Epperson, Tom

This page-turning novel, which proceeds to tell the story of Roberto's life day by day, will be enjoyed by readers who like their fiction dark.

A high-energy read with a veritable smorgasbord of bad guys: a crooked U.S. marshal, a Russian hit man, a sweet kidnapper, and a Chinese power broker who reads the English classics. While the ending becomes bogged down with flashbacks to Gray's earlier life, this is a solid, engaging thriller with fully fleshed-out characters. Recommended for fans of gritty suspense novels who like their villains vulgar and their heroes noble.