Just Thieves
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2.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A CrimeReads "Best Noir Novel of 2021"
"A sucker punch noir that is also a powerful and haunting allegory of work, debt, and power." —Richard Price
"An unreliable narrator makes this thriller all the more gripping." — WBUR
A down and dirty gem of a tale—a twisty and twisted crime novel that evokes the worlds of George V. Higgins, Patricia Highsmith, and David Mamet, destined to be a Neo-noir classic.
Rick and Frank are recovering addicts and accomplished house thieves. They do not steal randomly - - they steal according to order, hired by a mysterious handler. The jobs run routinely until they’re tasked with taking a seemingly worthless trophy: an object that generates interest and obsession out of proportion to its apparent value.
Just as the robbery is completed, the two are involved in a freak car accident that sets off a chain of events and Frank disappears with the trophy. As Rick tries to find Frank, he is forced to confront his past, upending both his livelihood and his sense of reality. The narrative builds steadily into a powerful and shocking climax. Reveling in its con-artistry and double-crosses, Just Thieves is a nail-biting, noirish exploration of the working lives of two unforgettable crooks and the hidden forces that rule and ruin their lives.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Career thief Rick, the narrator of this stellar noir from Galloway (The 39 Deaths of Adam Strand) set in an unnamed part of the U.S., learned dishonesty from his father, a crooked building inspector. After Rick's girlfriend, Denise, gives birth to their daughter, the couple split, but Rick becomes concerned about the new man in Denise's life, a drug addict. Rick seeks help getting the drug addict out of the picture from Froehmer, a friend of his dad's, who agrees to take care of the problem. In exchange, Rick steals tools and equipment on demand from construction sites. Rick's proficiency at boosting stuff leads to another request from Froehmer—to burglarize a home to steal a box. That successful assignment leads to other burglaries and to Rick's eventual acquisition of a partner, Frank, who has the tech skills to evade alarms and surveillance. The partnership results in murder and the tightening of the screws around Rick. Galloway is as good at characterizations as he is at tight, and surprising, plotting. Michael Kardos fans will be eager for more from Galloway. Agents: David Halpern and Janet Oshiro, Robbins Office.
