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On the Edge

Paperback
$16.95 US
5.52"W x 8.24"H x 0.65"D   | 13 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Jul 01, 2003 | 272 Pages | 9781569473092
“[A] vivid postwar environment that confers plausibility, ingenious plot twists that heighten the suspense and two stunning character studies that confound our facile presumptions about women who kill.” The New York Times Book Review

Rose and Antonia were WAAF plotters during World War II, enjoying independence, a fulfilling and challenging job, and all the fun of being two women on an RAF base. But peacetime is a disappointment. Rose’s war-hero husband has become violent, and Antonia, bored with her rich manufacturer husband, wants to move to America with her lover. A chance encounter in the street leads to a ruthless scheme, and if Rose doesn’t lose her nerve, they could get away with murder.
Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Mystery Writers of America 2018 Grandmaster

Praise for
On the Edge

“[A] vivid postwar environment that confers plausibility, ingenious plot twists that heighten the suspense and two stunning character studies that confound our facile presumptions about women who kill.”
The New York Times Book Review

“Lovesey is one of the very best of the current generation of crime writers and he controls his plot like clockwork—everything timed to precision so that the final uncertainty is resolved just as the bell tolls.”
London Evening Standard

“Brilliant is the only word for veteran Peter Lovesey’s latest venture into the macabre . . . A whip-crack pace, gasps all the way, and yet another winner for Lovesey.”
Scotland on Sunday

“Never has Lovesey’s wizardry been so effective as in this tale of the duped and the duper . . . The story dodges from one unguessable outcome to the next.”
Publishers Weekly

Praise for Peter Lovesey

 
“I have long loved Peter Lovesey’s books . . . A creative, courageous and gifted writer.”
—Louise Penny
 
“Lovesey is a master of the crime novel.”
—Sara Paretsky
 
“What'll it be today? A knotty puzzle mystery? A fast-paced police procedural? Something more high-toned, with a bit of wit? With the British author Peter Lovesey, there's no need to make those agonizing decisions, because his books have it all.”
—The New York Times Book Review
 
“Mr. Lovesey's narrative is swift, but he takes time out for local color and abundant humor, the latter springing from the book's quirky characters . . . Lovesey is a wizard at mixing character-driven comedy with realistic-to-grim suspense. And in a writing career spanning four decades, he has created a stylish and varied body of work.”
The Wall Street Journal
 
“A treat . . . Lovesey’s restraint, wit, and charming cast ensure him a place in the winner’s circle.”
 —Entertainment Weekly
 
“Extremely stylish, lighter than air . . . utterly surprising.”
—Newsweek
Peter Lovesey is the author of more than thirty highly praised mystery novels, including the Peter Diamond Investigations and the Sergeant Cribb Investigations. He has been awarded the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, the Strand Magazine Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards, and many other honors. He lives in West Sussex, England. View titles by Peter Lovesey

About

“[A] vivid postwar environment that confers plausibility, ingenious plot twists that heighten the suspense and two stunning character studies that confound our facile presumptions about women who kill.” The New York Times Book Review

Rose and Antonia were WAAF plotters during World War II, enjoying independence, a fulfilling and challenging job, and all the fun of being two women on an RAF base. But peacetime is a disappointment. Rose’s war-hero husband has become violent, and Antonia, bored with her rich manufacturer husband, wants to move to America with her lover. A chance encounter in the street leads to a ruthless scheme, and if Rose doesn’t lose her nerve, they could get away with murder.

Praise

Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Mystery Writers of America 2018 Grandmaster

Praise for
On the Edge

“[A] vivid postwar environment that confers plausibility, ingenious plot twists that heighten the suspense and two stunning character studies that confound our facile presumptions about women who kill.”
The New York Times Book Review

“Lovesey is one of the very best of the current generation of crime writers and he controls his plot like clockwork—everything timed to precision so that the final uncertainty is resolved just as the bell tolls.”
London Evening Standard

“Brilliant is the only word for veteran Peter Lovesey’s latest venture into the macabre . . . A whip-crack pace, gasps all the way, and yet another winner for Lovesey.”
Scotland on Sunday

“Never has Lovesey’s wizardry been so effective as in this tale of the duped and the duper . . . The story dodges from one unguessable outcome to the next.”
Publishers Weekly

Praise for Peter Lovesey

 
“I have long loved Peter Lovesey’s books . . . A creative, courageous and gifted writer.”
—Louise Penny
 
“Lovesey is a master of the crime novel.”
—Sara Paretsky
 
“What'll it be today? A knotty puzzle mystery? A fast-paced police procedural? Something more high-toned, with a bit of wit? With the British author Peter Lovesey, there's no need to make those agonizing decisions, because his books have it all.”
—The New York Times Book Review
 
“Mr. Lovesey's narrative is swift, but he takes time out for local color and abundant humor, the latter springing from the book's quirky characters . . . Lovesey is a wizard at mixing character-driven comedy with realistic-to-grim suspense. And in a writing career spanning four decades, he has created a stylish and varied body of work.”
The Wall Street Journal
 
“A treat . . . Lovesey’s restraint, wit, and charming cast ensure him a place in the winner’s circle.”
 —Entertainment Weekly
 
“Extremely stylish, lighter than air . . . utterly surprising.”
—Newsweek

Author

Peter Lovesey is the author of more than thirty highly praised mystery novels, including the Peter Diamond Investigations and the Sergeant Cribb Investigations. He has been awarded the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, the Strand Magazine Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Macavity, Barry, and Anthony Awards, and many other honors. He lives in West Sussex, England. View titles by Peter Lovesey