One Good Deed

In this fast-paced historical thriller, the #1 New York Times bestselling author introduces Archer, a WWII veteran forced to investigate a small-town murder -- or risk returning to prison. It`s 1949. When war veteran Aloysius Archer is released from Carderock Prison, he is sent to Poca City on parole with a short list of do`s and a much longer list of don`ts: do report regularly to his parole officer, don`t go to bars, certainly don`t drink alcohol, do get a job -- and don`t ever associate with loose women. The small town quickly proves more complicated and dangerous than Archer`s years serving in the war or his time in jail. Within a single night, his search for gainful employment -- and a stiff drink -- leads him to a local bar, where he is hired for what seems like a simple job: to collect a debt owed to a powerful local businessman, Hank Pittleman. Soon Archer discovers that recovering the debt won`t be so easy. The indebted man has a furious grudge against Hank and refuses to pay; Hank`s clever mistress has her own designs on Archer; and both Hank and Archer`s stern parole officer, Miss Crabtree, are keeping a sharp eye on him. When a murder takes place right under Archer`s nose, police suspicions rise against the ex-convict, and Archer realizes that the crime could send him right back to prison . . . if he doesn`t use every skill in his arsenal to track down the real killer.