A more recent work by Thomas Perry, author of "The Butcher's Boy" (an excellent read). This novel is a fairly effective read for about 80% of the way through, before the author descends into a level of impausibility that renders the closing tableau less satisfactory. One particularly egregious coincidence concerning a field of farmland... you'll see... Nonetheless, some nightime reading for you, and those to whom you pass along this book.

A portion of the book description on Amazon.com reads: "Roy Prescott is all alone in the world, living lies, making plans, meticulously going about his job. Prescott’s job is to hunt people down . . . and then to kill them. Now he has been hired to find a monster–a man who is as alone as he is, as smart, as methodical, as deadly, and even more arrogant. Prescott knows that to find this monster he must get inside his head, get him angry, and force him to come after him. Soon he gets his wish. With a little luck, the killer even makes a mistake–trying to prove a point to Prescott. But Prescott needs no proof. He already knows what he’s up against. He knows that innocent people are going to die. The only question now is which one of them will get the first shot–which one will get the last. . . . "

Released on Sunday, May 11, 2003 at Earthfare Foods, 5 Points in Athens, Georgia USA.

Propped on ledge across flower stand by front door.

[Click the accompanying pic... Nice cheese section in this store, pleasant staff, and save 10 cents if you bring your own bag/don't use a bag. Happy Mother's Day!]