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Counterfeit Love (Hidden Hearts of the Guilded Age)
by Crystal CaudillCan this undercover agent save the woman he loves--or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he's been sent to track down?After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name--and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors' threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn't all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home--and the truth.After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career--but that's better than failing her twice in one lifetime.They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there's no question they're both still keeping secrets--and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill's debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!
The Counterfeit Madam
by Pat McintoshGil Cunningham had hoped that the first time he set foot in the brothel on the Drygate it would also be his last, but by the time all was settled he felt quite at home within its artfully painted chambers. The bawdy house, along with the neighboring property, is offered to Gil and his wife Alys by the forceful Dame Isabella. But matters are confused by an outbreak of counterfeit coins in Glasgow, which Gil has been ordered to investigate. Then Dame Isabella is found dead in strange circumstances, and the more Gil pursues the cause of her death, the more false coins he finds. Rumors circulate that the Devil is abroad in Strathblane. By the time Gil and Alys have untangled matters, some very surprising—and sinister—things have come to light.
The Counterfeit Madam (Gil Cunningham #9)
by Pat McIntoshGil Cunningham had hoped that the first time he set foot in the brothel on the Drygate it would also be his last, but by the time all was settled he felt quite at home within its artfully painted chambers.The bawdy house, along with the neighbouring property and two more in Strathblane, are all part of a deal offered to Gil and his wife Alys by the forceful Dame Isabella. Her proposal also involves Gil's young ward, and matters are further confused by an outbreak of counterfeit coins in Glasgow, which Gil has been ordered to investigate.Then Dame Isabella is found dead in strange circumstances, and the more Gil pursues the cause of her death, the more false coins he finds. And then the bawd-mistress, the enigmatic Madam Xanthe, gets involved and rumours circulate that the Devil is abroad in Strathblane. By the time Gil and Alys have untangled matters, some very surprising - and sinister - thing have come to light...Praise for Pat McIntosh's Gil Cunnigham series:'McIntosh's characterisations and period detail are first rate' - Publishers Weekly, starred review'The next Cunningham adventure is to be welcomed' - Historical Novels Review''Will do for Glasgow in the fifteenth century what Ellis Peters and her Brother Cadfael did for Shrewsbury in the twelfth' - Mystery Readers Journal
The Counterfeit Murder in the Museum of Man (Norman de Ratour #3)
by Alfred AlcornWhen Norman de Ratour discovers the body of Heinrich von Grümh in a car outside his beloved Museum of Man, he knows he faces a sticky public relations mess. What he doesn't know is that the gun used to kill the honorary curator is his own Smith & Wesson revolver. Implicated, publicly embarrassed, his life's work in danger, Norman becomes the prime person on a list of unusual suspects. Along the way, he both lives with and is aided by Alphus, former denizen of the Primate Pavilion and a creature who has an intellect to be reckoned with as well as a low, finely articulated opinion of the human species. As Norman endeavors to find the villain and clear his name, he learns that more than coins gets counterfeited - that people, from the ravishing merry widow Merissa Bonne to the dour Feidhlimidh de Buitlier, are not always what they purport to be. Replete with institutional spoofery, a plot hedged like a garden maze, and a literate style that treats the English language like the verbal funhouse it is, this third in the Norman de Ratour murder mysteries series sustains the genre invented by Poe while twisting and bending it into new forms.
The Counterfeit Princess
by Jane Resh ThomasIris is only 15 when her parents are suddenly and violently hauled away from their country estate by her father's enemy, the Duke of Northumberland. Forced to flee the only home she has ever known, Iris is hidden by her father's friends and allies, who soon have the sad task of informing her that her parents are dead. Despondent, and wanting revenge, Iris agrees to be trained as a spy by the duke's foes, and then work undercover as a lowly kitchen maid. A meeting with the young princess Elizabeth changes Iris's life completely. Because of their resemblance to each other, Elizabeth invites Iris to join her court, where she mingles with lords and ladies and bravely consents to pose as Elizabeth in a desperate ploy to save the princess's life. This vivid historical novel from the author of Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I plunges readers into the treacherous world of the English court. An unusual coming-of-age tale featuring a strong, active heroine, The Counterfeit Princess will appeal to princess fans everywhere.
A Counterfeit Suitor (Rosalind Thorne Mystery #5)
by Darcie Wilde&“Wilde's heroine is not only a useful woman but a highly entertaining one.&” —Kirkus Reviews on And Dangerous to Know Among the ton of Regency London, one breath of scandal can be disastrous. Enter Rosalind Thorne, a young woman adept at helping ladies of quality navigate the most delicate problems—in this charming mystery series inspired by the novels of Jane Austen . . . It is every mama&’s dearest wish that her daughter marries well. But how to ensure that a seemingly earnest suitor is not merely a fortune hunter? Rosalind is involved in just such a case, discreetly investigating a client&’s prospective son-in-law, when she is drawn into another predicament shockingly close to home. Rosalind&’s estranged father, Sir Reginald Thorne—a drunkard and forger—has fallen into the hands of the vicious scoundrel Russell Fullerton. Angered by her interference in his blackmail schemes, Fullerton intends to unleash Sir Reginald on society and ruin Rosalind. Before Rosalind&’s enemy can act, Sir Reginald is found murdered—and Fullerton is arrested for the crime. He protests his innocence, and Rosalind reluctantly agrees to uncover the truth, suspecting that this mystery may be linked to her other, ongoing cases. Aided by her sister, Charlotte, and sundry friends and associates—including handsome Bow Street Runner Adam Harkness—Rosalind sets to work. But with political espionage and Napoleon loyalists in the mix, there may be more sinister motives, and far higher stakes, than she ever imagined . . .
Counterfeit Wife (The Mike Shayne Mysteries #14)
by Brett HallidayA chance encounter at the airport leads Mike Shayne into a ring of counterfeiters Mike Shayne has been trying to leave Miami for weeks, but something keeps stopping him from returning to New Orleans. He's about to board the midnight flight to Louisiana when his secretary calls and tells him not to bother. His stalling has cost them another client, and she's fed up. She quits, and Shayne realizes that she was the only thing tying him to New Orleans. A man approaches Shayne to beg for his ticket, paying for it with two hundred dollar bills that seem too good to be true. Mike Shayne is staying in Miami--but how long will he stay alive? The man's wife appears at the airport, a jaw-dropping blonde too lovely to be married to such a weasel. Shayne follows her, embarking on a night out on the town that quickly turns deadly. The money may be fake, but the bullets are all too real.
Countering His Claim
by Rachel BaileyPassion sets sail in USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Bailey's tale of high-stakes inheritance Never be distracted by a woman is hotel magnate Luke Marlow's golden rule, especially when the woman just inherited half his late uncle's luxury cruise liner. But ship's doctor Della Walsh is the exception. Her dignified beauty ignites Luke's desire despite his suspicions. Even so, he will gain full control of the ship at all costs. For Della, the ship has been a sanctuary. Now she has just three weeks to change Luke's mind and save the ship-until passion comes along and steers them off course....
Countermeasures
by Janie CrouchTHE CLOCK WAS TICKING, THE ENEMY WAS WATCHING...At first it looked like a glorified babysitting job: safeguard a scientist while she created a countermeasure to neutralize a dangerous weapon that had fallen into the wrong hands. But when Dr. Megan Fuller's life was threatened, undercover agent Sawyer Branson knew the enemy was closing in. Sticking by Megan 24/7 wasn't something he took lightly, even if Megan didn't seem to appreciate his constant presence. For a man used to getting any woman he wanted, Megan was a challenge he was coming to enjoy. Because beneath her boxy lab coat and pinned-back hair lay a brilliant and beautiful warrior. And before long, Sawyer's determination to save the world was matched only by the sudden need to make Megan his.
Counterparts
by Gonzalo LiraFBI agent Margaret Chisholm-a single mother and soccer mom, quiet, competent-is possessed of an unpredictable red rage that awes even her toughest colleagues. CIA agent Nicholas Denton-once a rising star, now considered a "disappointment"-manages to subtly control much of the Agency from his low-level desk. When Sister Marianne, a nun with a past, becomes the target of a fearsome international assassin, Chisholm and Denton are teamed up in an unlikely intra-agency pairing, code name: Counterparts. Just why Sister Marianne has been targeted remains a mystery, but the closer the assassin gets, the clearer it becomes that this is no ordinary hit. Following a trail of bloodshed that leads from within the walls of a rural New Hampshire convent to Washington's Beltway and finally to the streets of Rome, Chisholm and Denton keep close watch over Sister Marianne as the audacious killer zeroes in, cutting a measured swath of terror in his wake. There, in the Eternal City, Chisholm, Denton, and Sister Marianne will learn that nothing is as it seems: allegiances are variable and treachery is as common as votive candles, while only those they've come to distrust can be counted upon. Chockablock with unanticipated twists and turns, Counterparts will leave readers spinning as the action speeds to its satisfyingly fierce end. Gonzalo Lira is a new talent sure to win an immediate following with this bold, fresh debut.
Counterplay (A Butch Karp-Marlene Ciampi Thriller #18)
by Robert K. TanenbaumTanenbaum's last novel, Fury, ended with a breathtaking cliff-hanger. Now readers can enjoy the exciting conclusion -- bursting with more suspenseful twists -- in his latest, Counterplay. When betrayal results in the cold-blooded murder of a busload of schoolchildren to accomplish the escape from custody of vicious sociopath Andrew Kane, New York District Attorney Butch Karp finds himself embroiled in a raging quest for vengeance that could cost him, his family, and thousands of others their lives. With an intensive manhunt ongoing for the fugitive Kane, Karp and long-time colleague Ray Guma open a cold case and pursue murder charges against wealthy Manhattan power broker/banker Emil Stavros, whose socialite wife disappeared nearly fifteen years earlier. Meanwhile, Karp's wife, Marlene Ciampi, has let her fascination with her husband's lesser-known family comprised of Russian gangsters pull her into a dangerous world of Islamic terrorists, Chechen rebels, and Russian agents engaged in nefarious events straight out of today's real-world headlines. Yet again, Robert K. Tanenbaum writes a masterful thriller involving the most memorable -- and "un-put-downable" -- stories of corruption and courtroom confrontations. Counterplay, the latest book in the bestselling Butch Karp/Marlene Ciampi series, proves to be another full-bodied, riveting page-turner with yet another cliff-hanger not soon to be forgotten.
Counterpoint: Kenneth Burke and Aristotle’s Theories on Rhetoric
by L. Virginia HollandKenneth Duva Burke (1897-1993) was an American literary theorist, poet, essayist, and novelist, who wrote on 20th-century philosophy, aesthetics, criticism, and rhetorical theory. As a literary theorist, Burke was best known for his analyses based on the nature of knowledge. One of the first individuals to stray away from more traditional rhetoric and view literature as “symbolic action,” Burke was unorthodox, concerning himself not only with literary texts, but with the elements of the text that interacted with the audience: social, historical, political background, author biography.“It is not our purpose to discover Burke’s indebtedness, conscious or unconscious, to Aristotle. The problem of influence is a difficult one and it is not at issue here. Rather, we merely hope to discover in what respects Burke’s rhetorical theory and Aristotle’s appear to be like or unlike.“We shall attempt, first of all, to set forth Kenneth Burke’s basic assumptions regarding the nature of man, society, and the function of the speaker in that society. With these assumptions serving as the matrix of his theory, we shall next attempt to make Burke’s theory of rhetoric explicit. We shall consider Burke’s conception of (1) the function of rhetoric, (2) its definitions, (3) its scope, and (4) the methodological devices of which it makes use. Finally, using this same fourfold perspective, we shall compare Burke’s conception of rhetorical theory with Aristotle’s.”—L. Virginia Holland
Counterpoint
by Shay LacyDefend me in court or else, accused racketeer Adam Steele orders.The last thing defense attorney Bryce Gannon wants to do is get another criminal acquitted. And it does look like it might be the last thing he does. Somebody has already tried to kill him. Now the Feds tell him there’s a traitor in Steele’s organization who may be gunning for him and that Steele has sent him a beautiful spy to make sure Bryce complies.The Attorney General orders Ciara Alafita to find out if Bryce is corrupt. She hates liars and now she’s become one. But finding the truth about Bryce is as hard as finding the identity of the person trying to kill him. As she challenges the cold attorney to thaw, she finds many things to like about him . . . if she can ignore he’s defending a mobster. But if she can’t convince Bryce to let the Feds protect him or to give up the Steele case, she might never get the chance to admit the truth or her feelings to him.Sensuality Level: Sensual
Counterspy (Spycatcher Novels)
by Matthew DunnMI6 agent Will Cochrane is living in Washington, D.C. when a dangerous terrorist, codenamed Trapper, escapes from a top secret CIA military base. Trapper comes after Will—saying he is the one who killed his leader—but Will knows there has to be more to this story. Will gets close enough to shut the man down, but when he does, that act opens the door to yet another, much more dangerous surprise . . .
Counterstrike
by Sean FlanneryAce Assassin Donald Moran has been hired by high-level Russian officers to kill Mikhail Gorbachev and destabilize the Soviet Union. But when the job is called off at the eleventh hour, it is already too late to stop Moran—a psychopath, he has spent the last twenty hours refining his perfect plan . . . and it will take much more than canceled orders to prevent him from putting it into deadly motion. Now the only thing standing between Gorbachev and a bullet is Russian Investigator Nikolai Ganin, who must pit his wits against a psychopathic monster if he hopes to stop the attack."Flannery, whose novels include Moscow Crossing and The Zebra Network, doesn't bother with literary grace notes, but he seems to have some knowledge of the infrastructure of U.S. and Soviet intelligence services, and he certainly knows how to keep a high-speed international suspense caper rattling along." - Publishers WeeklyAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Counterweight: A Novel
by DjunaA WIRED "BOOK YOU NEED TO READ" • For fans of the worlds of Philip K. Dick, Squid Game, and Severance: An absorbing tale of corporate intrigue, political unrest, unsolved mysteries, and the havoc wreaked by one company&’s monomaniacal endeavor to build the world&’s first space elevatorAn &“antic, madcap noir with flair" (Wired) and &“fast-paced cyberpunk story&” (The New York Times Book Review) from one of South Korea's most revered science fiction writers, whose identity remains unknown.*** On the fictional island of Patusan—and much to the ire of the Patusan natives—the Korean conglomerate LK is constructing an elevator into Earth&’s orbit, gradually turning this one-time tropical resort town into a teeming travel hub: a gateway to and from our planet. Up in space, holding the elevator&’s &“spider cable&” taut, is a mass of space junk known as the counterweight. And stashed within that junk is a trove of crucial data: a memory fragment left by LK&’s former CEO, the control of which will determine the company&’s—and humanity&’s—future. Racing up the elevator to retrieve the data is a host of rival forces: Mac, the novel&’s narrator and LK&’s chief of External Affairs, increasingly disillusioned with his employer; the everyman Choi Gangwu, unwittingly at the center of Mac&’s investigations; the former CEO&’s brilliant niece and power-hungry son; and Rex Tamaki, a violent officer in LK&’s Security Division. They&’re all caught in a labyrinth of fake identities, neuro-implants called Worms, and old political grievances held by the Patusan Liberation Front, the army of island natives determined to protect Patusan&’s sovereignty. Originally conceived by Djuna as a low-budget science fiction film, with literary references as wide-ranging as Joseph Conrad and the Marquis de Sade, Counterweight is part cyberpunk, part hard-boiled detective fiction, and part parable of South Korea&’s neocolonial ambition and its rippling effects.
The Countess and the Cowboy: The Countess And The Cowboy The Rebel Daughter Her Enemy Highlander Winter's Camp
by Elizabeth LaneShe married an earl—but in the wilds of Wyoming, she’s discovering a different kind of romantic hero . . .Newly widowed, Eve Townsend is left with a grand title and not a penny to her name. She doesn’t know what future she can build in America’s Wild West . . . but she’s ready to learn, and to reunite with her family.When she arrives in Wyoming, she discovers her beloved sister has died and sets about caring for her niece and nephew. But burly rancher Clint Lonigan is everywhere she turns—and a range war is brewing that will pit him against Eve’s brother-in-law. Clint is Eve’s opposite in every way—but maybe a rough-mannered cowboy is just what this genteel countess needs . . .
The Countess of Prague: Book One
by Stephen WeeksThe Countess of Prague is the wonderfully exciting introduction to Beatrice von Falklenburg, known to her intimates as Trixie, who will lead us from Prague through Europe and occasionally beyond on a ten-book set of investigations that begins in 1904 and finishes in 1914. The assassination of the Archduke in Sarajevo that summer effectively ended the Old Europe into which she was born to a noble Czech father and an English mother. Through the lens of Trixie, whose own journey from pampered aristocrat (albeit in a polite and impoverished marriage) to a degree of emancipation has an exciting yet humorous and sympathetic dynamic, we witness stirring events and societal shifts. Trixie begins her new career at 28. She's leading a society life and growing apart from her husband although she is as yet too conventional to take a lover. When the brutalized body of an old man once under the command of her military uncle is fished from the Vltava, she takes to the role of a detective and finds solace in it, mixing with ease with kings and princes, but never losing touch with ordinary men and women with whom her new role often puts her in contact. Investigating alters the formality of her relations with her servants and with public officials as we see when she encounters her butler in an unexpected role (and place) and then goes undercover (as a young man) on a train journey to Paris and London. Eventually, liaising with various officials, she arrives at Marienbad, the famous Czech spa, where Edward VII of England and his nephew Kaiser Wilhelm have staged a surprising May meeting....and it is here that the mystery unfolds.
Country: A Novel
by Michael Hughes'Reading this book is like sitting in the pub listening to a good friend tell you stories. It does what only the best retellings can and makes you see the myth anew' Daisy JohnsonThat was the start of it. A terrible business altogether. Oh, it was all kept off the news, for the sake of the talks and the ceasefire. But them that were around that part of the country remember every bit. Wait now till you hear the rest.Northern Ireland, 1996.After twenty-five years of conflict, the IRA and the British have agreed an uneasy ceasefire, as a first step towards lasting peace. But if decades of savage violence are leading only to smiles and handshakes, those on the ground in the border country will start to question what exactly they have been fighting for.When an IRA man's wife turns informer, he and his brother gather their old comrades for an assault on the local army base. But the squad's feared sniper suddenly refuses to fight, and the SAS are sent in to crush this rogue terror cell before it can wreck the fragile truce, and drag the whole region back to the darkest days of the Troubles. Inspired by the oldest war story of them all, this powerful new Irish novel explores the brutal glory of armed conflict, and the bitter tragedy of those on both sides who offer their lives to defend the honour of their country.
Country
by Michael HughesA vivid and brutal reimagining of Homer's Iliad, set in the Troubles of the late twentieth-century.That was the start of it. A terrible business altogether. Oh, it was all kept off the news, for the sake of the talks and the ceasefire. But them that were around that part of the country remember every bit. Wait now till you hear the rest.Northern Ireland, 1996.After twenty-five years of conflict, the IRA and the British have agreed an uneasy ceasefire, as a first step towards lasting peace. But if decades of savage violence are leading only to smiles and handshakes, those on the ground in the border country will start to question what exactly they have been fighting for.When an IRA man's wife turns informer, he and his brother gather their old comrades for an assault on the local army base. But the squad's feared sniper suddenly refuses to fight, and the SAS are sent in to crush this rogue terror cell before it can wreck the fragile truce, and drag the whole region back to the darkest days of the Troubles. Inspired by the oldest war story of them all, this powerful new Irish novel explores the brutal glory of armed conflict, and the bitter tragedy of those on both sides who offer their lives to defend the honour of their country.(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Country Cat Blues (Cat Noir)
by Alison O’Leary&“A purrrrfect read in every sense . . . keeps you guessing right to the end.&” —Amazon reviewer, five starsThis English village may look peaceful, but a cat can smell trouble from a mile away . . . When pet cat Aubrey moves to the picturesque village of Fallowfield with his family, he is keen to explore the delights of the English countryside. However, the idyllic peace is shattered when a gruesome murder takes place at the village fete. Tensions run high as spectres from the past begin to emerge. Aubrey is particularly bothered when suspicion falls on Morris, who may be eccentric, but is also a good friend to the local felines. It&’s time for Aubrey to step up. Can he solve the mystery before it&’s too late?
The Country Child (Reminiscence Ser.)
by Alison UttleyOriginally published in 1931, this is a fictionalized account of author Alison Uttley's childhood experiences at her family farm home in Castletop, near Cromford.
Country Comes to Town: A Laura Fleming Mystery (A Laura Fleming Mystery #4)
by Toni L. KelnerIn this cozy mystery by a New York Times–bestselling author, a Boston woman is ready to show her visiting cousin around town until murder mars their plans.You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of Laura Fleming. Though she’s happily settled in Boston, Laura is thrilled to hear that her cousin Thaddeous is visiting from North Carolina. Before she can begin showing him the best of Beantown, however, bad news also comes to call.Laura’s college boyfriend, Philip, is found dead behind her apartment building. Philip had recently contacted Laura, trying to mooch a place to stay. Guilt and old ties compel her to investigate, and Thaddeous’s Southern charm is a real asset in wheedling information out of Philip’s loved ones and friends. Not that Laura’s difficult ex had many of either; his wife had kicked him out and he was on the brink of getting fired. Working undercover at Philip’s software company, Laura begins to decode the murderer’s motive. But as she and Thaddeous root out a mess of blackmail and revenge, they edge closer to a killer who’s just waiting for them to make a fatal error . . .Praise for Country Comes to Town“Kelner brings a small-town atmosphere to Boston as computer programmer Laura Fleming, Kelner's Southern-born sleuth . . . hosts her country cousin Thaddeous. . . . Greed and jealousy in the intricate world of computers provide a nonstop pace.” —Publishers Weekly
Country Dark
by Offutt Chris&“A smart, rich country noir&” from the acclaimed author Kentucky Straight and The Good Brother (Stewart O&’Nan, bestselling author of Henry, Himself). Chris Offutt is an outstanding literary talent, whose work has been called &“lean and brilliant&” (The New York Times Book Review) and compared by reviewers to Tobias Wolff, Ernest Hemingway, and Raymond Carver. He&’s been awarded the Whiting Writers Award for Fiction/Nonfiction and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Fiction Award, among numerous other honors. His first work of fiction in nearly two decades, Country Dark is a taut, compelling novel set in rural Kentucky from the Korean War to 1970. Tucker, a young veteran, returns from war to work for a bootlegger. He falls in love and starts a family, and while the Tuckers don&’t have much, they have the love of their home and each other. But when his family is threatened, Tucker is pushed into violence, which changes everything. The story of people living off the land and by their wits in a backwoods Kentucky world of shine-runners and laborers whose social codes are every bit as nuanced as the British aristocracy, Country Dark is a novel that blends the best of Larry Brown and James M. Cain, with a noose tightening evermore around a man who just wants to protect those he loves. It reintroduces the vital and absolutely distinct voice of Chris Offutt, a voice we&’ve been missing for years. &“[A] fine homage to a pocket of the country that&’s as beautiful as it is prone to tragedy.&”—The Wall Street Journal &“A pleasure all around.&”—Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter&’s Bone
Country Hardball
by Steve WeddleAfter more than a decade spent in and out of juvenile detention, halfway houses, and jail, Roy Alison returns to his rural hometown determined to do better, to be better. But what he finds is a working-class community devastated by the economic downturn--a town without anything to hold onto but the past.Staying with his grandmother, Roy discovers a family history of good intentions and bad choices, of making do without much chance of doing better. Around him, families lose their sons to war, hunting accidents, drugs. And Roy, along with the town, falls into old patterns established generations ago.A novel-in-stories in the tradition of Bonnie Jo Campbell, Donald Ray Pollock, Denis Johnson, and Alan Heathcock, Country Hardball is a powerfully observed and devastatingly understated portrait of the American working class."Steve Weddle's Country Hardball is a perfect combination of the brokenhearted and the just flat broke... Here's hoping Weddle never stops writing..." --Benjamin Whitmer, author of Pike