From three-time New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice — whose novels have been called bold and ambitious by The New York Times, "chillingly perverse" by USA Today, and "shocking, sexy...intricate" by Glamour — comes this startling psychological thriller about an Iraq War vet who seeks redemption and revenge when a fellow Marine he failed to protect during the war is brutally murdered.

John Houck became a Marine to become a hero. But his life changed when he failed to notice an explosive device that ended up maiming the captain of his Force Recon Company, a respected Marine who nearly sacrificed himself to save John's life.

Home from Iraq, John pays a visit to his former captain, only to discover the captain has been gruesomely murdered. John pursues a strange man he sees running from the scene, but he discovers that Alex Martin is not the murderer. Alex is, in fact, the former captain's secret male lover and the killer's intended next victim.

When it becomes clear that local law enforcement has direct connections to the murder itself, John realizes that to repay his debt of honor, he must teach Alex Martin how to protect himself, even if that means teaching Alex to kill. In the process, John confronts the painful truth about the younger brother he was unable to protect and the older sister he always felt he failed.

Blind Fall is a story of honor and integrity, of turning failure into victory. It is a stunning departure for Christopher Rice: the story of two men, one a Marine, one gay, who must unite to avenge the death of the man they both loved — one as a brother-in-arms, one as a lover — and to survive.

"Rice's fourth thriller (after 2005's Light Before Day) clumsily mixes the plight of gays in the military with an unlikely murder investigation. John Houck, a former marine sergeant, returns to the States from Iraq, determined to make amends with his commanding officer, Capt. Mike Bowers, who was gravely injured due to John's negligence. But when he tracks Mike down at home in Owensville, Calif., John discovers Mike gruesomely murdered in his bed. John, who had no idea Mike was gay, reluctantly joins forces with Alex Martin, Mike's live-in boyfriend, to bring the killer to justice. After John and Alex learn that local law enforcement played a role in Mike's death, they must go on the run to save their own lives. A subplot involving John's brother's suicide distracts in a subpar effort that lacks the complexity of Rice's earlier novels. 10-city author tour." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Christopher Rice has written a high-style, high-speed thriller with a furious rhythm and pace that will satisfy his legion of fans and find him plenty of new ones." Mark Childress, author of One Mississippi and Crazy in Alabama

"Christopher Rice is a phenomenal writer, and Blind Fall is exquisite proof of that fact. He brings unforgettable characters and unrelenting suspense together in a powerful story that will stay with you long after you've closed the back cover. This is the thriller at its best."-- Jan Burke, author of Kidnapped and Bloodlines

"Blind Fall is a tale of heroism and cowardice, a yearning search for redemption and acceptance, and a haunting portrayal of characters, both gay and straight. Christopher Rice writes with a sharp eye and a full heart."-- T. Jefferson Parker, author of Storm Runners and The Fallen

"The name Rice is synonymous with seamless and sensitive prose, and Christopher lives up to that name....A timely and compelling story, with shadings and ambiguities that demonstrate Chris's maturity as a writer."-- Sandra Brown, author of Play Dirty and Ricochet

"Rice keeps the reader turning pages at every step of the way. He manages to combine a complex, fast-moving plot with a tale of forgiveness and redemption, in an examination of the many facets of relationships between men — whether they are loving, violent, fearful or redemptive."-- New Orleans Times Picayune

"Blind Fall is a tale of the moral choices human beings make, of the personal redemption that can come when one man reaches out to pull someone else back from the abyss."-- New Orleans Times Picayune