The Darkness - Jason Pinter [0]
THE STOLEN
"The emotional dichotomy makes Parker
a captivating and complex protagonist, one whose
pithy observations about New York are dead on."
-- Publishers Weekly
"This thriller proves truly scary as it explores every parent's
worst nightmare. The next book can't come fast enough."
-- Library Journal
"An exciting whodunit...
Fans will appreciate this entertaining suspense thriller
with the right touch of sexual tension to augment a fine read."
-- Midwest Book Review
THE GUILTY
"A painstakingly refined story, from the realistically constructed
characters to the consistently pedal-to-the-metal pacing."
-- Chicago Tribune
"One of the great new voices in the genre."
-- CrimeSpree magazine
"A fresh tale with original characters...
Pinter knows what he's doing as his exciting plot
grabs readers from the first page."
-- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"Those who enjoy their noir
with a dash of real-world research will love The Guilty. "
-- Bookreporter.com
"A fabulous thriller...
will prove to be one of the best of the year."
-- Midwest Book Review
THE MARK
"Pinter's a wizard at punching out page-turning action, and the
voice of his headstrong protagonist is sure to win readers over;
his wild ride should thrill any suspense junky."
-- Publishers Weekly
"An excellent debut. You are going to love Henry Parker,
and you're going to hope he survives the story,
but you're not going to bet on it."
--Lee Child
"A first-rate debut from an author who dares to take the
traditional thriller in bold new directions."
--Tess Gerritsen
"A harrowing journey--chilling, compelling, disquieting."
--Steve Berry
"A stunning debut by a major new talent!"
--James Rollins
"From the opening sentence to the exhilarating conclusion,
Pinter's debut thriller gets the reader's heart racing.
Pinter is clearly one to watch."
-- Library Journal [starred review]
"It's Front Page meets The Sopranos
with more than a little Scorsese thrown in."
--Jeffery Deaver
"A top-notch debut... Fast-paced, gritty and often raw,
The Mark is a tale you won't soon forget."
--Michael Palmer
"A fast-paced addictively suspenseful thriller."
--Allison Brennan
(r)
To the booksellers, librarians and readers
who support my work.
Thank you.
And to Bud White, who refused to die.
1
Paulina Cole left the office at 4:59 p.m. Her sudden departure nearly caused a panic in the newsroom of the New
York Dispatch, where she'd worked as a featured columnist and reporter for several years. Paulina was prone to late
nights, though many argued whether the nights were due
to a work ethic that was second to none, or simply because
she was more comfortable spending her time among competitive, ambitious and bloodthirsty professionals than
sitting on the couch with a glass of wine and takeout.
She had left that day after a particularly frustrating
conference call with the paper's editor in chief, Ted Allen.
Paulina had spent the better part of two years becoming
the city's most notorious scribe in no small part due to
her ambivalence concerning personal attacks, heated vendettas, and a complete refusal to allow anyone to get the
best of her. When her instincts faltered, she called in
favors. When she got scooped, she would trump the scoop
by digging deeper. And she held grudges like ordinary
folks held on to family heirlooms.
Which is why, after reading a copy of that morning's
New York Gazette, the paper Paulina used to work for and
now wished buried under a paper landfill, she demanded
8
Jason Pinter
to speak with Ted. She knew the man had a two o'clock
tee time, but she'd seen him golf before and cell phone
interruption might even improve his thirty-seven handicap.
That day's Gazette featured a story about the murder
of a young man named Stephen Gaines. Gaines's head
had met the business end of a revolver recently, and in a
twist of fate that Paulina could only have wished for on
the most glorious of days, the prime suspect was none
other than Gaines's father, James Parker. James Parker