Midnight Rambler - (Jack Carpenter) by James Swain (Paperback)

About the Book

In a straight-up, hard-boiled suspense thriller, the bestselling author of "Night Stalker" pits former cop Jack Carpenter against a sinister cabal of killers.

Book Synopsis

Explosive. Pulse-pounding. Heart-racing. From the bestselling author The Wall Street Journal hails as "one terrific writer," Midnight Rambler is the breakout thriller of the year-a brawny, brainy novel of suspense that pairs James Swain's trademark smooth-as-silk prose with a plot bigger and bolder than anything he's done before.

In South Florida, Jack Carpenter is infamous. He's the cop who busted the notorious serial killer Simon Skell-aka the Midnight Rambler-and sacrificed his badge and marriage in the process. Haunted by the Skell case, Carpenter now works as an abduction specialist in Fort Lauderdale, reuniting families with their missing children.

But the body of one of the Midnight Rambler's victims has just been uncovered-and forensic evidence suggests Carpenter jailed the wrong man. With Skell just days away from release, the tarnished hero must reopen the case that shattered his life and the lives of eight murdered women.

As waves of heat and rain wash over the steamy streets, Carpenter races against the clock to reaffirm the case against Skell. Yet the deeper he digs, the more he starts to realize that Skell is just one piece in a terrifying puzzle of predation and murder, just one player in a shocking conspiracy that ranges across the state of Florida. And as the relentless Carpenter draws the net tighter, his enemies prepare to spring a devastating final surprise.

From the seaside bar that Jack Carpenter calls home to the glittering tourist kingdom in Orlando to the funky jungle of Coconut Grove, James Swain unleashes a wild ride into the heart of evil-with the Rolling Stones' "Midnight Rambler" as the throbbing, terrifying soundtrack.

Review Quotes

Praise for James Swain and Midnight Rambler

"Midnight Rambler is a heavy hitter, fast and spare. Travis McGee meets Philip Marlow."
-Randy Wayne White, author of Hunter's Moon

"Moves like a bullet train on overdrive . . . I tore through this one without putting on the brakes. I guarantee you will, too!"
-Michael Connelly

"Midnight Rambler kept me up all night long, and Jack Carpenter is as appealing a hero as I've ever met. The only problem with Swain's riveting thrillers is they end."
-Tess Gerritsen, author of The Bone Garden

"Swain is one terrific writer."
-The Wall Street Journal

About the Author

James Swain is the author of seven bestselling novels. In 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Prix Calibre 36 for Best American Crime Fiction. He lives in Florida with his wife Laura.