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2012 Anthony Award for Best First Novel (nominee)
2012 Edgar Award for Best First Novel (nominee)
'Tander Phigg was an asshole, but he was also a Barnburner. Barnburners saved my life. I help them when I can. No exceptions.'
The job seems simple. Conway Sax, a no-nonsense auto mechanic with a knack for solving difficult problems, has never liked obnoxious blowhard Tander Phigg. But a promise is a promise. Tander's a Barnburner, a member of the unique Alcoholics Anonymous group that rescued Conway, and when a Barnburner has a problem, Conway takes care of it. Besides, all Tander wants is to get back his baby, a vintage Mercedes that's been in a shady auto shop far too long.
But Conway soon discovers there's much more to the problem than Tander first let on - especially when Tander turns up dead. Conway was the last person seen with the victim, and on top of that, he has a record, making him the cops' top suspect. He must catch the killer to clear himself, but beyond that, he's a man who honors his promises, even when the guy he made them to is dead.
In the tradition of Robert B. Parker and Dennis Lehane, Steve Ulfelder's crackling debut mystery features a gritty, razor-sharp new voice in crime fiction. Conway Sax isn't a hired gun or a wise-cracking urbanite. He's just a mechanic trying to make his way, a blue-collar guy whose ideas about family and loyalty are as deeply held as they are strong. He'll break your heart if you're not careful.
Genre: Mystery
The job seems simple. Conway Sax, a no-nonsense auto mechanic with a knack for solving difficult problems, has never liked obnoxious blowhard Tander Phigg. But a promise is a promise. Tander's a Barnburner, a member of the unique Alcoholics Anonymous group that rescued Conway, and when a Barnburner has a problem, Conway takes care of it. Besides, all Tander wants is to get back his baby, a vintage Mercedes that's been in a shady auto shop far too long.
But Conway soon discovers there's much more to the problem than Tander first let on - especially when Tander turns up dead. Conway was the last person seen with the victim, and on top of that, he has a record, making him the cops' top suspect. He must catch the killer to clear himself, but beyond that, he's a man who honors his promises, even when the guy he made them to is dead.
In the tradition of Robert B. Parker and Dennis Lehane, Steve Ulfelder's crackling debut mystery features a gritty, razor-sharp new voice in crime fiction. Conway Sax isn't a hired gun or a wise-cracking urbanite. He's just a mechanic trying to make his way, a blue-collar guy whose ideas about family and loyalty are as deeply held as they are strong. He'll break your heart if you're not careful.
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"Holds a hot, ominous idle just until Ulfelder engages gears and hits the gas, pinning you back against the seat, hopeless to leave before the end of the ride. One of those rare debuts that leaves you immediately eager to see what is next." - Michael Koryta
"Genuine characters and intense action - a serious crime novel with a serious edge." - Patrick Lee
"Purgatory Chasm grabs you at the gate and doesn't let go, careening through a top-notch whodunit to an ending you don't see coming. A debut this good makes you wonder what Ulfelder's holding back for the next race." - Sophie Littlefield
"Ulfelder's voice makes the tale as powerful and true as rocketing down the back straight at Martinsville Speedway. He's given us living proof that scars are sometimes the only legacy we can pass down from one generation to the next." - Louise Ure
"Genuine characters and intense action - a serious crime novel with a serious edge." - Patrick Lee
"Purgatory Chasm grabs you at the gate and doesn't let go, careening through a top-notch whodunit to an ending you don't see coming. A debut this good makes you wonder what Ulfelder's holding back for the next race." - Sophie Littlefield
"Ulfelder's voice makes the tale as powerful and true as rocketing down the back straight at Martinsville Speedway. He's given us living proof that scars are sometimes the only legacy we can pass down from one generation to the next." - Louise Ure
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