The Skeleton Palms (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798505323182)

A thirteen-year-old boy bludgeons a man to death in an abandoned building. A vanload of migrants is delivered to sex traffickers in a deserted Las Vegas suburb. A superyacht moors off Malibu in the glare of a massive wildfire as a passenger drowns. A biker gang is massacred in the northern California wilderness. A blind man staggers to an agonizing death in the Nevada desert-all savage milestones in the life and career of Tom Bridger, ex-cop, private investigator, killer. Told in two interlocking narratives, The Skeleton Palms follows Bridger from his brutal childhood and youth in a spectacularly lawless California mountain town, to the palatial homes of the wealthy in Palm Springs and Los Angeles where he becomes the target, and nemesis, of a vast conspiracy.

Praise for THE SKELETON PALMS:

"In this gritty story, Watson deftly weaves elements of a thriller, noir, and romance...The chapters that reveal Tom's past thoughtfully examine how nurture (or a lack thereof) can make or break people...many readers will enjoy following an unlikely pair of vigilante antiheroes on a righteous revenge path...An intriguing but relentlessly dark and violent tale of corruption and death."
-Kirkus Reviews

"...a totally splendid book. I read an awful lot of crime fiction over the three years that I was a CWA [Crime Writers Association] judge and this is easily up there with the best of it."
-Dave Hutchinson, author of the FRACTURED EUROPE novel series and BSFA award-winner

"...just superb. Shocking, horrifying, thrilling and brilliantly structured."
-Jonathan Oliver, author of TWILIGHT OF KERBEROS: THE CALL OF KERBEROS

"...a brilliant upgrade to the genre."
-Vincent Dublado, from a 5-star review on Reader's Favorite.com

"...a cross between The Goldfinch and a gritty thriller."
-Entrada Book Review, from a 5-star review on Goodreads

"...a page-turner of a novel that takes hold of you from the start and doesn't let go until the end. Unabashedly violent and gritty, The Skeleton Palms pulls no punches and showcases some of the worst aspects of humanity without flinching...I found The Skeleton Palms thoroughly riveting, and it comes highly recommended."
-Pikasho Deka, from a 5-star review on Reader's Favorite.com

"This story is amazing! The book follows the major characters for several decades. The action is swift and compelling and the twists are spiked throughout. I totally recommend this book if the reader enjoys psychological thrillers loaded with revenge and non-stop adventure."
-Margot Frye, from a 4-star review on NetGalley

Author: Cary Watson
ISBN-10: 8505323181
ISBN-13: 9798505323182
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 06/18/2021
Pages: 446
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.31lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/0001