Product Description

Drew Danner , an L.A.-based crime novelist, awakens in a hospital bed with a scar on his head, blood under his nails, and a cop by his side. Accused of murdering his ex-fiancée, Drew has no memory of the crime but reconstructs the story the only way he knows how—as a novel. As he searches the dark corridors of his life and the city he loves, another young woman is similarly murdered and Drew must confront the very real possibility of his own guilt. A thrilling piece of contemporary L.A. noir, The Crime Writer is sure to boost Hurwitz’s profile as one of the coming masters of the genre.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #624229 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780143113447
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Hurwitz's L.A. thriller has noir pulp chutzpah in spades, even if it does start out with a bang and end up shooting blanks. When Andrew Drew Danner, a crime novelist, is tried for the murder of his ex-fiancée, Genevieve Bertrand, beside whose body he was found holding a bloody knife, he pleads not guilty. He has no memory of how he got to the crime scene because of a breakdown caused by a recently removed brain tumor. Once he's found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, Danner sets out to find the real killer—or discover some very nasty things about himself. Someone's also trying to frame him for a second murder that appears to be similar to that of Bertrand. Luckily, Danner gets help from old friend Chic, an ex-professional baseball player, and Lloyd Wagoner, a troubled police criminalist. A tense, page-turning first act leads to disappointing explanations involving the police and a misinterpreted phone message. Still, the fast pace and ingenious setup provide considerable tension. Hurwitz (Last Shot) may not have written a California classic, but it's a worthy effort.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Successful crime-novelist Drew Danner has gained true tabloid fame--as the murderer of his ex-fiance. Found by the police in the midst of a brain-tumor-induced grand mal seizure, with her blood covering his hands and his fingerprints on the murder weapon, Danner seems to be the only person in L.A. who isn't sure he is a killer. Emergency surgery after his arrest removes the tumor, and a temporary insanity defense frees him, but his comfortable life is shattered. He can't live without knowing if he killed a woman he once loved. His only choice is to become a character in a story he hasn't written. Danner's anguish is compellingly described, and the plot has more twists and turns than Mulholland Drive. At least half a dozen characters are vividly drawn, and nearly all are like Danner--struggling to recover from some tragic and life-altering event. Hurwitz's insights about L.A. life sound knowing and are often ruefully funny, e.g., "L.A., where a porn star runs for governor and an action figure wins." Crime fans looking for something different will love this one.Thomas Gaughan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“A quantum leap forward in the realm of American suspense literature”
—Dennis Lehane

“ The must-read crime novel of the year. Brilliantly rendered with hip intelligence and fierce originality, this book is a stunner.”
—Robert Crais

“ Outstanding . . . Hurwitz’s previous books—great as they were—look like practice swings before this titanic blast.”
—Lee Child

Customer Reviews

Different, but in a Good Way
Crime writer Drew Danner wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how or why he's there. It seems he was found convulsing next to his very dead ex-fiance Genevieve Bertrand and to make matters worse he's just had a brain tumor removed, so he can't remember the last 24 hours. Did he do it or not? He thinks not. He thinks he's being framed. But how to prove it without any memory?

His attorney convinces him he can't win, so he pleads guilty by reason of insanity. But he can't let go of the fact that he doesn't think he could have done it. So he decides to write a book about it and to research it the way he would any other book. That way, looking at it objectively, he'll get to the real truth of the matter. Or so he thinks.

In the process of reading this book we see Danner's rough drafts and his editor's remarks. We learn what it's like to be a crime writer and we learn a lot about Los Angeles in this book that is a different kind of crime novel, but different in a good way.

Highly Recommended
What a great read!

Although it took me a few chapters to get into the story (it's told in alternating real-time and past-tense chapters), this was one thriller that grabs on and never lets go.

I've read other Gregg Hurwitz titles, but THE CRIME WRITER is the first one that had me reading late into the night just to see what happened next. This is one read that definitely keeps you on your toes, and questions everything you think you know about what has happened or what's going to happen.

Highly recommended -- this one's a winner!

From J. Kaye's Book Blog
I am glad I didn't read these negative reviews prior to getting the book. It might have dampened my spirits. True, the book has a melancholy narrative; but please, Drew is being charged for murder. He's not sure if he did it, plus a piece of his brain is floating in a jar. I think the book was set up perfectly.

Fantastic book. Fantastic writer.