The Black Stiletto: A Novel [Paperback]

Could Martin Talbot's elderly, Alzheimer-stricken mother, Judy, really have been the Black Stiletto? When Martin discovers several volumes of her diaries hidden by his mother, he is stunned beyond all imagination. His mother, the underground heroine of yesteryear? The famed ,still unidentified woman who battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and preyed on common crooks? The woman who exacted punishment on evildoers without mercy? But it is all described, in great detail, in the diaries. What caused her to begin her quest for justice. Her decision to act outside the law. Her feats as the famed and feared vigilante. How her reputation exploded. In short, how it all played out. Could it be true? Talbot is filled with doubt and disbelief. But the reappearance of one of the Stiletto's old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge makes the story more than real and could imperil the life of not only the Stiletto, but her son and granddaughter as well.“Benson has created one of the most original heroines I’ve read in a long time. Adventure and suspense made this book a rollicking good read. But the story is about much more than simply the evolution and escapades ofThe Black Stiletto. It’s about relationships and just how well we know—or not—even the people we love most.” —Sandra Brown,New York Timesbest-selling author


“Irresistible: Suppose you found out—just too late—that your mother had been a superhero crime fighter. What would you do? Sit back, take a deep breath, and let Raymond Benson tell you.” —Lee Child,New York Timesbest-selling author


“A thriller that brilliantly succeeds at that most difficult of authorial endeavors: blending the past and the present into a single compelling story. Filled with cutting-edge suspense, wry humor and heart-wrenching warmth, not to mention great period detail,The Black Stiletto