James Arch Howard (1922-2000) earned a doctorate in psychology at UCLA and wrote novels to pay his tuition. His four book series about journalist “Steve Ashe” was an immediate hit, selling over 600,000 copies. Altogether, he wrote ten novels (one under the pseudonym “Laine Fisher”), eight published from 1954-1961, and two more in 1980-81.
It’s 1956 in hopelessly corrupt Neon City, USA. Reporter Steve Ashe investigates when a cop-friend of his is thrown off the force on trumped-up charges. His relentless quest for the truth pits him against the mob… and makes him the target of ruthless killers… one of whom may just be the beautiful woman in his bed.
It’s winter, 1954. Steve Ashe is hitching a ride to Omaha in a big rig driven by his friend Scotty when they are sideswiped on a snowy highway by a car that’s spinning out-of-control. The men rush over to the car and are shocked to discover the driver is a badly-beaten woman… who turns out to be Vicki, Steve’s old childhood crush. She’s on the run from Mario Carazzi, a mobster who forced her and her teenage sister Gina into drug addiction and sex slavery. Now Steve is determined to get revenge for Vicki’s beating, rescue Gina, and take down the ring… one man against the entire midwest mob. And he just happens to be the one badass who can do it.
When Mike Gavin rolled the corpse in the Union Station, it was an act of desperation. For Mike hadn’t eaten in three days and the only remnant of human emotion he had left was hunger.
So when a few minutes later Mike stepped on a train in the dead man’s hat and coat, carrying his bag and using his ticket, he also stepped into the dead man’s world. At least for the duration of the trip, he would have to be the late Gerald Welsh.
Only after the dead man’s suitcase had been opened, did Mike realize what kind of a horrible person Gerald Welsh had been, but by then it was too late. The train was off for Denver and already the Grim Reaper was knocking at his compartment door. He’d stolen to live, but what he’d swiped was an appointment with death!
