The Parker stories comprise one of the greatest series in noir fiction. Think of heists, betrayals, and revenge. This is the second of 22 books in which Parker is the central character. In it the brutal yet fascinating thug, presumed dead, emerges from nowhere with a face sculpted by a surgeon. John Chancer is a master narrator who captures Parker’s nearly emotionless essence. Chancer’s flat and dangerous voice suggests a flat and dangerous man. Further, Chancer effortlessly navigates an underworld of lowlifes and syndicate operatives. Each passage, featuring men and women both, whose origins range from New York to the Deep South, is a well-accented, vivid portrayal. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine