The novel “Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance” by Lois McMaster Bujold was published for the first time in 2012. It’s part of the Vorkosigan saga.

Ivan Vorpatril is serving on the planet Komarr and his life seems stable when an acquaintance of his, Imperial Security agent Byerly Vorrutyer, talks to him about Tej, a mysterious girl connected with his investigation. Ivan agrees to help him and contacts Tej with an excuse at work but she doesn’t seem interested in going out with him.

Ivan tries to follow Tej to her house and there the situation becomes much more complicated than expected. Together with the girl lives Rish, a blue-skinned woman who shoots him with a stunner. Tied up, Ivan tries to escape when two men enter the apartment of Tej and Rish. Ivan gives the alarm and the attack is rejected but now he’s involved in an incident that also concerns Jackson’s Whole.