The literature of larceny welcomes a newcomer with some serious chops, as Steven M. Thomas muscles his way to a place at the tableelbow-to-elbow with Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasencourtesy of a harrowing, hilarious, two-fisted, hard-boiled thriller thats pure heaven for anyone who loves a hell of a crime novel.Robert Rivers is a crook. No excuses, no apologies. Breaking the law is his calling, crime is his rush, capers his reason for getting up in the morning and staying up late at night. But hes a thief with honor, plotting and pulling off carefully choreographed heists where no shots are fired, no blood is spilled, and nobody gets hurt . . . except in the wallet. After a brief stint behind bars back in the day, hes managed to carve out a comfortable existence, cheerfully plundering the sunny Southern California community whose streets he tools in the tweaked-out Cadillac DeVille thats his pride and joy. But now Rob (whose name has become ironic) is pushing forty, andlike his trusty partner, Switch, whos got a pregnant girlfriend and a hefty stash of loothes thinking about quitting the game. But then he and Switch, pulling their latest Butch and Sundance, score a payday that could end up costing them plenty. Inside a strongbox packed with greenbacks rests a disturbing black-and-white photo of a beautiful young girl, eyes full of fear as naked as she is. Its an image that Rob cant shake, and a wake-up call: There are rules even he wont break. Its also his one-way ticket into the underbelly of the underworlda lethal landscape of sex slaves, sadistic psychopaths, and sawed-off shotguns, where honor is for fools, and trust is for suckers, where very bad people do even worse things and nice guys dont finish at all. They just get finished off.With its alluring setting, quirky characters, and restrained and subtle prose, Criminal Paradise has something for every thriller fan. And with sharp natural instincts and writing skills as serious as his humor is sly, Steven M. Thomas shows as much promise as any author on the suspense scene.From the Hardcover edition.
