2ND NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE INDIE-HIT HAIRSTYLES OF THE DAMNED Describes the ugly, unforgiving underbelly of the American dream through the raw, visceral voice of Luce Lemay, a former convict looking to repent his sins. A young ex-con in a small Illinois town. A lonely giant with a haunted past. A beautiful girl with a troubled heart. Strange and darkly magical, this highly original novel begins where exactly where most pulp fiction usually ends, with the vivid episode of the terrible crime itself. Three years later, Luce Lemay, out on parole for the awful tragedy, does his best to find hope: in a new job at the local Gas-N-Go; in his companion and fellow ex-con Junior Breen who spells out puzzling messages to the unquiet ghosts of his past; and finally, in the arms of the lovely but reckless Charlene. A suspenseful exploration of a country bright with the far-off stars of forgiveness, but still dark with the still-looming shadow of the death penalty.