John D. MacDonald

Indicted by the state of New Jersey for the murder of retired Colonel William Farber. Dr Carl Coppolino had been having an affair with Farber's wife, Marjorie. Did he kill Marjorie's husband and his own wife so he could marry Marjorie? If he did, he may have regretted it, for Marjorie Farber became the prosecution's star witness, claiming her former lover had hypnotized her into becoming an unwilling accomplice in the death of her husband. Famed attorney F. Lee Bailey led the defense and concluded that Marjorie Farber was a classic case of a woman scorned. But did the jury agree?

Lucille Hanson had rid herself of the wrong man - her rich husband who lived casually and loved carelessly. Then she found another man she hoped would be right. She was putting together the pieces of her life - until all of her hopes came to rest at the bottom of a lake, where her body was found. It must have been an accident was what most people said. It might have been suicide, was what others wanted to think. But among her mourners just one person refused to believe it was anything but murder ...

More than half a century ago, Papa Drovek opened his small grocery store at the junction of two country roads. As he bought more and more land, the roads became highways, and now the Droveks own a complex of hotels, restaurants, a truck stop, a shopping centre and two gas stations. Papa's eldest son, Charles, is president of the Crossroads Corporation. His son Leo enjoys his token job, and daughter Joan manages the commercial tenants' leases. But when younger son Pete's wife gets restless and lonely, she becomes an easy pawn in a sleazy scheme of robbery and murder. The target? Old Papa Drovek himself.

In life, Jane Ann never had much use for a halo, but in her violent death she finally earned one. When they found a suspect, everyone relaxed except Hugh MacReedy. Maybe he should have stayed out of it, but MacReedy owed a big debt to the patsy they were sending to the electric chair in a week. And he would have stayed out of it, if he'd known what his chances were of coming out alive ...

On the surface, they seem like three very different people: Danny Bronson, a cunning ex-con struggling to go straight; his brother, Lee, a former Gridiron star turned college professor; and Johnny Keefler, a crooked parole officer who lives for revenge. But they all grew up in the same corner of town, a grim little slum known as 'The Sink', where life is cheap and might makes right. And a story that's just as dark unfolds when their paths cross as men - at the intersection of brutal violence, illicit liaisons, a 'foolproof' scam and the intoxicating allure of cold, hard cash.

Her name was Cindy, and she was his neighbour's wife - the woman next door in the kind of suburbia that didn't make headlines. These were real people, nice people like Cindy and Carl who fought with the desperation of the damned to keep from wanting each other. Suddenly, though, it was the right time, right place. And there was no room left for pretence. In that moment all innocence drained out of their lives. Two real people, two nice people, became creatures of passion - and guilt.

Step by step, Dwight McAran built a wall of vicious hate around himself. It was easy. He was a man who could slap one woman to death because she loved him, and hum a love song to another while he raped her. Sure, he did some time in jail. He sat in a cell and simmered for five long years until his hate hardened to a core of white-hot evil. Revenge was all he craved - and a plan was what he had - a plan just cruel enough to please him, and just crazy enough to work.

James Wing was only trying to help his friend's widow. At least that's what he told himself after he warned Kat Hubble that the beautiful bay that she and her neighbours had struggled to save was now going to be sold to developers. He knew he shouldn't have told her anything. He was a reporter, trained to reveal nothing. But he was falling in love with her. Political treachery and private greed had already softened up the town for the big sell-out. All that had to be done now was to silence a few stubborn citizens. Kat Hubble was one of them - and blackmail was their favourite weapon.

A television star wilting under the limelight. An adman with a stiff upper lip. A rising New York artist. A desperate housewife. All are victims of a cruel puppet master--and one of them is a killer. Introduction by Dean Koontz The head of a global cosmetics empire, Wilma Ferris became a self-made success by taking everything people had to give--and more. Mixing business with pleasure is her standard operating procedure. And she's playing the same game when she invites eight of her closest friends--all of whom owe their livelihoods to Wilma--to a weekend party at her lake house. After a late-night skinny-dipping session turns into a frantic search for the missing host, it becomes apparent that one of the guests had seen enough. Wilma's body is pulled from the cold water, but the cause of death isn't drowning--it's a blow to the head. Was it a crime of passion or premeditated murder? Neither would surprise any of Wilma's guests. Each of them has a motive--or two. In the end, all will be condemned. Praise for John D. MacDonald "John D. MacDonald created a staggering quantity of wonderful books, each rich with characterization, suspense, and an almost intoxicating sense of place."--Jonathan Kellerman "John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best."--Mary Higgins Clark "My favorite novelist of all time."--Dean Koontz

Dead Low Tide is an iconic early thriller from John D. MacDonald, the mastermind behind Cape Fear and the Travis McGee novels. On the coast of Florida, a working stiff is wrongfully accused of murdering his boss--and must outwit one of MacDonald's signature villains to save his life. Introduction by Dean Koontz A college graduate and amateur fisherman, Andy McClintock is stuck toiling in the office of a construction company. But when Andy tries to quit, his boss offers him a promotion and a raise--and then promptly kills himself with a harpoon gun. At least, that's what it looks like, until the police rule it homicide--with the murder weapon belonging to Andy. The harpoon gun had been stolen out of Andy's garage, and the boss's wife makes the outrageous claim that she and Andy were having an affair. He's been set up. To clear his name, he'll have to find the real killer. But Andy soon discovers that he's up against more than a two-bit thief--he's been targeted by absolute evil, a monster with no compassion for his fellow man. Praise for John D. MacDonald and Dead Low Tide "John D. MacDonald was the great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller."--Stephen King "The writing is marked by sharp observation, vivid dialogue, and a sense of sweet warm horror."--The New York Times "To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen."--Kurt Vonnegut

One of the most beloved American thriller writers of the twentieth century kicks off a rip-roaring career with his exhilarating first novel, a hard-boiled classic full of twists and turns, good intentions and bad coincidences, the stench of corruption and the pursuit of justice at any cost. Introduction by Dean Koontz Ex-cop Cliff Bartells might be the last honest man in Florence City, Florida. After quitting the force over a crisis of conscience, he takes a job at an insurance company buying back stolen jewelry. Cliff is focused on keeping the bottom line down and staying out of the spotlight. But when an affluent tourist from Boston is murdered over a hefty collection of jewelry, Cliff finds himself wrapped up in a case that's making national headlines. With the victim's beautiful niece, Melody Chance, determined to help retrieve the goods, suddenly Cliff has the partner he never knew he wanted. Now all they need is a suspect: someone capable of cold-blooded murder in the name of profit. And that could mean anyone in this crooked town. Praise for John D. MacDonald "As a young writer, all I ever wanted was to touch readers as powerfully as John D. MacDonald touched me."--Dean Koontz "To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen."--Kurt Vonnegut "John D. MacDonald was a writer way ahead of his time."--John Saul

No writer captured the urban blight that befell postwar America in all its grime and commotion as well as noir legend John D. MacDonald. The Neon Jungle depicts a world in which the bright lights belie the turbulent lives of a lost generation. Introduction by Dean Koontz The smell of warm gin hovers over a whole section of town. The threat of violence hangs in the air. And the neighborhood kids know all about drugs, knives, and back-alley beatings long before they're pushed into high school by weary truant officers. This is simply reality for the family that runs Varaki Quality Market. Its patriarch, Gus Varaki, is doing all he can to keep his business afloat after his beloved middle child, Henry, is killed in action. But his oldest son is at a crossroads, his teenage daughter has been seduced by a rough crowd, and one of his employees is running a racket of his own. Only Henry's despondent widow, Bonny, sees the awful truth--and the deadly plot hanging over all of their heads. Praise for John D. MacDonald "John D. MacDonald was the great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller."--Stephen King "My favorite novelist of all time . . . No price could be placed on the enormous pleasure that his books have given me."--Dean Koontz "John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best."--Mary Higgins Clark

A "first-rate entertainment" (New York Daily News), Condominium is a panoramic novel from a master of suspense that follows the disappearance of an American paradise, the corrupt souls willing to sell out to make a buck, the innocent masses caught in their wake--and the perfect storm that washes everything away. Introduction by Dean Koontz Welcome to Florida's Golden Sands, the dream condominium complex built on a weak foundation and a thousand dirty secrets. The real estate was a steal--literally. The maintenance charges run high as the locals are run out. It's the home of shortcuts, crackdowns, breakups, oversights, and payoffs. Add it all up, and the new coastline community doesn't stand a chance against the ever-present specter of disaster: the dreaded hurricane. The big one is coming. Golden Sands is right in its path. And only a few brave souls have the power to stop this towering eyesore from going underwater for good. Praise for John D. MacDonald and Condominium "Most readers loved John D. MacDonald's work because he told a rip-roaring yarn. I loved it because he was the first modern writer to nail Florida dead-center, to capture all its languid sleaze, racy sense of promise, and breath-grabbing beauty."--Carl Hiaasen "A narrative of wracking suspense that mounts to a devastating climax."--Cosmopolitan "John D. MacDonald created a staggering quantity of wonderful books, each rich with characterization, suspense, and an almost intoxicating sense of place."--Jonathan Kellerman

From John D. MacDonald, one of the enduring American novelists of the twentieth century, comes a science fiction classic with a timeless premise. An aimless young man discovers a way to stop the world in its tracks--and that's when his life truly begins. Introduction by Dean Koontz Once an ordinary math teacher, Omar Krepps developed a knack for gambling, amassed a fabulous fortune, and spent the rest of his life traveling the world and giving away his millions. Upon his death, however, Krepps bequeaths nothing to his nephew and only living blood relative, Kirby Winter--nothing, that is, except an antique watch and a sealed letter to be opened after one year. But Kirby has much more in his possession than he realizes. The watch has the power to manipulate time. Not only does this revelation shed light on the mystery of his uncle's life, it puts Kirby on the path to unimaginable wealth and a new lease on love . . . as well as a whole host of deadly troubles. Even in a universe where time is no issue, Kirby must tread carefully to stay one step ahead of danger. Praise for John D. MacDonald "To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen."--Kurt Vonnegut"As a young writer, all I ever wanted was to touch readers as powerfully as John D. MacDonald touched me."--Dean Koontz "John D. MacDonald was a writer way ahead of his time."--John Saul

Murder at sea. No survivors, no evidence, no loose ends. Only a boatload of cash left for the taking. In this explosive novel from the author of the Travis McGee series, nothing is certain--not with enough money at stake to change a dozen lives . . . or end them. Introduction by Dean Koontz Crissy Harkinson knows all about the cash that left the Gold Coast of Florida, headed for the Bahamas on board a pleasure boat. It came from Texas, unrecorded, intended as a bribe. Now it is Crissy's last chance for the big score she's been working toward for years, using her brains and her body. Then other people get involved, including a Texas lawyer too cool to commit himself to anything or anybody, a beautiful Cuban maid who might not be as silly as she seems, and a pitifully broken girl, adrift and unconscious in a tiny boat on the giant blue river of the Gulf Stream. Turns out these are shark-infested waters. And none of them are going down without a fight. Praise for John D. MacDonald and The Last One Left "As a young writer, all I ever wanted was to touch readers as powerfully as John D. MacDonald touched me."--Dean Koontz "A stunning adventure."--Chicago Tribune "John D. MacDonald created a staggering quantity of wonderful books, each rich with characterization, suspense, and an almost intoxicating sense of place."--Jonathan Kellerman

How far would you go to save your family? In John D. MacDonald's iconic masterwork of suspense, the inspiration for not one but two Hollywood hits, a mild-mannered family is tormented by an obsessed criminal--and with the authorities powerless to protect them, they must take the law into their own hands. Introduction by Dean Koontz Sam Bowden has it all: a successful law career, a devoted wife, and three children. But a terrifying figure from Bowden's past looms in the shadows, waiting to shatter his pristine existence. Fourteen years ago, Bowden's testimony put Max Cady behind bars. Ever since, the convicted rapist has been nursing a grudge into an unrelenting passion for revenge. Cady has been counting the days until he is set free, desperate to destroy the man he blames for all his troubles. Now that time has come. Praise for Cape Fear "The best of John D. MacDonald's stand-alone] novels . . . an acute psychological study of base instinct, terror, mistakes, and raw emotion."--Lee Child "A powerful and frightening story."--The New York Times "Terrific suspense."--The Philadelphia Inquirer Originally published as The Executioners

Clint Sewell knew there wasn't a wife within fifty miles who didn't have reason to murder Mary Olan - because there wasn't a husband around who didn't think the grass was greener in Mary Olan's bedroom. The latest occupant was Sewell's boss, Dodd Raymond - a man not above using Sewell to cover up his sins. And maybe not above letting Clint take the rap when the fabulous Mary is found dead in Sewell's bedroom closet with his belt around her neck.

The stage was set. Harry Mullin had hit town first. But he had just made the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, and he was a little nervous about being seen. With him at the rented house where they planned to case the job was a girl named Sal. Then the Ace turned up. He'd been good in his day but had lost something in the guts department. But the last one in town was Ronnie. Ronnie had killed 12 men and two women in seven years and had gotten to like his job - maybe a little too much ...

For years the Delevan family image reflected only the best of everything - wealth, position, influence, and the kind of expensive good looks that take generations to cultivate. No one dared suspect that their glittering façade, their cherished privacy masked hidden lusts, furtive pleasures and twisted dreams that would soon erupt into a pattern of strange violence that threatened to destroy them all.