Mission Flats - by William Landay (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Before the New York Times bestselling success of Defending Jacob, William Landay wrote this critically acclaimed first novel of crime and suspense--perfect for fans of John Grisham, Scott Turow, and Dennis Lehane.

"Landay writes with eloquent intensity."--The New York Times Book Review

By a shimmering lake in western Maine, a body lies sprawled in a deserted cabin. The dead man was an elite D.A. from Boston whose beat was the city's toughest neighborhood: Mission Flats. For local police chief Ben Truman, investigating the murder will mean leaving his quiet home and joining a vengeful manhunt in a world of hard streets and harder bargains. The cops have zeroed in on a suspect, a ruthless predator targeted for prosecution by the murdered D.A. But Ben distrusts the Boston police--especially when he uncovers a secret history of murder and retribution stretching back twenty years. As past and present collide, as tribal loyalties threaten to lynch an innocent man--or let a guilty one go free--one thing remains certain: The most powerful revelations are yet to come.

Includes an excerpt of Defending Jacob

"A crackling debut that answers the question: Who will be the next Grisham?"--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"An inventive, gripping suspense debut . . . Landay deals out pertinent details with the finesse of a poker player. . . . A rich, harrowing and delightful read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"[Landay's] tale is reminiscent of his fellow Beantown writer Dennis Lehane, which is a true compliment."--Rocky Mountain News

"Waiting for a new Landay novel is like waiting for a guy from Cremona to build a violin: anxious but worth it."--Lee Child

Winner of the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for Best First Crime Novel

Review Quotes

"Tough but true: a first-time novelist has to bring something new to the table--something like the trumps that William Landay throws down in his high-stakes police procedural, Mission Flats. . . . Landay writes with eloquent intensity . . . about the no-win ethical choices that can corrupt or otherwise crush a good cop."--The New York Times Book Review

"You'll get everything you paid for in William Landay's debut thriller, Mission Flats. . . . Landay is a superb writer who can evoke visceral emotional reactions with skillful evocative prose."--St. Petersburg Times

"Landay's story is rife with nuanced characters and the gritty realism of street justice. His tale is reminiscent of his fellow Beantown writer Dennis Lehane, which is a true compliment."--Rocky Mountain News

"A crackling debut that answers the question: Who will be the new Grisham? . . . Stylish writing, wickedly convoluted plotting, and an insider's view . . . you'll barely finish this many-tentacled tale before you start clamoring form former ADA Landay's next."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Every assumption the reader makes turns into a landmine, which makes for an excruciatingly suspenseful thriller. . . . Landay gives us an original detective creation in the humorous, self-deprecating Truman, and he also delivers an action-packed plot with a skillfully detonated final surprise."--Booklist (starred review)

"[An] inventive, gripping, suspense debut . . . Landay deals out pertinent details with the finesse of a poker player. . . . A rich, harrowing, and delightful read."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Lyrical, keenly observed, and occasionally as dark as a wrong turn at midnight, Mission Flats is a harrowing, memorable debut by a writer to watch."--New York Times bestselling author Stephen White

"Mission Flats is a stunning debut, heralding the arrival of a major new voice in mystery fiction. Landay's action scenes are electric, his prose crisp, his characters unforgettable. Read this book. You'll be getting in on the ground floor of something big."--Rick Riordan, Edgar Award-winning author of Cold Springs

"This debut undoubtedly marks the emergence of a fine new American crime writer. And for those of you who like Scott Turow, [Mission Flats] is the perfect find."--Waterstones Books Quarterly

"[Landay] couples a moral seriousness to his plotting, placing this book ahead of the likes of Jeffrey Deaver and Harlan Coben."--Hampstead & Highgate Express

"The naive country cop in the big bad city is not an unfamiliar story, but Landay makes it his own, with a sympathetic central character, good quality--often witty--writing, stark brutality and a stunning twist in the tale."--Manchester Evening News

"Landay's debut is a dark, tense affair, superbly written with a plot that steadily ratchets up the suspense to the brutal denouement."--Jack Magazine

"This impressive debut novel delivers a well-judged final shock, and left me looking for more from Mr. Landay."--Mat Coward, The Morning Star

About the Author

William Landay is the author of the New York Times bestseller Defending Jacob; The Strangler, a Los Angeles Times Favorite Crime Book of the Year; and Mission Flats, winner of the Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for Best First Crime Novel and a Barry Award nominee. A former district attorney who holds degrees from Yale and Boston College Law School, Landay lives in Boston, where he is at work on his next novel of suspense.