Bad Signs

From a "master of the genre," a psychological thriller about two brothers who are taken captive by a convicted serial killer. (New York Times bestselling authorClive Cussler)

Orphaned by an act of senseless violence that took their mother from them, half-brothers Clarence Luckman and Elliott Danziger have been raised in state institutions, unaware of any world beyond its walls. But their lives take a sudden turn when they are seized as hostages by a convicted killer en route to death row. Earl Sheridan is a psychopath of the worst kind, and as he and his two hostages set off on a frenetic path through California down to Texas, Clarence and Elliot must come to terms with the ever-growing tide of violence in their wake. It's a path that will force them to make a choice that will change their lives forever.


Set in the 1960s, Bad Signs is a tale of the darkness within all of us, the inherent hope for salvation, and the ultimate consequences of evil.


Praised by Alan Furst as a "uniquely gifted, passionate, and powerful writer," R.J. Ellory delivers a thriller as beautiful as it is riveting, returning to the haunting ground of his international bestseller, A Quiet Belief in Angels.


"A haunting thriller…an existential look at the nature of fate . . . gripping." –Kirkus Reviews

"Ellory brilliantly renders Clay's sense of loss, loneliness, and fear?but also his resolute hope for salvation. Pair this striking mix of character study and thriller with John Hart's similarly gripping Iron House." —Booklist

"A spellbinding and compelling thriller . . . Highly recommended." —Midwest Book Review