Steph Broadribb: Deep Dark Night: Volume 4 (Lori Anderson) [2020] paperback

Fearless Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson travels to Chicago to trap the head of a notorious crime family, in a high-stakes, nail-biting mission that sees her trapped in one of the city's tallest buildings during a blackout...

'A real cracker' Mark Billingham

'My kind of book' Lee Child

'Like Midnight Run, but much darker ... really, really good' Ian Rankin

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A city in darkness. A building in lockdown. A score that can only be settled in blood...

Working off the books for FBI Special Agent Alex Monroe, Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson and her partner, JT, head to Chicago. Their mission: to entrap the head of the Cabressa crime family. The bait: a priceless chess set that Cabressa is determined to add to his collection.

An exclusive high-stakes poker game is arranged in the penthouse suite of one of the city's tallest buildings, with Lori holding the cards in an agreed arrangement to hand over the pieces, one by one. But, as night falls and the game plays out, stakes rise and tempers flare.

When a power failure plunges the city into darkness, the building goes into lockdown. But this isn't an ordinary blackout, and the men around the poker table aren't all who they say they are. Hostages are taken, old scores resurface and the players start to die.

And that's just the beginning...

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Praise for the Lori Anderson Series

'This is romping entertainment that moves faster than a bullet' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express

'If you like your action to race away at full tilt, then this whirlwind of a thriller is a must' Deirdre O'Brien, Sunday People

'With convincing, gritty local detail, unflinching violence, and a subplot of red-hot romance, all narrated by a likeable, fast-talking heroine, this punchy and powerful adventure will leave you wanting more' Sunday Mirror

'Stripper-turned-bounty hunter Lori, with her sickly young daughter in tow, gets into high-octane escapes when she sets out to bring her former lover and mentor to justice. Lively' Sunday Times

'The non-stop twists and turns - plus Lori's constant dilemma as she is torn between the instincts of motherhood and the need to stay focused on her perilous mission - draw in readers like a magnet and keep them hooked to the action right up to the emotional conclusion' Burnley Gazette

'Deep Down Dead is an impressive thriller, the kind of book that comfortably sits alongside seasoned pros at the top of their game. Sultry and suspenseful, it marks a welcome first vow for an exceptional new voice' Good Reading Magazine

'Gripping, entertaining and utterly addictive, this is a cracking start to an enthralling new crime series...' Lancashire Evening Post

'Suspense, action, romance, danger and a plot that will keep you reading into the wee small hours. I loved it' Lisa Gray, Daily Record

'Fresh, fast and zinging with energy' Sunday Mirror

'As Anderson follows Fletcher's trail to California, she faces insults, attacks, and deceptions from a host of people connected to the fugitive, including his brother and his lover, with grit and determination. Readers will cheer her every step of the way' Publishers Weekly

'There's a good deal of wit at the expense of the complacent, anachronistic, loud mouthed quick-fisted mobsters. Just a whole hell of a lot of fun' New Books Magazine

'Fresh, compelling and beautifully written, with a real cinematic quality. Read it. Now' S.J.I. Holliday

'Fast-paced, engaging and hugely entertaining' Simon Toyne

'Brilliant and pacey' Steve Cavanagh

'Excitement and exhilaration flies off every page' David Young

'An explosive, exciting debut' David Mark

'A hell of a thriller' Mason Cross

'A series that will run and run' Howard Linskey

'A blistering debut' Neil Broadfoot

'You have to read it' Michael J. Malone

'If you love romantic suspense, you'll love this ride' Alexandra Sokoloff

'Deft and assured' Chris Whitaker

'A stunning debut from a major new talent' Zoe Sharp

'Delivers thrills at breakneck pace' Marnie Riches

'Crying out to be a Hollywood movie' Louise Voss

'High-octane and breathlessly paced' Ava Marsh

'One of my favourite debut novels for a long, long time' Luca Veste

'A gritty debut that will appeal to Sue Grafton fans' Caroline Green

'Great action scenes and great atmosphere' C.J. Carver

'Crazy good ... full-tilt action and a brilliant cast of characters' Yrsa Sigurdardottir

'The pace moves at breakneck speed. The writing style is accomplished and real and this is quite simply one of the best debut novels I have ever read. I will definitely be reading more books by this author' Angela Marsons