{"product_id":"fear-and-loathing-a-sam-becket-mystery-7","title":"Fear and Loathing (A Sam Becket Mystery, 7)","description":"\u003cp\u003eProduct DescriptionA sickening murder scene draws Detective Sam Becket into an investigation that becomes intensely personal.All four have been bound, gagged and poisoned to death in Garys garage in a meticulously planned attack. The killers left no clues except for a threatening note personally addressed to Sam, which suggests the motive may be linked to the mixed marriage of one of the deceased couples. Against the advice of his colleagues, Sam is determined to solve the case, but is he putting his own life, as well as the lives of those he loves most, in grave danger?ReviewNormans latest features her trademark suspense, intriguing characters, and an intense plot. This fine series just keeps getting better.  BooklistTight prose combined with welldrawn characters and skillfully evoked locales ensures a satisfying, highpressure ride.  Publishers WeeklyAbout the AuthorHilary Normans first novel, In Love and Friendship, was a New York Times bestseller. She has travelled extensively throughout Europe, lived for a time in the US, and now lives with her husband in London.Excerpt.  Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Fear and LoathingBy Hilary Norman Severn House Publishers LimitedCopyright  2014 Hilary NormanAll rights reserved.ISBN: 9780727884060CHAPTER 1June 2The onslaught came without warning.Relaxation to mortal terror in less than a minute.One moment, a leisurely, intrinsically Miami Beach Sunday evening scene.Barbecue in progress on the patio of a small, pretty backyard facing the Intracoastal.Host Gary Burton flipping burgers on his new American Outdoor Grill with titanium and chrome burners. Molly Burton, his ChineseAmerican wife, setting down the last dishes of salad and chopped vegetables. Their best friends, Pete and Mary Ann Ventrino, dipping chips, drinking chilled Becks, planning their Fourth of July party.The boat purring by was blue and white, sleek, wellmaintained.Nothing special about it. Nothing to make the Burtons or Ventrinos do more than glance at it when it docked two houses away.Gary turned his head, checked out the guys debarking.Four men. White tees, jeans, boat shoes, navy blue baseball caps. Cleancut, respectable, wearing sunglasses, one guy toting a navy duffel bag. Looking up and back along the towpath, then noticing the party on the Burton deck and coming their way.Lost, for sure.Hey, one of them said.Easy, friendly tone of voice.Hey, Gary Burton said back.The first man opened the steel gate.Help you? Pete Ventrino asked him.Gary looked back down at his burgers, saw that they were ready, lifted his spatula.Heard Mollys soft gasp.Mary Anns: Oh my God.Gary turned.The black muzzle of a gun was right in his face.Oh, Jesus, he said as his heart cartwheeled up into his throat and the spatula fell out of his hand on to the decking.Shut up, the man with the gun told him.Goes for all of you, another man said.Both voices ice cold.Gary edged his gaze from the weapon, saw that his wife had a gun held tight against her temple, saw her gorgeous almond eyes huge, staring at him.He looked toward Pete and Mary Ann. Same deal.Mary Anns blue eyes were brimming terror tears, but Petes had gone jetblack, almost blank with what Gary realized was rage, and Christ, if Petes impulse was to fight, they had zero chance ...Inside, his gunman said, sharp and clear. A command.Gary registered that theyd put on black gloves, had to have put them on in a blink of an eye when they took out their guns, and that efficiency made it even more terrifying.What do you want? The weapon to his forehead so damned big he couldnt focus on the gunmans face. Tell us, and well give it to you. Just please dont do anything crazy.Inside, the man repeated.Garys eyes flicked right toward the towpath, the water, looking for help.Dont even think about it, his gunman said.OK, Gary said. Just dont hurt us. Well give you what you w\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Severn House Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Norman, Hilary \/ hardcover","offer_id":47846717587701,"sku":"SONG0727884069","price":18.16,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/5804\/8501\/files\/815YE5yuizL.jpg?v=1773839854","url":"https:\/\/ergodebooks.com\/products\/fear-and-loathing-a-sam-becket-mystery-7","provider":"Ergodebooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}