Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Pg. 99: Ed Lynskey's "Pelham Fell Here"

The current feature at the Page 99 Test: Ed Lynskey's Pelham Fell Here.

About the book, from the publisher:
Ex-MP and part-time gunsmith Frank Johnson finds his cousin Josh Chapman killed by a twelve-gauge shotgun. Enraged, Frank wants some answers, and fast. Was Josh involved in an arms smuggling scheme?

The mystery grows when a pair of murderous deputy sheriffs ambush Frank. Killing them in self-defense, Frank must take it on the lam while he continues his investigation.

Eventually he discovers a group of Neo-Nazis, holed up at a remote castle, who may be behind his cousin's murder. Luckily, a couple of bounty hunter pals throw in with Frank to even up the odds.
Among the praise for the novel:
"Ed Lynskey's new novel PELHAM FELL HERE is a delight. With a plot as complex as your grandmother's crocheted doilies, Mr. Lynskey creates a portrait of the rural hill country that rings as true as the clank of a Copenhagen can on a Pabst Blue Ribbon can, as does his handle on guns, love, and betrayal. This is a novel well worth the read and makes me want more."
—James Crumley, Hammett Award winning author of The Last Good Kiss

"Ed Lynskey's PELHAM FELL HERE is as hard-bitten and hard-boiled as they come. The dialogue crackles with such sharpness that you'd swear sparks were jumping off the pages. And P.I. Frank Johnson is a character cut from the Tarantino mold: tough, wounded, conflicted, and bad-ass. Pick up a copy today!"
—James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Judas Strain

"PELHAM FELL HERE is a gritty, fascinating thriller with colorful characters, snappy dialogue and plenty of plot twists. Ed Lynskey has created an interesting hero with Frank Johnson, a man with a mission who becomes a man on the run after killing some crooked cops. PELHAM FELL HERE kept me guessing--and on the edge of my seat."
—Kevin O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author of One Last Scream

"Nobody captures rural America like Ed Lynskey . . . a thoroughly engrossing and satisfying read."
—Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author of Pale Immortal

"Ed Lynskey writes in a voice utterly unique to the crime genre. His language cracks like a whip. His dialogue pops like fireworks on the Fourth. In PELHAM FELL HERE, he's crafted a story Indiana Jones would kill for, full of humor, action, neo-Nazi thugs, and the marvelous countryside of rural Virginia. If you haven't read this guy, drop everything right now and do it. You'll be very happy you did."
—William Kent Krueger, Anthony Award winning author of Thunder Bay

"Ed Lynskey's followup to THE BLUE CHEER is another lean, tough slice of rural noir. Lynskey reminds us that for every mean street in the city, there's an equally mean dirt road out where the buses don't run. The writing is pure joy to read; he can evoke more powerful imagery with a single perfectly chosen phrase than most writers can with a half page of descriptive prose. Strong stuff, but always satisfying."
—J.D. Rhoades, author of Safe and Sound
Read an excerpt from Pelham Fell Here, and learn more about the book and author at the publisher's website.

Ed Lynskey is the author of Pelham Fell Here, The Dirt-Brown Derby, The Dirt-Brown Derby, Out of Town a Few Days, and A Clear Path To Cross (all detective mysteries). His work has also appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Washington Post, and New York Times.

Ed Lynskey's The Blue Cheer, the movie.

The Page 69 Test: The Dirt-Brown Derby.

The Page 99 Test: Pelham Fell Here.

--Marshal Zeringue