The Red Scarf / A Killer is Loose - by Gil Brewer (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

THE RED SCARF

Roy Nichols needs to find some quick cash to keep from losing his motel. The new highway was supposed to go through, providing plenty of business, but now it's been delayed. The bank refuses to help, and his brother turns him down. Desperate and on the way back home, he catches a ride with a bickering couple named Vivian and Teece. They start drinking, then Teece gets spooked, and crashes the car. That's when Nichols discovers that his travelling companions have been carrying a briefcase full of cash. Teece appears to be dead, and Vivian confesses that they have robbed the mob, and begs him to help her escape. But to do that, Nichols will have to lie to his wife Bess...to the cops...and ultimately, to a very dangerous man named Radan.

A KILLER IS LOOSE

Ex-cop Steve Logan is down on his luck. With a baby on the way, Logan decides to pawn his last pistol to a bartender friend. On his way, he rescues a stranger, Ralph Angers, from being hit by an oncoming bus. Angers is an eye surgeon and a Korean War vet, and he has plans to build a hospital in town. Unfortunately, he is also prepared to kill anyone and everyone who gets in the way of his plans. So when Angers manages to get a hold of Logan's Luger, he also drags his rescuer into a nightmare of murder and insanity. Logan becomes a hostage to Angers' plans, and there will be no mercy to anyone who gets in his way.

Review Quotes

"There were loads of paperbacks in the 50s in which the male lead falls completely under the spell of a tempting woman and/or a briefcase full of money, and that's the kind of book this is, exactly."--Steve Lewis, Mystery*File

"Brewer created a sympathetic character and put him in some uncomfortably tense situations, with spectacular results; the book is all about suspense, and Brewer did a remarkable job at that. It's a fast and grim read from one of the best in the Gold Medal field."--Battered, Tattered, Yellowed & Creased

"Permeated with sweaty desperation."--James Reasoner, Rough Edges