The Hunger of Crows: A Novel

by Richard Chiappone

Overview

For fans of Dana Stabenow and The Frozen Ground, Richard Chiappone's debut novel is a chilling chase through rural Alaska, in which a woman running from her past must outwit the deadly assassins on her tail.

Thirty-something Carla Merino finds herself living in her camper shell in Homer, Alaska, waitressing to stay afloat and hiding from ruthless billionaire military contractor Gordon McKint, who has a secretive personal army and eyes on the presidency. McKint is determined to recover a memento Carla acquired on a one-night-stand that went terribly wrong—an item that could bring his whole world down. When McKint’s men track her to Homer she leaves for another hideout by boat, unprepared and unaware of the dangerous Alaskan weather headed her way.

Cosmo D'Angelo (a former CIA gunslinger) is a man grieving his daughter, living with the sins of his past, and in search of a certain woman (and a good meal) in small-town Alaska. In the era of political secrets and deep fake technology, he was foolish to let Carla take a memento of their tryst. Now, he needs to get it back before McKint’s men find her.

Scott Crockett is a stand-up guy, nursing a broken heart, out fishing alone. But when he finds an overturned boat and a nearly-drowned woman in the rough water, his life will get infinitely more complicated—and dangerous. Together he and Carla must outwit the professional killers sent to recover the deadly memento that threatens both McKint's political career and her life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643857008
Publisher:	CROOKED LANE BOOKS
Publication date:	11/09/2021
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	1,080,749
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Two time winner of the Robert Traver Award, Richard Chiappone is the author of three collections of stories or essays. His fiction has appeared in several anthologies and in national magazines. One story was made into a prize winning short film featured at international film festivals. Other stories have been dramatized on BBC Radio. Chiappone is a former senior associate editor at Alaska Quarterly Review, and a long-time organizer of the Kachemak Bay Writer's Conference.

Editorial Reviews

09/20/2021

Short story writer Chiappone (Water of an Undetermined Depth) hits the ground running with his assured first novel, a thriller. Carla Merino, a Phoenix waitress, enjoys one-night stands. One evening, toward the end of her shift, Cosmo D’Angelo walks in. They flirt, and she agrees to go home with him. After sex, she surreptitiously steals a photo of Cosmo from his nightstand drawer as a memento. Closer examination of the photo shows, alongside a much younger Cosmo, a man in military uniform, and Gordon McKint, “military contractor and billionaire asshole of the highest order, now running for president.” A reporter friend Carla consults tells her the photo could ruin McKint’s bid for president, because it shows McKint with a Colombian army colonel who stole millions in American foreign aid money, and McKint once testified to Congress he’d never met the man. According to the reporter, Cosmo is an operative in the Phoenix office of Sidewinder Security, McKint’s company. Realizing she’s in danger, Carla winds up hiding in Homer, Alaska, where her pursuers track her down. The complex, well-developed Carla winds up facing avenging killers and the unpredictable Alaskan weather amid loads of heart-stopping action. Only a limp, ambiguous ending disappoints. Readers will want to see more from this talented author. Agent: Rachel Ekstrom, Folio Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Hunger of Crows:
"Readers will want to see more from this talented author."
—Publishers Weekly

“Chiappone knows Alaska and it shows. The Hunger of Crows rings with authenticity and snaps with tension. A riveting read!”
—Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of the Arliss Cutter mysteries

“Brilliantly constructed and beautifully written, THE HUNGER OF CROWS will keep readers deliciously on-edge until the final page. Bravo!”
—Kevin O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Good Happens After Midnight

"A gripping thriller that left me hungry for more."
—Tom Kizzia, New York Times bestselling author of Pilgrim's Wilderness

"An intoxicating read."
—Owen Laukkanen, bestselling author of Deception Cove

"You won’t want to miss this perfect blend of character, suspense and evocative atmosphere that lingers in your mind long after the last page."
—Christine Carbo, author of the bestselling Glacier Mystery Series

“This story is fun and fast and I loved it."
—Heather Lende, Alaska Writer Laureate and bestselling author of Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs

“What a pleasure this book is . . . The Hunger of Crows gave me countless belly-laughs, and made me hunger for more of this author’s fine writing.”  
—Anne Coray, author of Lost Mountain

“A page-turner, relentless in its surprises and fulfilling in its characters."
—Lee Goodman, author of Injustice

“Chiappone artfully weaves together a number of compelling storylines, joined by a single object, taking us on a bonkers gambol through the wilds of Alaska."
—Brendan Jones, author of The Alaskan Laundry

“With The Hunger of Crows, Rich Chiappone has established himself as Alaska’s Carl Hiaasen."
—Nancy Lord, former Alaska writer laureate and author of Fishcamp and pH: A Novel 

"An enormously satisfying story."
—Antonya Nelson, author of Funny Once

"An action-packed page-turner enriched by the sly wit and deft characterization for which Rich Chiappone is deservedly known."
—Andromeda Romano-Lax, author of Annie and the Wolves 

"A page-ripper of a thriller that delivers its readers deep into the dangerous beauty of Alaska. Richard Chiappone is a writer of rare talent and range."
—John Larison, author of Whiskey When We're Dry

“The Hunger of Crows is a magnificent novel. Drop in and hang on, it’s a ride you’ll never forget.”
—Pete Fromm, author of A Job You Mostly Don't Know How to Do

From the Publisher