Richard Stark - Handle (The University of Chicago Press)

Parker, the ruthless antihero of Richard Stark's eponymous mystery novels, is one of the most unforgettable characters in hardboiled noir. Lauded żeby critics for his taut realism, unapologetic amorality, and razor-sharp prose style - and adored aby fans who turn each intoxicating page with increasing urgency - Stark is a master of crime writing, his books as influential as any in the genre. The University of Chicago Press has embarked on a project to return the early volumes of this series to print for a new generation of readers to discover - and become addicted to. This season's offerings include volumes 7-9 in the series: "The Seventh", "The Handle", and "The Rare Coin Score". In "The Handle", Parker is enlisted żeby the mob to knock off an island casino guarded żeby speed-boats and heavies, forty miles from the Texas coast.