About The Contractors
- Paperback: 514 pages
- Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (February 4, 2014)
In THE CONTRACTORS (Thomas & Mercer; February 4, 2014), acclaimed thriller writer Hunsicker turns his attention to the shadowy world of private military contractors and the hypocrisies of the War on Drugs, delivering a heart-pounding, complex standalone thriller in the vein of James Ellroy’s Underworld U.S.A. series.
Disgraced ex-Dallas PD officer Jon Cantrell carries a DEA badge, but he’s not a federal agent. Rather, he works for a private contracting company, busting drug shipments along the U.S.-Mexico border for commission. When Cantrell and his partner-slash-lover Piper confiscate the wrong load, they find themselves in possession of a star witness in an upcoming cartel trial, a mysterious piece of hotly sought after scanning equipment, and the ire of the largest criminal cartel in the Americas.
To clear things up and collect their paycheck, all they need to do is deliver the witness, Eva Rodriguez, to the US attorney across the state in Marfa. Except Eva’s got ideas – and pursuers – of her own, and the trio soon find themselves in the crosshairs of an all-out war between the cartel, a group of competing contractors, and a corrupt Dallas police officer with everything to lose.
A fast-paced, action-packed thrill ride into the strange borderlands of the modern global drug trade, THE CONTRACTORS will have you hooked until the explosive final act.
“With THE CONTRACTORS, Hunsicker delivers a compelling thriller, a high-power rollercoaster ride across the dusty plains of West Texas and the back streets of Dallas.” –Harlan Coben
“THE CONTRACTORS is film noir without the film, cyberpunk without the cyber. It’s a world to lose yourself in, a fascinating tale that lives in shades of grey. The prose is muscular, the images vivid, and the pace relentless. Simply put, Hunsicker kills it.” –Marcus Sakey, author of BRILLIANCE
“Hunsicker’s first standalone packs a mean wallop. Helping to make this a standout are perfectly drawn characters, nifty surprises, and a frightening portrayal of the federal government’s poorly monitored use and funding of “contractors” who are heavily armed and extremely dangerous. Hunsicker, author of the Lee Henry Oswald PI series (Crosshairs, etc.), has crafted a truly chilling thriller.”–Publishers Weekly starred review
About Harry Hunsicker
Harry Hunsicker is the former executive vice president of the Mystery Writers of America and the author of three previous novels, crime thrillers set in Texas. His debut novel, Still River, was nominated for a Shamus Award by the Private Eye Writers of America. His short fiction has been nominated for the Thriller Award by the International Thriller Writers and selected for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories of 2011, edited by Otto Penzler and Harlan Coben. Hunsicker lives in Dallas, a fourth-generation native of the city. When not writing, he works as a commercial real estate appraiser and an occasional speaker on the creative process.
Harry Hunsicker’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, February 3rd: Jen’s Book Thoughts
Wednesday, February 5th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Thursday, February 6th: The Daily Mayo
Monday, February 10th: Kritter’s Ramblings
Thursday, February 13th: The Year in Books
Monday, February 17th: 5 Minutes for Books
Tuesday, February 18th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Thursday, February 20th: Sarah’s Book Shelves
Monday, February 24th: Mystery Playground – author guest post
Tuesday, February 25th: Booksie’s Blog
Wednesday, February 26th: Traveling with T
Friday, February 28th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Friday, February 28th: Luxury Reading
Saturday, March 1st: My Bookshelf