Hell and Gone

*The second of three high-energy thrillers arriving back-to-back from cult crime fiction sensation Duane Swierczynski.

*Left for dead after an epic shootout that blew the lid off a billion-dollar conspiracy, ex-cop Charlie Hardie quickly realizes that when you're dealing with The Accident People, things can get worse. Drugged, bound and transported by strange operatives of unknown origin, Hardie awakens to find himself captive in a secret prison that houses the most dangerous criminals on earth.

And then things get really bad. Because this isn't just any prison. It's a Kafkaesque nightmare that comes springloaded with a brutal catch-22: Hardie's the warden. And any attempt to escape triggers a "death mechanism" that will kill everyone down here--including a group of innocent guards. Faced with an unworkable paradox, and knowing that his wife and son could be next on the Accident People's hit list, Hardie has only one choice: fight his way to the heart of this hell hole and make a deal with the Devil himself.

Praise for FUN AND GAMES . Swierczynski steps on the gas early in this pulse-pounding contemporary thriller, the first of a trilogy, and doesn't let up...The sequel's appearance won't be too soon for many readers. Publishers Weekly Starred Review A high octane, cinematic delight that uses film techniques of fast pace and quick cuts and highly visual scenes to rivet the reader to their chair. I loved it Joe R. Lansdale A hip, dead smart novel, an entertaining start to what promises to be an addictive action trilogy Australian Packs enough indestructible villains to satisfy a "Die Hard" fan, and each chapter ends on a cliffhanger...Written in deadpan sentences and funny as can be, this first installment of a projected trilogy left me greedy for more. Bloomberg Cool, suspenseful, tragic, and funny as hell...I haven't had this much fun reading in a long time. Sara Gran, author of Dope and Come Closer A furiously paced tale that cries out to be filmed Canberra Times Reads like a Quentin Tarantino movie on speed, full of high-octane action, flying by at a breakneck pace, not for the faint of heart, but also with plenty of humor CNN.com

Duane Swierczynski is the author of thrillers Expiration Date and Severance Package, both published in the US but not the UK. He also writes for Marvel Comics and co-authored Level 26 with CSI creator Anthony Zuiker. Visit his website at secretdead.blogspot.co.uk, or follow him on Twitter @swierczy.