Book description
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. '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.
