First published 1990
Matt Scudder thought he had closed the book on James Leo Motley when he put the cunning criminal away twelve years ago. But Motley walked out of prison with revenge burning in his mind and Scudder's name on his lips. Now the psychopath hunts through New York City, killing anyone connected to the private investigator who destroyed his freedom. Friends become targets. Lovers live in fear. Even strangers who happen to share Scudder's surname find themselves marked for death. Each brutal murder pulls Scudder deeper into a deadly game where Motley holds all the cards. The veteran PI watches his world collapse as bodies pile up around him. His recovery through Al-Anon meetings becomes a distant memory as violence consumes his life. Scudder must find Motley before the killer completes his twisted mission of revenge, but each move brings him closer to becoming the final victim in Motley's murderous spree.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, enemies-to-lovers
Setting: New York City
Period: 12 Years Ago
290 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow and Company
Content warnings: violence