Thirteen beautifully wrought tales of crime, passion, and people on the brink of disaster Marybeth met Jamie at the Horn & Whistle, a neighborhood pub warm enough to keep out the chill on a bleak January day. Over a pint of stout, he won her heart with bad jokes and cynical Irish charm. Two years later, she loves him more than ever, but she can see that he's bracing for a fall. When everything collapses, when Jamie's job disappears and the house is foreclosed on and Marybeth feels death creeping into her bones, it's up to her to save them both-even if it means doing something that will tear them apart forever. "The Stray," along with the twelve additional short stories in this exquisite collection, showcases author David Corbett's unparalleled ability to build a life in just a few pages, and then shatter it in a single sentence. From the first confession to the thirteenth, these stories cut deep-and show no mercy.
"At a time when most men of letters think they owe it to themselves to be easily bruised, Corbett knows he owes it to his readers to be engaging, full of knowledge, and unafraid."
Len Wanner, author of The Crime of It All
"David Corbett is the finest crime writer alive. He's also better than most of the dead ones. Read him. Now."
Cornelia Read, bestselling author of Valley of Ashes
