Book Description
In this riveting, astute, high-tension thriller, the
creator of psychologist sleuth Alex Delaware weaves a
Dickensian tale of innocence, urban depravity, and the
resilience of the human spirit, and brings to the page one of
the most endearing and finely drawn characters in
contemporary fiction.
Twelve-year-old Billy Straight--precocious, heartbreakingly
perceptive, relentlessly moral--has fled the chaos and abuse
of his life at home and is fighting to survive on L.A.'s
meanest streets. All alone, Billy has fashioned a precarious
existence for himself, using principled tricks to nourish his
body and his mind. Late one night he watches from his hiding
place as a man viciously butchers a woman. The victim turns
out to be the ex-wife of a television celebrity with a
history of domestic violence, and Billy becomes the center of
terrifying attention--from the media, from violent bounty
hunters, and from the murderer himself. As he runs for his
life, relying on his native wit and instincts for survival,
Billy is also tracked by a potential savior: Petra Connor, a
tough, gifted, beautiful LAPD homicide detective with a past
of her own.
Breathtakingly paced, Billy Straight brings to life one
street kid's efforts to survive in the face of unspeakable
evil. Richly layered, emotionally compelling, and peopled by
a vivid cast of supporting characters--including Alex
Delaware himself in a strong cameo role--this gripping novel
represents one of the century's great story-tellers at the
top of his form.
