Combustible Punch — Paul Michael Peters

Rick Philips isn't a fighter -- but he is a survivor

Haunted by memories of a high school shooting, not even the bottle can wash away the gnawing guilt and creeping feelings of inadequacy that batter Rick's conscience daily. His life has been a mess of broken marriages, writer's block, terrible choices, and the morbid pity of others. When he meets Harriet at a writer's conference, the record doesn't scratch as he falls back -- only this time, he may not get up.

Harriet Bristol Wheeler is a dark temptress -- and self-confessed serial killer

Harriet has no problem killing -- and even fewer issues blending back into the background after the act with the cool, calculating eye of a practiced social chameleon. Manipulative, unpredictable, and exceptionally intelligent, she's Rick's worst nightmare -- and the ideal subject for his next book. A book that they are both desperate to write.

Time is running out -- but the sadness will last forever

In the vein of Stieg Larsson and Thomas Harris, Combustible Punch is a memorable novel that captivates readers and lingers long after the last page.