraten wafting across the street from Jake Wirth's." - Mortal Stakes ch. 6

Okay, that makes it half a block east of Tremont, on the south side of the street, on the edge of Chinatown, just before Stuart become Kneeland Street.  Let me give you a map for orientation:

the + shows his office location
1: Jacob Wirth's
2: The Strip Clubs
3: Chinatown McDonalds
4: Transportation Building

Notice the green up at the top; to the left of Charles Street is the Public Garden, to the right is the Boston Common.

Unfortunately I can't show you the office itself because urban renewal flattened that area straight down to the ground (think of the movie Independence Day) and built it back up from scratch.  I can show you what the area looks like now.

The corner of Tremont and Boylston looking east.  Note the ticket agency; a panoramic view from here would show you the heart of the Boston Theater District.  

I'm walking east on Stuart.  

Hard to imagine this used to be the Zone.

Too bad I ate before I started, I really wanted to try the sauerbraten.

From the parking lot looking across to where Spenser would have sat.

On the left is part of the New England Medical Center, on the right is some sort of office building.  

The red walkway connects to even more of the hospital.  A friend of mine spent a month there and I got to know the surrounding area after visiting hours were over.

Looking back west down Stuart. 

A McDonald's on the edge of Chinatown.  I hope those characters read "hey stupid, there's real food all around you."

Don't you just love a bargain?  "These girls just have to go, and the price will never be lower."

Here we are one block north of Stuart.  This is about it for seeing nekked wimmen.  Centerfolds on the left, the Glass Slipper on the right.

Wow, mini-peep booths!  

The transportation building.

I didn't see a single hooker.  At least I don't think I did, and I checked out the tables in Starbucks real carefully.

Just look at the exotic things for sale at this den of sin.  There used to be a really nice hamburger place in here I'd hit after the hospital closed for the night but the chains have taken over completely. 

Total signs of the old Zone I found: two strip clubs, three adult book stores, and one pawn shop.  

This Page Created by Bob Ames