A Garden of Vipers

A Garden of Vipers

“Kerley knows how to keep us and protagonists guessing—often incorrectly—while heightening the suspense. In less-skilled hands, the macabre events of this crime thriller might have been weighted down in melodrama, but Kerley's vivid scenery, bizarre characters, and multiple plot twists keep us turning pages ever faster.”

—
Library Journal

“Kerley has demonstrated a talent that runs deep and true…. His descriptions—whether of scenery or of heartbreak—are so sharp and clear as to be almost painful in their beauty. If you haven't jumped on this series yet, this is the novel and now is the time.”

—Bookreporter.com

The Death Collectors

“Kerley…writes like a house afire. A boundless and truly ghastly imagination that'll keep you awake long after you turn the last page.”

—
Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)

“Explosive…compelling…genuinely surprising…[a] haunting look into the world of the twisted…beautifully written.”

—
Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Complex plotting…a shotgun's force of action, a wildly exotic group of characters, and an unusual locale. As page-turners go, this is a beauty.”

—
Library Journal

“Kerley has lost none of the flair he demonstrated in [
The Hundredth Man
]. [He] creates a suspenseful narrative that will keep readers turning the pages.”

—
Omaha World-Herald

“Terrifying…. This one's another winner from a writer moving toward the top of the thriller heap.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“There is a bright future of good reading from Jack Kerley.”

—
Lincoln Journal-Star

“A genuinely creepy journey into madmen and their devoted followers.”

—
Booklist

“A weird police procedural that starts with a bang and never slows down…fascinating…ghoulish…macabre. Jack Kerley writes an eye-opening grisly dark thriller.”

—
Midwest Book Review

The Hundredth Man

“A crackerjack plot and wonderfully original rapid-fire prose. Kerley is a writer to watch. And read.”

—David Baldacci,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Camel Club

“Kerley writes in a thrusting style…. There's a future in this.”

—
The New York Times Book Review

“From its expert forensics to its explosive finale,
The Hundredth Man
is first-rate entertainment and a debut worthy of a repeat performance.”

—
New York Daily News

“Explosively good…a nuanced look at the dark under-belly of contemporary society that reads like a cross between Thomas Harris and F. Scott Fitzgerald.”

—
The Baltimore Sun

“
The Hundredth Man
is a cracking debut.”

—
Chicago Sun-Times

“A triumph—a stylish thriller with echoes of Thomas Harris's
Silence of the Lambs
and
Hannibal
.”

—
The Oakland Press
(MI)

“This is a pitch-perfect psychological thriller, notable for its wit, depth of characterization, gripping plot, highly effective backstories, and the richness of the world portrayed.”

—
Library Journal
(starred review)

“Mixing terror with psychology, motives with madness, pounding dialogue and humor…[
The Hundredth Man
] belongs on your summer reading list.”

—
San Antonio Express-News

The Death Collectors

The Hundredth Man

ONYX

Published by New American Library, a division of
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Published by Onyx, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in a Dutton edition.

ISBN: 978-1-1012-1226-4

Copyright © Jack Kerley, 2006

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK
—
MARCA REGISTRADA

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

For my children,
Amanda and John.
They make life shine.