Small time America...a college student...organised crime - and murder. A brilliantly dark tale from the noir master

'The best suspense writer going, bar none' NEW YORK TIMES

'My favorite crime novelist - often imitated but never duplicated' Stephen King

'The master of the American groin-kick novel' VANITY FAIR

Under the guise of a college student, Carl Bigelow moves into a small town and into the life of Jake Winroy, a one-time crook who now plans to testify against an organised crime figure. The tricky thing is to kill Jake without making it look like a hit. But Jake's wife is more than willing to help Carl with anything he requires...