Speak of the Devil - Abridged

“[An] amazing thriller . . . [Richard] Hawke’s dialogue is sharp and snappy and the plot moves with all the energy of New York City.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer

A child of Hell’s Kitchen and the bastard son of a beloved former police commissioner, Fritz Malone is all too familiar with New York City’s rougher side. So when a gunman opens fire at the crowded Thanksgiving Day parade, Fritz steps into action, giving chase. He then learns that someone dubbed “Nightmare” has been taunting the city’s leaders for weeks—and there’s more carnage to come, unless the city meets the madman’s impossible demands. The nervous police need an outside man, and Fritz fits the bill. Racing furiously against time, Fritz finds himself confounded by Nightmare’s multiple masks and messengers. But the dark story behind the story soon begins to emerge, and when Fritz zeroes in on the terrible truth, the killer retaliates by making things personal. Now Fritz must grapple with his deepest fear: Sometimes nightmares really do come true.

Praise for Speak of the Devil

“Hawke razzle-dazzles us with . . . bada-bing narration and quirky, well-drawn characters.”—The Boston Globe

“[Packed] with a breathless pace and hairpin turns.”—South Florida Sun Sentinel

“Fast-moving, first-rate . . . Hawke’s plot grabs us by the throat. . . . He keeps the suspense mounting.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Solidly entertaining . . . Hawke makes a big splash on the thriller scene with his debut novel.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“[Speak of the Devil] tours the city with unusual streetwise panache . . . but this isn’t a book that coasts on its urban geography. It lives by its wits, and its wits would work anywhere.”—The New York Times

“A bang-bang thriller . . . We are absolutely powerless to stop reading.”—Chicago Tribune

“[A] deftly paced debut that crackles and pops from page 1.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Thrill-a-minute pacing and inspired plot twists.”—Newsday

“A rare combination of intrigue and intensity.”—Michael Connelly