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Published Oct 2009
288 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Shot in the head by an unknown assailant, San Francisco private eye Sharon McCone finds herself trapped by locked-in syndrome: almost total paralysis but an alert, conscious mind. Since the late-night attack occurred at her agency's offices, the natural conclusion was that it was connected to one of the firm's cases. As Sharon lies in her hospital bed, furiously trying to break out of her body's prison and discover her attacker's identity, all the members of her agency fan out to find the reason why she was assaulted.
Meanwhile, Sharon becomes a locked-in detective, evaluating the clues from her staff's separate investigations and discovering unsettling truths that could put her life in jeopardy again. As the case draws to a surprising and even shocking conclusion, Sharon's husband, Hy, must decide whether or not to surrender to his own violent past and exact fatal vengeance when the person responsible is identified.
"McCone's interspersed interior dialog about her condition adds depth to what might have been just another complicated case to solve, and while readers won't be surprised at the outcome, they may end up more appreciative of life...Top-notch mystery and more from one of the genre's Grand Masters." - Library Journal
"Proficient and readable, but since very few authors who aren't Nicolas Freeling kill off their franchise heroes, the prospect of McCone's solving her 27th case is never really in doubt." - Kirkus Reviews
"Each chapter, told from a different perspective .... provides Muller ample opportunity to showcase her strength at characterization." - Publishers Weekly
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
© Tom Graves
A native of the Detroit area, Marcia Muller grew up in a house full of books and self-published three copies of her first novel at age twelve, a tale about her dog complete with primitive illustrations. The "reviews" were generally positive.
Muller earned her master’s degree in journalism after a creative writing instructor told her she would never be a writer because she had nothing to say. In the early 1970s, having moved to California, Muller found herself unemployable and began experimenting with mystery novels, because they were what she liked to read. After three manuscripts and five years of rejection, Edwin of the Iron Shoes, the first novel featuring San Francisco private investigator Sharon McCone, was published by David McKay Company, who then cancelled their mystery list...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Marcia Muller's Website
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