Kill Clock — Allan Guthrie

Gordon Pearce is a nice enough sort of guy. Just as long as you don't get on his wrong side. One evening while he's taking his dog for a stroll, a double-crossing ex-girlfriend turns up out of the blue with a couple of scruffy toddlers and a tall tale involving loan sharks, death threats and something called a 'kill clock'. She begs Pearce for help. Claims he's her last resort. But he's convinced she's trying another one of her cons. Last time he saw her, she fleeced him good and proper, and he's not going to let that happen again. But as the night goes on, doubts start to creep in. Problem is, Pearce can't afford to believe her. Because if she's telling the truth, he has until midnight to rustle up twenty grand in cash or he'll have another death on his conscience. KILL CLOCK is a wild ride through the underbelly of Scotland's capital city by Allan Guthrie, the author of BYE BYE BABY, an Amazon Kindle Top 10 Bestseller. This 2013 edition is a revised and expanded version of the original 2007 novella, published by Barrington Stoke. Praise for KILL CLOCK The extended edition of his novella Kill Clock had me laughing out loud and reminded me that the author, often cited for his chilling noir, is not just good at coming up with funny lines, but is a craftsman of the comic. Detectives Beyond Borders a fine addition to any dark crime fan's library. Somebody Dies Praise for Allan Guthrie's BYE BYE BABY A quick, taut thriller ... not a word is wasted. Ian Rankin A terrific read and a great premise from an excellent writer. Stuart MacBride The approach is so fresh that it makes the whole thing feel like the first time I've read a police story Do Some Damage ...a purely original, funny, sharp piece of writing. It has a plot that develops in an unorthodox, non-linear fashion--hardly resembling many of the police procedurals I've read. It's often noted that Guthrie is one of the top working mystery writers, and he certainly lives up to that reputation... Death By Killing A story that moves quickly, in short chapters of crisp prose, with plenty of plot turns to hold the attention, and characters you can love and others you can hate... Like Guthrie's full-length novels, Bye Bye Baby is sly, noir as all hell (more noir than some, actually), and it just might bring a tear of pity to your eyes. It's a police procedural filled with incident and back story, and man, what an ending. Detectives Beyond Borders ...a dark, clever, funny and sad story which races along to reach a smart conclusion. A tough and lovely slice of the hard side of life. You Would Say That, Wouldn't You? About the author: Allan Guthrie is an award-winning Scottish crime writer. His debut novel, TWO-WAY SPLIT, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger award and went on to win the Theakston's Crime Novel Of The Year. He is the author of four other novels: KISS HER GOODBYE (nominated for an Edgar), BAD MEN (aka HARD MAN), SAVAGE NIGHT and SLAMMER and three novellas: KILL CLOCK , KILLING MUM and BYE BYE BABY, a Top Ten Kindle Bestseller. He's also co-founder of digital publishing company, Blasted Heath, and a literary agent with Jenny Brown Associates.