ENVY THE NIGHT In this first stand-alone novel from the critically acclaimed Edgar Award-finalist, Michael Koryta fulfills his early promise with a dark and mature novel of a young man trying to escape his past. It has been seven years since Frank Temple III joined the rest of the world in learning his father's bloody secret: The U.S. marshal maintained a covert career as a contract killer, a double-life that ended in suicide to avoid prosecution and prison. The shocking revelation triggered years of anonymous drifting for Frank, time spent running from his legacy and struggling to believe that the father he’d loved so dearly was entirely in the wrong. After all, the victims hadn't been innocents. And Devin Matteson, the man who’d lured his father into the killing game only to later give him up to the FBI, is probably the darkest of the lot. Those are troubling thoughts, and Frank tries to stay away from them. But when an old family friend calls to say that Matteson is returning to the isolated Wisconsin lake that was once sacred ground for their families, it’s a homecoming Frank knows he can’t allow. Family secrets, mob hitmen, and a father’s shadowy legacy combine to make this Koryta’s most compelling thriller yet. * Sarah Weinman's Pick of the Week * * Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Bestseller * * One of Dick Adler's 3 favorite books of 2008 * * January Magazine's Best Crime Fiction of 2008 * * Winner of the 2008 LA Times Book Prize * * 2009 Barry Award nominee for Best Novel * * 2009 Crimespree Award nominee for Favorite Book of 2008 * * Critics’ Choice for Best Crime Novel of 2008 at The Mystery Bookshelf * Rights Information Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur, Hardcover (August 5, 2008) St. Martin’s Minotaur, Mass market paperback (August 4, 2009) Territory: World Rights Available: Film/TV Reviews: "Michael Koryta earns a seat at the high table of neo-noir crime writers by putting a fresh spin on the fathers-and-sons narrative so many of his peers feel compelled to write over and over again. As good as he is at depicting violence, Koryta puts even more muscle into scenes of killers tracking one another in the great outdoors – a talent that doesn’t get enough of a workout in the novels featuring his P.I. Lincoln Perry but is demonstrated here with brutal artistry." - Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review "Revenge drives this superb stand-alone from Edgar-finalist Koryta (A Welcome Grave). Koryta's dialogue is as sharp as the knives his characters wield, and his plot twists at the most unexpected moments. This thriller places Koryta solidly in the company of the genre's most powerful voices." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "[A] collision of murderous forces soon involves an expanding cast of well-rendered characters, a few heartbreaking relationships, and more than a few fresh corpses. Koryta has an engaging protagonist in Frank, a young man raised with the skills of an assassin yet sickened by his own killer instincts and "unusual education." For most of the novel, Frank is refreshingly levelheaded; he is often the first one calling the cops for assistance. His pragmatism jumps ship by the final act, but the Peckinpahesque climax has the blood, bullets, and surprises coming so fast you’re likely to forgive him." - Daniel Kraus, Booklist "Gallows humor leavens this heart-pounding thriller...Take yourself to an island, pull up an Adirondack chair, and scare yourself silly with this one." - The Boston Globe "Koryta's skill as a writer—and as a crafter of complicated plots—will fascinate." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch "ENVY THE NIGHT is a fast-paced taut tale that never misses a beat...Michael Koryta is at his best...This is an unputdownable thriller". - Harriet Klausner "one of the year's finest crime novels. "Envy the Night" shows a confidence in storytelling that doesn't follow the predictable as well as an affinity for shaping authentic characters. Koryta tackles the legacy of violence, the relationships of parents and adult children, and the futility of revenge while delivering an action-packed story. Koryta sets himself as a powerful storyteller in the pitch perfect "Envy the Night." - Oline H. Cogdill "One of the year's finest crime novels." - South Florida Sun-Sentinel "Envy the Night is that rarest of literary creatures: a standalone thriller that you want to see turned into a series. Could it happen? We live in hope." - January Magazine "rush out to obtain it, and then lock yourself in a room until you finish reading the thing. [ENVY THE NIGHT is] that rarest of literary creatures: a standalone thriller that you hope will generate a series" - Dick Adler, The Rap Sheet Blurbs: ""Michael Koryta's new book Envy the Night is a tour de force of character, dialogue, and deep, dark plotting. This is a young author who writes well beyond his years, and this is his best yet." - #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly "This diabolical mystery novel, laid out in simple but eloquent prose and pitch-perfect dialogue, heralds a changing of the guard. I have seen the future of "The Best Mystery Writer in America" and its name is Michael Koryta." - New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson "Superb writing and storytelling from Michael Koryta...Envy the Night represents his best work to date." - New York Times bestselling author George Pelecanos Purchase at Amazon.com

ENVY THE NIGHT

In this first stand-alone novel from the critically acclaimed Edgar Award-finalist, Michael Koryta fulfills his early promise with a dark and mature novel of a young man trying to escape his past.

It has been seven years since Frank Temple III joined the rest of the world in learning his father's bloody secret: The U.S. marshal maintained a covert career as a contract killer, a double-life that ended in suicide to avoid prosecution and prison.

The shocking revelation triggered years of anonymous drifting for Frank, time spent running from his legacy and struggling to believe that the father he’d loved so dearly was entirely in the wrong. After all, the victims hadn't been innocents. And Devin Matteson, the man who’d lured his father into the killing game only to later give him up to the FBI, is probably the darkest of the lot. Those are troubling thoughts, and Frank tries to stay away from them. But when an old family friend calls to say that Matteson is returning to the isolated Wisconsin lake that was once sacred ground for their families, it’s a homecoming Frank knows he can’t allow.

Family secrets, mob hitmen, and a father’s shadowy legacy combine to make this Koryta’s most compelling thriller yet.

* Sarah Weinman's Pick of the Week *
* Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Bestseller *
* One of Dick Adler's 3 favorite books of 2008 *
* January Magazine's Best Crime Fiction of 2008 *
* Winner of the 2008 LA Times Book Prize *
* 2009 Barry Award nominee for Best Novel *
* 2009 Crimespree Award nominee for Favorite Book of 2008 *
* Critics’ Choice for Best Crime Novel of 2008 at The Mystery Bookshelf *

Rights Information

Publisher: St. Martin’s Minotaur, Hardcover (August 5, 2008)
St. Martin’s Minotaur, Mass market paperback (August 4, 2009)

Territory: World

Rights Available: Film/TV

Reviews:
"Michael Koryta earns a seat at the high table of neo-noir crime writers by putting a fresh spin on the fathers-and-sons narrative so many of his peers feel compelled to write over and over again. As good as he is at depicting violence, Koryta puts even more muscle into scenes of killers tracking one another in the great outdoors – a talent that doesn’t get enough of a workout in the novels featuring his P.I. Lincoln Perry but is demonstrated here with brutal artistry." - Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

"Revenge drives this superb stand-alone from Edgar-finalist Koryta (A Welcome Grave). Koryta's dialogue is as sharp as the knives his characters wield, and his plot twists at the most unexpected moments. This thriller places Koryta solidly in the company of the genre's most powerful voices." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"[A] collision of murderous forces soon involves an expanding cast of well-rendered characters, a few heartbreaking relationships, and more than a few fresh corpses. Koryta has an engaging protagonist in Frank, a young man raised with the skills of an assassin yet sickened by his own killer instincts and "unusual education." For most of the novel, Frank is refreshingly levelheaded; he is often the first one calling the cops for assistance. His pragmatism jumps ship by the final act, but the Peckinpahesque climax has the blood, bullets, and surprises coming so fast you’re likely to forgive him." - Daniel Kraus, Booklist

"Gallows humor leavens this heart-pounding thriller...Take yourself to an island, pull up an Adirondack chair, and scare yourself silly with this one."
- The Boston Globe

"Koryta's skill as a writer—and as a crafter of complicated plots—will fascinate." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"ENVY THE NIGHT is a fast-paced taut tale that never misses a beat...Michael Koryta is at his best...This is an unputdownable thriller". - Harriet Klausner

"one of the year's finest crime novels. "Envy the Night" shows a confidence in storytelling that doesn't follow the predictable as well as an affinity for shaping authentic characters. Koryta tackles the legacy of violence, the relationships of parents and adult children, and the futility of revenge while delivering an action-packed story. Koryta sets himself as a powerful storyteller in the pitch perfect "Envy the Night." - Oline H. Cogdill

"One of the year's finest crime novels." - South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Envy the Night is that rarest of literary creatures: a standalone thriller that you want to see turned into a series. Could it happen? We live in hope." - January Magazine

"rush out to obtain it, and then lock yourself in a room until you finish reading the thing. [ENVY THE NIGHT is] that rarest of literary creatures: a standalone thriller that you hope will generate a series" - Dick Adler, The Rap Sheet

Blurbs:
""Michael Koryta's new book Envy the Night is a tour de force of character, dialogue, and deep, dark plotting. This is a young author who writes well beyond his years, and this is his best yet." - #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly

"This diabolical mystery novel, laid out in simple but eloquent prose and pitch-perfect dialogue, heralds a changing of the guard. I have seen the future of "The Best Mystery Writer in America" and its name is Michael Koryta." - New York Times bestselling author Ridley Pearson

"Superb writing and storytelling from Michael Koryta...Envy the Night represents his best work to date." - New York Times bestselling author George Pelecanos

Purchase at Amazon.com