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Vietnam vet Mallory has been everywhere and done everything--from hippie life to construction work, from covering a reporter's beat to walking a cop's--before finally returning to small-town Iowa to try his hand at writing. In between crafting whodunits, he does his part for the community by ferrying hot meals to little old ladies. But then his worlds unexpectedly collide: home invaders murder one of his clients and leave Mallory black-and-blue when he catches them red-handed.
The elderly victim is the first fatality in an organized burglary spree sweeping the town, but Mallory fears she may not be the last. And despite the painful cracks in his ribs, nothing can stop him from looking into the killing--not even the local sheriff, or the little blonde from high school days who got away...or even a beating courtesy of the ruthless goon squad that warns Mallory to steer clear.
Armed with his ex-cop's instincts, soldier's survival skills, and mystery writer's savvy, Mallory bucks the local law and the love of his life to stop this brutal burglary ring. But writing a mystery can pay well, whereas solving one can pay dearly...
About the author
Max Allan Collins is the
New York Times bestselling author of
Road to Perdition and multiple award-winning novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations, and historical fiction. He has scripted the
Dick Tracy comic strip,
Batman comic books, and written tie-in novels based on the
CSI,
Bones, and
Dark Angel TV series; collaborated with legendary mystery author Mickey Spillane; and authored numerous mystery novels including the Quarry, Nolan, Mallory, and the bestselling Nathan Heller historical novels. His additional Mallory novels include
No Cure for Death,
Kill Your Darlings,
A Shroud for Aquarius, and
Nice Weekend for a Murder.
