The Strangler

Book excerpt: Before the New York Times bestselling success of Defending Jacob, William Landay wrote this widely acclaimed second novel of crime and suspense, which was named a Favorite Crime Novel of the Year by the Los Angeles Times and several other newspapers. Boston, 1963. Meet the charming, brawling Daley brothers. Joe is a cop whose gambling habits have dragged him down into the city’s underworld. Michael is a lawyer, always the smartest man in the room. And Ricky is the youngest son, a prince of thieves whose latest heist may be his last. For the Daleys, crime is the family business—they’re simply on different sides of it. Then a killer, a man who hunts women with brutal efficiency and no sign of stopping, strikes too close to the Daley home. The brothers unite to find the Strangler, a journey that leads to the darkest corners of Boston—and exposes an even deeper mystery that threatens to tear the family apart. Includes an excerpt of Defending Jacob NAMED ONE OF THE BEST CRIME NOVELS OF THE YEAR BY Los Angeles Times • The Guardian • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • The Kansas City Star “Reminiscent of Dennis Lehane’s Mystic River, the novel takes us into a dark world where goodness is smothered and villainy thrives. . . . I was completely riveted.”—The Boston Globe “A dense and satisfying novel of crime and retribution . . . [Landay has] been touted as the natural successor to George V. Higgins.”—The Independent “A gripping, atmospheric saga.”—The Wall Street Journal “An impressive and satisfying performance.”—The Washington Post “Smart and surprising.”—Esquire