Previously out-of-print hard-core noir by Mike Monson, author of Tussinland.
Matt Hodges is not a good husband. He’s unemployed, a drunk, and a compulsive gambler. His wife Lydia has basically written him off. However, with a small inheritance coming, Matt promised Lydia he’d not only pay for the cosmetic surgery she so craves, but that he’d also get them out of debt. Unfortunately for Lydia, as soon as the check is cashed, Matt heads for Reno to try his hand at high-stakes poker, and to stay as drunk as possible for as long as possible.
Meanwhile, back home in Modesto, Lydia plots with a local violent criminal (who happens to be her new lover) to find Matt and get the cash for themselves before it’s all gone. What happens when they all finally meet in Reno will be our little secret, okay?
Mike Monson is the author of the short story collection Criminal Love, the crime/noir novellas The Scent of New Death and What Happens in Reno, and the crime novel Tussinland. He is the associate editor of the crime fiction journal All Due Respect and the co-publisher of All Due Respect Books.