A finger-burning thriller from hotly anticipated debut author Owen Laukkanen, which will appeal to fans of Lee Child and Jeffery Deaver.

Four friends, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise works like a charm - until they kidnap the wrong man.

Now two groups are after them - the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized crime outfit looking for payback. As they crisscross the country in a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: the real professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice everything.

"A breathtakingly fast-paced novel that seldom pauses for breath" - Daily Mail

"An impressive first novel" - The Times

"A fast-moving, entertaining thriller" - Sunday Express

"A fast-moving debut thriller with enough twists to fill a pretzel bag... Let's hope Laukkanen writes more thrillers like this one" - Kirkus Reviews