The co-op bookstore for avid readers
Book Cover for: Heaven's a Lie, Wallace Stroby

Heaven's a Lie

Wallace Stroby

When a young widow witnesses a fatal car accident outside a Jersey Shore motel, she's suddenly thrust into a nightmare of gang violence, guns, and money that she can't outrun in this action-packed novel by "one of the best writers in crime fiction" (Alison Gaylin).​

Joette Harper's life brings new meaning to the phrase "paycheck to paycheck." Struggling to afford her mother's sky-high medical bills
and also keep the lights on in her trailer home, Joette needs a break.

So, when she spies a bag full of money amongst the wreckage of a fiery car accident, she knows she can't just let it be. Inside is a bounty better than she could have dreamed--just shy of $300,000 in neatly stacked hundreds and fifties. Enough to pay off her debts, give her mother the care she deserves, and maybe even help out a few of her friends.

But, of course, the missing briefcase didn't go unnoticed by its original owner, Travis Clay--a ruthless dealer who'll stop at nothing to get back what's his.

Joette is way out of her depth, but can't seem to stop herself from participating in this cat-and-mouse chase. But can she beat Travis at his own game?

Book Details

  • Publisher: Mulholland Books
  • Publish Date: Apr 6th, 2021
  • Pages: 272
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 9.30in - 6.20in - 1.10in - 1.15lb
  • EAN: 9780316540605
  • Categories: Thrillers - CrimeSmall Town & RuralMystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled

About the Author

Wallace Stroby is an award-winning journalist and the author of eight previous novels, four of which feature Crissa Stone, the professional thief labeled "crime fiction's best bad girl ever." His first novel, The Barbed-Wire Kiss, was a Barry Award finalist for best debut novel. A native of Long Branch, N.J., he's a lifelong resident of the Jersey Shore.

Praise for this book

"A masterpiece. This is a honed razor of a thriller, a must for fans of No Country for Old Men, that poignantly captures the grit of everyday life in my home state."
--Matthew Quirk, bestselling author of The 500 and The Night Agent
"Tight, taut, and terrifying. In Heaven's a Lie, the action blisters along at a furious pace."
--Kathy Reichs, author of the bestselling Temperance Brennan Bones series
"Tough and touching...Blue collar grit meets noir, then takes a wild turn down the finders-keepers crime alley.... Heaven's a Lie has primal appeal, a perfect read in this wobbly world."
--Joe R. Lansdale, author of Edgar Award-winning The Bottoms and the Hap & Leonard series
"I've been reading Wallace Stroby for years and he never disappoints."--Lawrence Block, bestselling author of the Matthew Scudder mysteries
"Wallace Stroby is one of the best writers in crime fiction, and he outdoes himself with HEAVEN IS A LIE. A lightning-paced noir tale with shatteringly tender moments, the book had me losing sleep as I rooted for tough, whip-smart, big-hearted Joette Harper-- my favorite heroine in quite a while."
--Alison Gaylin, internationally bestselling author of If I Die Tonight