It's 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is sent to Poca City on parole with a short list of do's and a much longer list of don'ts: do report regularly to his parole officer, don't go to bars, certainly don't drink alcohol, do get a job — and don't ever associate with loose women.
The small town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer's years serving in the war or his time in jail. Within a single night, his search for gainful employment — and a stiff drink — leads him to a local bar, where he is hired for what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman.
Soon Archer discovers that recovering the debt won't be so easy. The indebted man has a furious grudge against Hank and refuses to pay; Hank's clever mistress has her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer's stern parole officer, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a sharp eye on him.
When a murder takes place right under Archer's nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison . . . if he doesn't use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer.
- Available eBooks
- Armchair Travel
- Fiction of the Week
- Magazines of the Week
- Mysteries & Thrillers of the Week
- You Turn My Pages
- Black Joy
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Celebrating Women
- Let's Get Crafty
- In Honor of Women's History Month: A Fiction Collection Featuring Strong Female Protagonist
- New York Times Bestsellers eBooks & Audiobooks
- See all
- Romantic Audios
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Best Audiobooks of 2022
- Armchair Travel
- Black Joy
- Celebrating Women
- In Honor of Women's History Month: A Fiction Collection Featuring Strong Female Protagonist
- New York Times Bestsellers eBooks & Audiobooks
- Fiction of the Week
- See all
- Art & Architecture
- Celebrities & Entertainment
- Crafts & Hobbies
- Fashion
- Food & Cooking
- Health, Fitness & Well Being
- History & Archaeology
- Home & Garden
- Lifestyles - Men
- Lifestyle - Women
- Music
- News, Business & Finance Magazines
- Science & Nature Magazines
- See all