Inthisfast-pacedhistoricalthriller,the#1NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorintroducesArcher,aWWIIveteranforcedtoinvestigateasmall-townmurder--orriskreturningtoprison.It’s1949.WhenwarveteranAloysiusArcherisreleasedfromCarderockPrison,heissenttoPocaCityonparolewithashortlistofdo’sandamuchlongerlistofdon’ts:doreportregularlytohisparoleofficer,don’tgotobars,certainlydon’tdrinkalcohol,dogetajob--anddon’teverassociatewithloosewomen.ThesmalltownquicklyprovesmorecomplicatedanddangerousthanArcher’syearsservinginthewarorhistimeinjail.Withinasinglenight,hissearchforgainfulemployment--andastiffdrink--leadshimtoalocalbar,whereheishiredforwhatseemslikeasimplejob:tocollectadebtowedtoapowerfullocalbusinessman,HankPittleman.SoonArcherdiscoversthatrecoveringthedebtwon’tbesoeasy.TheindebtedmanhasafuriousgrudgeagainstHankandrefusestopay;Hank’sclevermistresshasherowndesignsonArcher;andbothHankandArcher’ssternparoleofficer,MissCrabtree,arekeepingasharpeyeonhim.WhenamurdertakesplacerightunderArcher’snose,policesuspicionsriseagainsttheex-convict,andArcherrealizesthatthecrimecouldsendhimrightbacktoprison...ifhedoesn’tuseeveryskillinhisarsenaltotrackdowntherealkiller.
