Synopses & Reviews
TWENTY THRILLING WRITERS. ONE CHILLING MYSTERY.More than twenty New York Times bestselling authors team up to create a first-rate serial novel—a collaboration among some of the most popular mystery and thriller writers in the English-speaking world today, producing a “well-told mystery that stands on its own two (or 40) feet” (Booklist).
Readers will enjoy an introduction by Lee Child, an afterword by Linda Fairstein, and chapters by bestselling authors Mary Higgins Clark, John Connolly, Charlaine Harris, CJ Box, Mark Billingham, Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, Alafair Burke, Stephen L. Carter, Marcia Clark, Max Allan Collins, James Grady, Heather Graham, Bryan Gruley, Val McDermid, SJ Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, Dana Stabenow, Lisa Unger, and Sarah Weinman. What’s more, the editor, Jonathan Santlofer, has arranged to donate any royalties in excess of editor and contributor compensation to Safe Horizon, the leading victim assistance agency in the country—making it a worthy and winning triumph.
Pericles “Perry” Christo is a PI with a past—a former cop, who lost his badge and his family when a corruption scandal left him broke and disgraced. When wealthy Upper East Side matron Julia Drusilla summons him one cold February night, he grabs what seems to be a straightforward (and lucrative) case.
The socialite is looking for her beautiful, aimless daughter, Angelina, who is about to become a very wealthy young woman. But as Christo digs deeper, he discovers there’s much more to the lovely “Angel” than meets the eye. Her father, her best friend, her boyfriends all have agendas of their own. Angel, he soon realizes, may be in grave danger…and if Christo gets too close, he just might get caught in the crossfire.
This classic noir tale twists and turns down New York’s mean streets and along Hamptons’ beaches and back roads during a bitterly cold and gray winter where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide.
Review
"Although it’s not a sequel to 2011’s No Rest for the Dead, this novel-by-committee is a very good followup. Twenty writers—among them such notables as Billingham, Box, Bruen, Connolly, and McDermid—combine forces. … There are some stylistic variations between the 20 authors—John Connolly doesn’t sound like Charlaine Harris—but, for the most part, the story moves as though there were a single hand on the tiller. Not merely a genre curiosity, the book is a well-told mystery that stands on its own two (or 40) feet."
Review
“Well drawn and idiosyncratic . . . [with] some amazing twists. An entertaining mystery.”
Review
“Each chapter is written by a different author (all top-notch contributors ranging from Charlaine Harris and Heather Graham to John Connolly to Mary Higgins Clark) who moves the story forward in his or her own distinctive style . . . culminating in a surprising and shocking conclusion masterfully written by Lawrence Block. Thrillers fans will definitely want to check this book out! Not only is it a good read, you can feel good too as it supports a very worthy cause!”
Review
“Not a hiccup from one chapter to the next. It's a delightful book … But what else can you expect when these tried and true authors combine their skills?”
Review
“When 20 of the best crime writers of our time team up to write a story, you know it will be worth the read. . . . The imagery evoked is noire, the PI just hardboiled enough, and the main reason for the investigation is a true femme fatale.”
Review
“Inherit the Dead isn’t the first book written by a group of popular writers … but this novel-by-committee has to be one of the best. The novel grabs you in the first section and keeps building.… It isn’t often that you get to have so much fun while contributing to a wonderful charity.”
Review
“Readers can’t go wrong with this juicy thriller written serial style by 20 popular authors.”
Review
“Distinguished crime authors who each contribute a chapter to this team project succeed in fashioning an engaging and cohesive plot. The chapters move seamlessly as clues and storylines set up by one author are expanded by the next.”
Review
“A wonderfully written mind teasing mystery. The plot twist and turns will have you questioning and second guessing till the end. Each chapter starts with the contributing author so not only do you get a great story but a good taste of each author's individual work...making us want more.”
Review
“Good book, good cause, bad guy caught: win, win, win.”
Review
“Each chapter is a gem, as though this were the only project that the writer had on his or her desk … well done!”
Synopsis
Twenty thrilling writers. One chilling mystery.Pericles "Perry" Christo is a P.I. with a past. A one-time NYPD homicide cop, Perry has been struggling since he lost his badge, and his marriage, in a notorious corruption scandal. So when wealthy Upper East Side matron Julia Drusilla calls him one cold February night, he jumps at the chance to work what seems to be a straightforward (and lucrative) case. Julia needs Perry to track down the whereabouts of her beautiful yet aimless daughter, Angelina, who is about to become a very wealthy young heiress.
But as Perry digs deeper, he discovers there's much more to the story of the lovely "Angel." Her father, her best friend, her boyfriend--they all have agendas of their own. This classic noir tale twists and turns down New York's mean streets and around Hamptons' beaches and back roads, during a bitterly cold and gray winter where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide.
Told in the same "serial novel" format that made 2011's No Rest for the Dead such a commercial and critical success, Inherit the Dead is a collaboration among twenty of today's bestselling mystery and thriller authors--each taking a chapter of the narrative and infusing it with their signature style. The editor, Jonathan Santlofer, has arranged to donate any royalties in excess of editor and contributor
Synopsis
TO FIND AN ANGEL, HE MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL.
Pericles “Perry” Christo is a PI with a past—a former cop, who lost his badge and his family when a corruption scandal left him broke and disgraced. When wealthy Upper East Side matron Julia Drusilla summons him one cold February night, he grabs what seems to be a straightforward (and lucrative) case.
The socialite is looking for her beautiful, aimless daughter, Angelina, who is about to become a very wealthy young woman. But as Christo digs deeper, he discovers there’s much more to the lovely “Angel” than meets the eye. Her father, her best friend, her boyfriends all have agendas of their own. Angel, he soon realizes, may be in grave danger . . . and if Christo gets too close, he just might get caught in the crossfire.
This classic noir tale twists and turns down New York’s mean streets and along Hamptons’ beaches and back roads during a bitterly cold and gray winter where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide. In an inventive storytelling approach, each writer brings his or her distinctive voice to a chapter of Inherit the Dead, building the tension to a shocking, explosive finale.
About the Author
Lee Child is the author of eighteen New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher thrillers, nine of which have reached the #1 position. All have been optioned for major motion pictures; the first, Jack Reacher, was based on One Shot. Foreign rights in the Reacher series have sold in almost a hundred territories. A native of England and a former television director, Lee Child lives in New York City.CJ Box is the New York Times bestselling author of fifteen novels including the award-winning Joe Pickett series. Box has won the Edgar Award for Best Novel as well as the Anthony, Macavity, Barry, and Le Calibre .38 awards. His novels have been translated into twenty-five languages. Box lives outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Breaking Point and The Highway will be released in 2013.#1 New York Times bestseller Charlaine Harris was born in Mississippi and lives in southern Arkansas with her husband, daughter and three dogs. Their sons are out of the nest. She’s written four series and two stand-alone novels in addition to numerous short stories and a novella or two. Her Sookie Stackhouse books have appeared in twenty-five different languages and on many best-seller lists. They’re also the basis of the HBO series “True Blood.”John Connolly is the author of the Charlie Parker series of mystery novels, the supernatural collection Nocturnes, and the Samuel Johnson and Chronicles of the Invaders series for younger readers. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, see his website at JohnConnollyBooks.com, or follow him on Twitter @JConnollyBooks.Mary Higgins Clark, #1 international and New York Times bestselling author, has written thirty-four suspense novels; three collections of short stories; a historical novel, Mount Vernon Love Story; two children’s books, including The Magical Christmas Horse; and a memoir, Kitchen Privileges. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels. She also wrote The Cinderella Murder with bestselling author Alafair Burke. Her books have sold more than 100 million copies in the United States alone.