1 of 1 copy available
When burnt-out Miami reporter Matt Cowart receives a letter from a death row inmate pleading his innocence, he is tempted to dismiss it. But as the newspaperman digs into the case of Robert Earl Ferguson, an African American given the death penalty for the brutal slaying of a white girl, he begins to believe that Ferguson is the real victim of hate and prejudice. And if he doesn’t act, the wrong man is going to be executed.
In the months that follow, Cowart’s investigative articles not only set Ferguson free, but make Cowart a celebrity and win him a Pulitzer Prize—and set in motion a new chain of unimaginable horror. For there is monster out there, and he is not through with killing. . . .
Includes a preface by the author
“Tense, exciting, and very, very real.” —The Detroit News
“A classic cat-and-mouse story.” —Orlando Sentinel
“Katzenbach is a skilled storyteller. . . . With admirable subtlety . . . [he] manages to address the disturbing issues of race and crime. . . . Powerful.” —Chicago Tribune
“The criminal mind, racial bias, journalistic ego and the flawed fabric of the American criminal justice system are potent raw materials for psychological suspense master Katzenbach.” —Publishers Weekly
“Terrific . . . His best book by far.” —Lawrence Block
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
December 16, 2014 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780802191946
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780802191946
- File size: 3074 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
February 3, 1992
The criminal mind, racial bias, journalistic ego and the flawed fabric of the American criminal justice system are potent raw materials for psychological suspense master Katzenbach ( The Travelers ) in this riveting, provocative story. Matthew Cowart is lonely since his divorce and bored with writing editorials for the Miami newspaper where he was once an ace crime reporter. Then he receives a letter from a black inmate of Florida's death row, Robert Earl Ferguson, who claims he is innocent of the crime for which he has been convicted, the raping and slashing of a young white girl. On Ferguson's promise to reveal the identity of the real killer, Cowart spearheads a crusade that frees Ferguson and names another inmate, Blair Sullivan, as the murderer. Cowart wins a Pulitzer for his efforts, but his celebration is short-lived. Sullivan gives the reporter a pre-execution confession, and Cowart discovers that he has been duped. Black homicide detective Tanny Brown convinces Cowart to team up against the killer who has outmaneuvered them both. The horror of psychopathic murder and the limitations of the legal system become clear as the pair jousts with the killer on his own turf. Despite some extraneous subplots, the story generally proceeds at a breakneck pace, enhanced by ear-perfect dialogue and complex characterization. Film rights to Warner; major ad/promo. -
February 1, 1993
Psychological suspense master Katzenbach's provocative story tells of a lonely editorial writer who crusades for the freedom of an inmate who has--it seems--been wrongly accused of murder. A BOMC alternate in cloth.
-