Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal (Hardcover)
Description
The truth frequently hurts and rarely sets you free.
Ex-criminal Montgomery "Monty" Haaviko would prefer to be known as the friendly neighborhood daycare provider. Unfortunately, it's his criminal past (and his extensive bag of tricks of the trade) that brings him to the attention of Marie Blue Duck, a Canadian activist who wants Monty to set up a route to smuggle refugees into the US. Monty’s skeptical of her offer, but the money is too good to refuse. Even his wife, Claire, who ensures Monty stays on the straight and narrow, thinks he should take the job.
Marry the first person who doesn't publicly ask about the knife in your sock and the pistol in your waistband.
Monty's carefully laid plans quickly go off the rails when he squares off against local thug Samantha Richot, who tries to seize the route. Their power struggle rapidly escalates into kidnapping, torture, and a daring and highly explosive stand-off. Just when Monty thinks he might just have it all under control, his old jailhouse crony, Hershel "Smiley" Wiebe, shows up on his doorstep. Monty is more than suspicious of Smiley's motives, but figures if you should keep old friends close, you should keep old cons even closer.
Smile. If nothing else it makes them nervous.
Not since the bestselling novel Beat The Reaper or the TV show Burn Notice has there been such a quick-thinking, smart-talking anti-hero who will keep you pinned to your seat. A gripping and aggressive thriller, Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal shows just how far a man will go to protect his family, home and neighborhood.
About the Author
MICHAEL VAN ROOY was a full-time writer who lived in Canada. In his diverse career, he worked as a teacher, a newspaper editor, a bartender, a cheesemaker, and a casino dealer. He won the 2009 John Hirsh Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. He passed away suddenly in January 2011. He will be missed.
Praise for Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal…
Praise for Michael Van Rooy and Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal
"Haaviko is an interesting character with a blend of really bad guy and pretty good guy. He's also a very smart guy, and the combination provides a rollicking read that is by turns funny, scary and downright gritty." --Associated Press
"Montgomery Haaviko, the MacGyver of criminals, returns in a second adventure.... It's an entertaining series, combining the light tone of Lawrence Block with the clever tricks of Thomas Perry." --Charlotte Observer
"Van Rooy serves up a smoking, action-packed tale in Your Friendly Neighborhood Criminal." --Dayton Daily News
"Fast, dazzlingly smart (about criminals and crime, especially), indecently enjoyable... [Monty] is an ex-con, genuinely committed to his wife and child and straight life, rueful when he has to employ his otherwise unmarketable skills, witty and wonderfully likable." -- Sullivan County Democrat“Michael Van Rooy is Canada’s best-kept secret in crime fiction.” –Steve Hamilton, Edgar Award-winning author of Misery Bay
"Wickedly funny and edgy." --popculturenerd.com
“Your Friendly Neighbourhood Criminal is even more fast-paced and entertaining than the first book was…. This book should come with a warning similar to those on some car commercials: ‘Do not attempt to do what Monty does in these pages.’” –Prairie Fire (Canada)
“A fast and funny tale about an ex-con going straight the crooked way. . . Exceptionally readable entertainment.” —Kirkus (starred review) on An Ordinary Decent Criminal
“A fairy tale worthy… of Quentin Tarantino. Michael van Rooy… makes his hero a MacGyver of crime, who spouts handy lawbreaking tips even as he creates elaborate booby traps or sets up the bad cop for a fall.” –The Charlotte Observer on An Ordinary Decent Criminal
“Van Rooy's debut novel is gritty, full of plenty of dark humor and suspense.” –The Oregonian
"A gritty, offbeat suspense novel... [with] enough dark humor to please Elmore Leonard fans." --ThrillerWriters.org on An Ordinary Decent Criminal
“Van Rooy is not merely a capable writer but a quite gifted one. Definitely a writer to watch.” —Booklist
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