The Guilty One: A Novel

(Hardback)

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Description

A hero cop thwarts a brutal murder and can't remember a thing about it. But memories return-and so do the nightmares in this breathlessly paced thriller for fans of David Ricciardi and Michael Connelly. Every town needs a hero-and Detective Cal Farrell fits the bill. He stopped an active shooter six months earlier, and now he's become the darling of the Alexandria press. The problem is that Cal remembers nothing from that day. He's working with a psychiatrist to recover his memories, but hasn't had much luck. Then, on one of his morning runs, he is once again the first on scene for a grisly discovery-a body hanging impossibly high on a tree. Soon there's another victim, killed by a blade and dumped in a ravine. As the bodies begin to stack up, each staged more gruesomely than the last, Cal sees a baroque pattern to the crimes that no one else seems to understand-something out of legend. As Alexandria dubs the serial killer "Old Town Jack," Cal learns that the only thing a city loves more than creating a hero is tearing one down. And if he can't get to the truth, this hometown hero might just be next in line for destruction.

Reviews

Praise for The Guilty One:
Brisk, [and] action-packed . . . Readers will hope they havent seen the last of this well-developed lead.
Publishers Weekly

A suspenseful, dark and twisty story . . . One that captures your attention early and keeps a tight death grip on you throughout.
Best Thriller Books

As much an experience as it is a work of fiction . . . a whirlwind of adventure.
David Rothenberg, on WBAI/Radio

Well-written . . . Keeps you engaged right to the end.
Red Carpet Crash

A raw, visceral, hard-charging police procedural and a relentless thriller packed into one explosive novel. You'll finish this book breathless.
Lee Goldbeg, New York Times bestselling author of Movieland

The Guilty One is the perfect kind of crime novel. Crackling with suspense and chock full of compelling characters, this book grabs you by the throat and never lets go. I absolutely loved it!
Don Bentley, New York Times bestselling author of Hostile Intent

Skillfully executed and fast-paced, Bill Schweigarts The Guilty One will haunt you long after reading the final page. Brilliant!
Bruce Robert Coffin, award-winning author of the Detective Byron Mysteries

Bill Schweigarts The Guilty One is a brutal, bloody blast. The plot moves like a rollercoaster, the dialogue snaps like a whip, and the pages practically turn themselves.
Andrew Bourelle, author of 48 Hours to Kill and Heavy Metal

The Guilty One is a fast, fun, incredibly thrilling novel, as well as a compelling argument for the necessity of police work and a deep examination of its costs. Or I could keep it short and sweet: Bill Schweigart is REALLY good. Read this book!
Nick Petrie, author of The Runaway

Author Bio

Bill Schweigart is the author of The Fatal Folklore Trilogy, Running Light, and Slipping The Cable. Bill is a former Coast Guard officer and daylights as a branch chief with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He currently lives in Arlington, VA with his wife and daughter, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and four cats, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.