Deep Down Dead

Book excerpt: Shortlisted for: **The Kathy Reichs Award for Fearless Female Character** **The Cat Amongst the Pigeons Award for Most Exceptional Debut** **FINALIST IN THE INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARDS FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL** Part-time Florida bounty-hunter Lori Anderson isn't a superhero ... she's a single mum with a lot on her plate. But when her family is threatened, she'll stop at nothing to seek justice, and keep them safe... 'A real cracker' Mark Billingham 'My kind of book' Lee Child 'Like Midnight Run, but much darker ... really, really good' Ian Rankin –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Six states. Three days. One chance to save her child... Lori Anderson is as tough as they come, managing to keep her career as a fearless Florida bounty hunter separate from her role as single mother to nine-year-old Dakota, who suffers from leukaemia. But when the hospital bills start to rack up, she has no choice but to take her daughter along on a job that will make her a fast buck. And that's when things start to go wrong. The fugitive she's assigned to haul back to court is none other than JT, Lori's former mentor – the man who taught her everything she knows ... the man who also knows the secrets of her murky past. Not only is JT fighting a child exploitation racket operating out of one of Florida's biggest amusement parks, Winter Wonderland, a place where 'bad things never happen', but he's also mixed up with the powerful Miami Mob. With two fearsome foes on their tails, just three days to get JT back to Florida, and her daughter to protect, Lori has her work cut out for her. When they're ambushed at a gas station, the stakes go from high to stratospheric, and things become personal. DIVBreathtakingly fast-paced, both hard-boiled and heart-breaking, Deep Down Dead is a simply stunning debut from one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction. 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