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By Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.*One of Entertainment Weekly's top five…
reads of the summer*'A mind-blowing page-turning un-put-downable heartwarming empathetic formally inventive horror suspense thriller, with a life-affirming and timely feminist message' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot'This debut novel unfolds like a mystery, flitting between genres to weave an inventive tale' Buzzfeed (29 Summer books you wont be able to put down)After a college party, two boys drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.By Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.*One of Entertainment Weekly's top five…
reads of the summer*'A mind-blowing page-turning un-put-downable heartwarming empathetic formally inventive horror suspense thriller, with a life-affirming and timely feminist message' Elif Batuman, author of The Idiot'This debut novel unfolds like a mystery, flitting between genres to weave an inventive tale' Buzzfeed (29 Summer books you wont be able to put down)After a college party, two boys drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.By David Lagercrantz. 2015
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO IS BACK WITH A UK NUMBER ONE BESTSELLERLisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist have not…
been in touch for some time.Then Blomkvist is contacted by renowned Swedish scientist Professor Balder. Warned that his life is in danger, but more concerned for his son's well-being, Balder wants Millennium to publish his story - and it is a terrifying one.More interesting to Blomkvist than Balder's world-leading advances in Artificial Intelligence, is his connection with a certain female superhacker.It seems that Salander, like Balder, is a target of ruthless cyber gangsters - and a violent criminal conspiracy that will very soon bring terror to the snowbound streets of Stockholm, to the Millennium team, and to Blomkvist and Salander themselves.The Girl in the Spider's Web is book four in the Millennium series. Book five, The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, was published in September 2017.The Girl Who Lived Twice - the final novel in the series by David Lagercrantz - is available to preorder now.By Pamela Clare. 2015
Fans of Suzanne Brockmann, Maya Banks, Christy Reece, Julie Ann Walker and Cindy Gerard will adore Pamela Clare's expertly plotted…
romantic suspense series, which sets the pages alight with sizzling chemistry. For tension, thrills, romance and passion take a spin with the I-Team.CIA Officer Nick Andris wants revenge. His last mission failed after a Georgian arms smuggler killed his lover. He's been tailing a woman for three weeks hoping she will lead him to his target. But there's a problem with the intel. Holly Elise Bradshaw is nothing more than an entertainment writer with a love for sex and designer clothes. Clearly someone at Langley made a mistake...When Holly finds herself in trouble, the only weapons at her disposal are her brains and her body. But they won't be enough to handle the man who's following her. He's going to turn her world upside-down.Sexy. Thrilling. Unputdownable. Take a wildly romantic ride with Pamela Clare's I-Team: Extreme Exposure, Hard Evidence, Unlawful Contact, Naked Edge, Breaking Point, Striking Distance, Seduction Game.By Ceril Campbell. 2020
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL.5* reader raves for Secrets in the Dark!'Wow, wow, wow. Hot, steamy, surprising. Fantastically written, fun read. For anyone missing the amazing Jackie Collins your book needs are fulfilled in Ceril Campbell. I promise you won't be disappointed''Pure unadulterated fun''As an avid reader of anything by Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, this novel felt like candy to me!' 'A fantastic gripping read hyped as the new Jackie Collins which didn't disappoint . . . please say Ceril Campbell is already writing her next book!!' Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Readers adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader reviewBy Peter Quinn. 2021
Peter Quinn’s The Man Who Never Returned is a noir-ish, stylized detective narrative set in 1950s New York. It follows…
Fintan, a retired detective turned private investigator who has been given the job of finding Judge Crater, who just went missing in 1930. Based on a real story, it is quite an intriguing tale that was even more so for people living at the time. The famous missing-person case is comparable to the Amelia Earhart missing-person case, though it could have been an even more interesting one. It was alleged that the missing judge may have had information about underhanded dealings in the New York judiciary. It was believed that if such information came to light, Franklin D. Roosevelt, then governor of New York, would have had a hard time becoming the president of the United States. There were also rumors that the judge, who was a known ladies’ man, had either decided to disappear or had fallen afoul of the mafia. Featuring hardboiled characters and a beautiful re-creation of New York from the ’50s, it is quite a compelling read.By David Lagercrantz. 2015
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO IS BACK.Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist have not been in touch for some time.Then…
Blomkvist is contacted by renowned Swedish scientist Professor Balder. Warned that his life is in danger, but more concerned for his son's well-being, Balder wants Millennium to publish his story - and it is a terrifying one.More interesting to Blomkvist than Balder's world-leading advances in Artificial Intelligence, is his connection with a certain female superhacker.It seems that Salander, like Balder, is a target of ruthless cyber gangsters - and a violent criminal conspiracy that will very soon bring terror to the snowbound streets of Stockholm, to the Millennium team, and to Blomkvist and Salander themselves.(P)2015 WF Howes LtdBy Ceril Campbell. 2021
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL. Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Listeners adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader review(P) 2021 Headline Publishing Group LtdBy Chris Ryan. 2019
The seventh book in the bestselling Danny Black series.A series of gruesome killings take place in Dubai, Ghana and America.…
The victims are all connected with the SAS. In Hereford Danny Black realises they have something more specific in common - they were all involved in training a young Muslim soldier, Ibrahim Khan.Khan has been working under cover in Islamic State in a mission organised by MI6. Danny Black sets out to track him down with the help of Khan's MI6 handler on a trail that leads him to a library of ancient manuscripts in Damascus, the Syrian desert and finally back in the Brecon Beacons. There Danny discovers that he has finally met his match, his deadliest enemy - and it is the last person he ever expected.(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton LimitedBy Kate Reed Petty. 2020
Inventive, electrifying and daring, True Story is a novel like nothing you've ever read before.After a college party, two boys…
drive a girl home: drunk and passed out in the back seat. Rumours spread about what they did to her, but later they'll tell the police a different version of events. Alice will never remember what truly happened. Her fracture runs deep, hidden beneath cleverness and wry humour. Nick - a sensitive, misguided boy who stood by - will never forget.That's just the beginning of this extraordinary journey into memory, fear and self-portrayal. Through university applications, a terrifying abusive relationship, a fateful reckoning with addiction and a final mind-bending twist, Alice and Nick will take on different roles to each other - some real, some invented - until finally, brought face to face once again, the secret of that night is revealed. Startlingly relevant and enthralling in its brilliance, True Story is by turns a campus novel, psychological thriller, horror story and crime noir, each narrative frame stripping away the fictions we tell about women, men and the very nature of truth. It introduces Kate Reed Petty as a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.(P)2020 Penguin AudioBy Chris Ryan. 2019
The seventh book in the bestselling Danny Black series.A series of gruesome killings take place in Dubai, Ghana and America.…
The victims are all connected with the SAS. In Hereford Danny Black realises they have something more specific in common - they were all involved in training a young Muslim soldier, Ibrahim Khan.Khan has been working under cover in Islamic State in a mission organised by MI6. Danny Black sets out to track him down with the help of Khan's MI6 handler on a trail that leads him to a library of ancient manuscripts in Damascus, the Syrian desert and finally back in the Brecon Beacons. There Danny discovers that he has finally met his match, his deadliest enemy - and it is the last person he ever expected.(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton LimitedBy Simon Conway. 2018
Winner of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award, a Contemporary Spy Thriller for Fans of Brad Thor and John Le…
Carré. The last time Jonah saw Nor ed-Din, he was lying face-down in a pool of icy water in the Khyber Pass. He thought he had killed him, but now the trail of betrayal has come full circle. Friends since childhood, Jonah and Nor ed-Din had been groomed for the intelligence service, with Jonah as handler for Nor's penetration of ISI. But when Nor is cut loose after the Soviets are forced to withdraw from Afghanistan, the pattern of engagement and abandonment begins. Years later, when contact with Nor is revived to stage an off-the-books, multi-agency assassination attempt on Bin Laden that goes badly wrong, Jonah no longer knows who Nor is really working for-and whether he has simply taken revenge on his former countrymen in a private act of jihad. In the aftermath of 9/11, the failed operation comes back to haunt its survivors, sowing mistrust when they most need CIA support. For, gradually, the outlines of a plot begin to emerge that takes Nor from the diamond fields of Africa to the mountains of Afghanistan and to the beating heart of London, where millions of lives are at stake.By Ceril Campbell. 2021
The ultimate glamorous, escapist blockbuster - perfect for fans of Melanie Blake, Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran's Lace.'Campbell's warm, wise…
bonkbuster...transports you to the sexual free-for-all of the 1970s... There's an upbeat honesty in the writing that reminded me of Jilly Cooper' Rowan Pelling, Daily Mail'A rip-roaring, gold-plated, sizzling bonkbuster - this is one for Jackie Collins fans everywhere who are missing the glitz!' Fiona WalkerGlamour. Deceit. Sex. Deadly ambition.They have the world at their feet. And they want it ALL.5* reader raves for Secrets in the Dark!'Wow, wow, wow. Hot, steamy, surprising. Fantastically written, fun read. For anyone missing the amazing Jackie Collins your book needs are fulfilled in Ceril Campbell. I promise you won't be disappointed''Pure unadulterated fun''As an avid reader of anything by Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, this novel felt like candy to me!' 'A fantastic gripping read hyped as the new Jackie Collins which didn't disappoint . . . please say Ceril Campbell is already writing her next book!!' Innocent Phoebe has only known a life of privilege.Street-smart Paula has had to make her own way in the world.When the two girls meet as teenagers, they form a deep sisterly bond, recognising in one another a yearning for love and for lives that are different from the ones they were born into. But when they each suffer a personal trauma, they are torn apart and set out on very different paths. So begins a rollercoaster journey throughout the 1970s of extreme highs and lows for Phoebe and Paula, as they travel from the epicentre of cool on the Kings Road, Chelsea, to the glamour of Paris, LA and the South of France. It's a scandalous world of sex, drugs, celebrity and wealth - alluring, addictive...and deceptive.Readers adore Secrets in the Dark!'For those of you missing the fabulous Jackie Collins, look no further than Ceril Campbell's debut novel' 5* reader review'The perfect escapism...easy to read, full of luxury, romance, style, fashion and rock and roll. Highly recommend!' 5* reader review'Anyone interested in what made swinging London cool would enjoy this exciting, action-packed narrative - it is both a love letter to London and a tantalizing mystery' 5* reader review'Loved, loved the story and could not put the book down' 5* reader review'Terrific mystery that has you guessing till practically the last page. Highly recommended' 5* reader review'The new Jackie Collins' 5* reader review'A great debut novel with a clever twist at the end. Recommend as a brilliant holiday read' reader reviewBy Chris Ryan. 2019
To murder an SAS man is no easy task. So when three former Regiment guys turn up dead, brutally butchered…
in different corners of the globe, the hunt is on for a pro.But sometimes it takes a killer to catch a killer.Enter Danny Black.When the Regiment legend learns that his prime suspect is a top MI6 agent, highly trained in the SAS's dark arts and currently operating deep under cover, he knows that this will be no ordinary mission. It will be a black op of the highest secrecy and utmost urgency. A black op Hereford will only entrust to Danny.With the help of the target's impressive female MI6 handler, and accompanied by a grizzled bunch of former special forces operatives, the trail will take him across the world: from Hereford to London to the Brecon Beacons, and from the bright lights of Beirut to the badlands of the Syrian desert.But there is more to this mission than Danny can ever know, and in the secret world, sometimes your deadliest enemy is much, much closer to home.In the secret world, the hunter can quickly become the hunted.As the tracer rounds fly and the body count rises, could it be that Danny Black has finally met his match?By Rob Sinclair. 2009
The complete SLEEPER 13 trilogy from international bestselling author Rob SinclairSmuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as…
an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. Aydin Torkal will break free and hunt the men who made him a monster, and bring down the terrorists who threaten global peace.'Perfect for spy thriller lovers and fans of I Am Pilgrim and Orphan X' - Goodreads reviewer'I could not put down this book' - Netgalley reviewer'Brilliant, gripping' - Netgalley reviewer'One of the most intense and engrossing thrillers of the last decade' - Amazon reviewer****************This Kindle boxset includes every book in the explosive trilogySLEEPER 13 - Smuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. On the eve of the deadliest coordinated attack the world has ever seen, Aydin Torkal finally makes his escape. He will break free and hunt down those who made him a monster. He will need to draw on all his training to survive.FUGITIVE 13 - Aydin Torkal is being hunted by international intelligence agencies and by the elite brotherhood he betrayed. He has lived the past year as a ghost. Until now. MI6 agent Rachel Cox is the only person who believes he is an ally, not an enemy. So when a coded message arrives from him, warning her not to trust her own colleagues, Rachel must choose between her career and the truth.IMPOSTER 13 - Now living a secret life in London, MI6 needs Aydin Torkal's help infiltrating a sinister new terrorist cell. In order to halt their deadly ambitions, he must convince the world's most dangerous terrorists that he's one of them. He must do it before the world suffers another deadly attack. And he must do it alone.Own the complete series now!By Rob Sinclair. 2013
The complete SLEEPER 13 trilogy from international bestselling author Rob SinclairSmuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as…
an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. Aydin Torkal will break free and hunt the men who made him a monster, and bring down the terrorists who threaten global peace.'Perfect for spy thriller lovers and fans of I Am Pilgrim and Orphan X' - Goodreads reviewer'I could not put down this book' - Netgalley reviewer'Brilliant, gripping' - Netgalley reviewer'One of the most intense and engrossing thrillers of the last decade' - Amazon reviewer****************This Kindle boxset includes every book in the explosive trilogySLEEPER 13 - Smuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. On the eve of the deadliest coordinated attack the world has ever seen, Aydin Torkal finally makes his escape. He will break free and hunt down those who made him a monster. He will need to draw on all his training to survive.FUGITIVE 13 - Aydin Torkal is being hunted by international intelligence agencies and by the elite brotherhood he betrayed. He has lived the past year as a ghost. Until now. MI6 agent Rachel Cox is the only person who believes he is an ally, not an enemy. So when a coded message arrives from him, warning her not to trust her own colleagues, Rachel must choose between her career and the truth.IMPOSTER 13 - Now living a secret life in London, MI6 needs Aydin Torkal's help infiltrating a sinister new terrorist cell. In order to halt their deadly ambitions, he must convince the world's most dangerous terrorists that he's one of them. He must do it before the world suffers another deadly attack. And he must do it alone.Own the complete series now!By Chris Ryan. 2019
The seventh book in the bestselling Danny Black series.A series of gruesome killings take place in Dubai, Ghana and America.…
The victims are all connected with the SAS. In Hereford Danny Black realises they have something more specific in common - they were all involved in training a young Muslim soldier, Ibrahim Khan.Khan has been working under cover in Islamic State in a mission organised by MI6. Danny Black sets out to track him down with the help of Khan's MI6 handler on a trail that leads him to a library of ancient manuscripts in Damascus, the Syrian desert and finally back in the Brecon Beacons. There Danny discovers that he has finally met his match, his deadliest enemy - and it is the last person he ever expected.(P)2019 Hodder & Stoughton LimitedBy Rob Sinclair. 2013
The complete SLEEPER 13 trilogy from international bestselling author Rob SinclairSmuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as…
an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. Aydin Torkal will break free and hunt the men who made him a monster, and bring down the terrorists who threaten global peace.'Perfect for spy thriller lovers and fans of I Am Pilgrim and Orphan X' - Goodreads reviewer'I could not put down this book' - Netgalley reviewer'Brilliant, gripping' - Netgalley reviewer'One of the most intense and engrossing thrillers of the last decade' - Amazon reviewer****************This Kindle boxset includes every book in the explosive trilogySLEEPER 13 - Smuggled to the Middle East as a child. Trained as an elite insurgent. Forced to do things no one should, for a cause he didn't believe in. On the eve of the deadliest coordinated attack the world has ever seen, Aydin Torkal finally makes his escape. He will break free and hunt down those who made him a monster. He will need to draw on all his training to survive.FUGITIVE 13 - Aydin Torkal is being hunted by international intelligence agencies and by the elite brotherhood he betrayed. He has lived the past year as a ghost. Until now. MI6 agent Rachel Cox is the only person who believes he is an ally, not an enemy. So when a coded message arrives from him, warning her not to trust her own colleagues, Rachel must choose between her career and the truth.IMPOSTER 13 - Now living a secret life in London, MI6 needs Aydin Torkal's help infiltrating a sinister new terrorist cell. In order to halt their deadly ambitions, he must convince the world's most dangerous terrorists that he's one of them. He must do it before the world suffers another deadly attack. And he must do it alone.Own the complete series now!By Chanel Cleeton. 2015
From the author of Next Year In Havana, a Reese Witherspoon's Book Club pick!Calling fans of Scandal, House of Cards,…
Kristen Proby and Lauren Layne - prepare to be addicted to the Capital Confessions world of love stories, seduction, secrets and lies...Welcome to Washington, D.C., city of scandal, where no secret stays hidden for long... Four years ago Kate Reynolds' fiancé died on a Special Forces mission in Afghanistan. Ever since she's been consumed with uncovering the truth, vowing to prove his death was no accident. The daughter of a notoriously high-profile senator, her new job as a CIA political analyst is a dream come true, and the chance to avenge the man she loved and lost. Soon Kate's on the brink of discovering what happened that fateful night. Her own life is now in danger and she's stunned by the man who comes to her rescue. Together they must fight to stay alive as they're dragged into a corrupt world of secrets and lies. When the threat hits terrifyingly close to home, will Kate choose vengeance, or the man who has ignited a fire inside her she thought would never burn again? Want more sizzling chemistry and scandalous action? Don't miss Books One and Two in the Capital Confessions series, Flirting With Scandal and Playing With Trouble.By John O'Brien. 2009
A riveting and sexually charged posthumous novel from the author of Leaving Las Vegas. "John O'Brien was a stunningly talented…
writer who created poetry from the most squalid materials."—Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City Within the walls of a foreboding mansion situated in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, the suave Double Felix plays host to an array of beautiful women as well as his unlikely sidekick William. The mysterious patriarch grants his live-in guests’ every wish while asking nothing in return. Days begin with William and Double Felix discussing their conquests with the ladies over morning Vodka, a ritual that is nonetheless edged in homoerotic tension. From there the drinking continues, only to be interrupted by some miscellany—perhaps a rerun of The Love Boat or some casual sex. But the ongoing torpor has been upset by the house's newest arrival, a stunning young woman named Laurie, with whom both Double Felix and William become hopelessly smitten. Trash-talking Maggie and Zipper, the hooker who flew in on a trick and never left, smolder with envy while Laurie garners more and more attention from the men. As tensions spiral out of control, the house—an almost anthropomorphic entity in itself—ejects some of its denizens while further ensnaring others. Eventually, each faces the same ultimatum: leave or stay. The decision is fraught with consequence. Better delves deep into the psyche of its subjects through an intricate web of cultural icons, loyalty, covert communications, and sex. John O'Brien's characters loom in and out of a surreal world that seems to float high above the rest of us, but is in fact firmly tethered to the human condition. John O'Brien was born in 1960 and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Los Angeles in 1982 with his then-wife Lisa. During his lifetime, he was a busboy, file clerk, and coffee roaster, but writing was his true calling. He committed suicide in April 1994 at age thirty-three. His published fiction includes Leaving Las Vegas, The Assault on Tony's, and Stripper Lessons.