Woman with a Gun : A Novel
Author(s): Phillip Margolin
New York Times bestselling master of mystery Phillip Margolin transcends his traditional territory in this new and different book, a haunting thriller inspired by an unforgettable photograph.
Visiting an art museum displaying a retrospective of acclaimed photographer Kathy Moran's work, aspiring novelist Stacey Kim is stunned by the photo at the center of the show—the famous "Woman with a Gun," which won a Pulitzer Prize and launched the photographer's career. Shot from behind, the enigmatic black-and-white image is a picture of a woman in a wedding dress, standing on the shore at night, facing the sea. Behind her back, she holds a six-shooter.
The image captures Stacey's imagination, raising a host of compelling questions. Has the woman killed her husband on their wedding night? Is she going to commit suicide? Is she waiting for someone she plans to kill? Obsessed with finding answers, Stacey discovers that the woman in the photograph is Megan Cahill, suspected of killing her husband, millionaire Raymond Cahill, with the six-shooter on their wedding night. But the murder was never solved.
Drawn deeper into the case, Stacey finds that everyone involved has a different opinion of Megan's culpability. But the one person who may know the whole story—Kathy Moran—isn't talking. Stacey must find a way to get to the reclusive photographer or the truth may never see the light of day.
Review(s):
Praise for Phillip Margolin: “It takes a really crafty storyteller to put people on the edge of their seats and keep them there. Phillip Margolin does just that.”
“A master of plot and pacing-and one of those rare authors who can create a genuinely surprising ending.”
“In the hands of Phillip Margolin, nothing is ever simple and no one is really safe. He is the master of suspense mystery.”
“Margolin knows how to pack in the thrills.”
“…. Margolin deliver[s] one of his cleverest cases.”
“This is hands down the best thing Margolin has written in years… In terms of storytelling skill, the book hearkens back to Margolin’s early, topnotch novels like After Dark (1995) and The Last Innocent Man (1981). It’s a welcome return to form.”
“Margolin is in his element with this crime thriller.”
“Woman with a Gun is instantly engaging from page one and thoroughly entertaining…. [T]here’s the stunning Oregon coast as the setting, a baffling murder, a cunning killer and some romance thrown in for added dimension.”
“Margolin…knows how to entertain. Like his inspirations, he gives us plenty of gems: shocking situations met with clever wisecracks; sordid personal histories that tumble out in a moment of panic; broken souls who confess their love only when it’s all too late.”
“Margolin sets up Woman With a Gun in such a compelling way that it’s vital to find how what actually did happen in the Cahill home.”
ISBN: 9780062266521