by Michael Marshall (Author)
Tense and suspense-filled thriller from the author of The Straw Men and The Lonely Dead. Notorious serial killer the Upright Man has escaped from prison, and the FBI have no idea where to look for him. His brother, Ward Hopkins, suspects he may have been aided by the Straw Men, the shadowy organization founded on murder as a way of life that killed Ward's parents. But apart from his girlfriend Nina, a discredited FBI agent, the only other person who believes the Straw Men exist is John Zandt, a former homicide cop turned lone vigilante obsessed with tracking down the killers of his daughter, and now wanted for murder himself. Ward's brother was broken out for a reason. The Straw Men are planning something new and terrible. And only Ward, Nina and John stand against the Upright Man and his terrifying allies.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 560
Publisher: HarperFiction
Published: 30 Jan 2006
ISBN 10: 0007163975
ISBN 13: 9780007163977
'A definite page-turner - and a terrifying discourse on the nature of human eveil and the darkness among us ... this is as fierce as crime writing can get.' GUARDIAN
`The taut pace, crisp style and ever-present sense of menace are those of a top-drawer thriller' TELEGRAPH
`Marshall is a cracker at writing tense, rich scenes' OBSERVER
`Just when you think there's nothing new under the sun in the world of the suspense novel, along comes one hell of a nasty spider called The Straw Men. It's brilliantly written and scary as hell. Be the first on your block to stay up all night with this one; it's a masterpiece, reminding us that even paranoids really do have enemies.' STEPHEN KING
'A staggering, suspenseful journey through the darkness of American crime ... succeeds in revitalising the serial killer novel with assured gusto... A new beginning for a major British writer, whose crime debut instantly moves him into the Thomas Harris division' GUARDIAN
`Brilliantly plotted, stunningly written ... I read this in one go ... if this isn't a hit, I am a monkey's uncle. And I don't think I am'. INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
Michael Marshall is a full-time writer. His novels include `The Straw Men' and `The Lonely Dead', and he also writes short stories and screenplays. Two of his earlier novels written under the name of Michael Marshall Smith, `Spares' and `One of Us', have been optioned by major Hollywood studios. He lives in North London with his wife.