Terry Brennan is a gonzo journalist for all the major magazines. He does a feature piece on super-novelist Thaddeus Bryant and the two become best friends. Thad has all the glittering prizes which Terry wants, including the next big step up the ladder of success, a major novel and a movie deal. He and his old friend Joey Gardello, the up and coming movie director, drink and dine at Elaine’s, the ultimate superstar hangout, but neither of them have yet made it. And as the novel opens it becomes obvious that Joey never will. Because he’s murdered in Central Park. Worse, for Terry, he becomes the prime suspect.
A thrilling and sometimes hilarious chase ensues as Terry tries to find out who the murderer is before the cops or Nicky Baines, the most terrifying drug dealer in Harlem catches up with him. A wild, witty thriller you won’t put down until its great, surprise ending.
Praise for THE STONE CARRIER:
“Bob Ward’s The Stone Carrier is both a smart thriller and an (appropriately) jittery look back at the literary bar scene of New York in the late 70s and early 80s, when the only high more potent than cocaine was the high of acclaim. Suffused with a blend of paranoia and nostalgia, Ward captures that world beautifully.” —Richard Price, bestselling author and screenwriter
“With The Stone Carrier Robert Ward has whipped up a suspenseful tale that manages to be both witty and blood-soaked. We are in NYC during the 1970s, nights spent among hotshot literary figures and amiable starlets, everybody zonked on cocaine and ambition, then the guys with guns start mixing in, looking for a stash thief, and things fly loose. A helluva fine read.” —Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter’s Bone
“Robert Ward’s new book The Stone Carrier confirms his place among the first rank of mystery writers and the novel is wonderfully entertaining. He is the true artist of the genre, essential reading.” —Ken Bruen, author of the Jack Taylor crime novels
“With The Stone Carrier, Robert Ward has written a kind of noir love letter to the drug-fueled and celebrity-drenched New York City of the 1970s. Think Tarantino remaking Scorsese’s Mean Streets and you’ll get the picture.” —Tim O’Mara, editor of Down to the River
“All the glitter and grit of 1970s’ New York with a heaping dose of drugs, murder, and divided loyalties, but with the underlying thrills of a man struggling to clear his name. A fast and taut trip through trouble and toward redemption.” —Jeffery Hess, author of No Salvation
“This book does a stellar job of interspersing layered, character-rich scenes with ones of tension and, ultimately, action. The action itself is realistic, and therefore impactful. The way that Ward handles the ending is brilliantly tied to the subtext of fame, power, and greed (but mostly fame) and not only differs from the expected route in fitting fashion but is also thematically satisfying. Reads like it was written by an insider, and I was transported into his world!” —Frank Zafiro, author of the River City crime novels
