The Wake-Up [Paperback]

When Frank Thorpe, a deeply moral former undercover operative, sees a hard-charging art dealer knock down a Latino child in LAX airport, he decides to teach him a lesson. But Thorpe's plans get a little out of hand, and Thorpe becomes immersed in a criminal underworld peopled by a drug dealing surfer with a socially-climbing wife, two mentally challenged goons with a penchant for violence, and a vicious Romanian named Vlad. The Wake-Up is an absolutely irresistible, outrageously comic thriller that starts off with a bang and never lets up until the end.

A taut thriller, shot through with vivid characters and Southern California strangeness. --The Seattle Times

 

Startling and funny. . . . Reminds one of Elmore Leonard at his most playful, and this is a very good thing. --The Washington Times

 

Darkly funny, crisply written and tough to put down. --The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Brilliant. . . . Enthralling. . . . a black comedy...a study of pathology.... It's a complicated, exciting book. --Chicago Sun-Times

Robert Ferrigno is the author of seven previous novels, including Scavenger Hunt, Flinch, and the best-selling The Horse Latitudes. He lives with his family in the Pacific Northwest. His Web site is www.robertferrigno.com.1

Three Months Later

Out of the corner of his eye, Thorpe saw Kimberly heading toward the escalator. He ignored her. It took everything he had, but he managed it, jaw tightening as he concentrated on the revolving luggage carousel at LAX. He had been standing there for the last ten minutes, matching up travelers with the bags sliding down the chute. He had nailó4