Winner of the 2006 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. This award-winning debut is a literary thriller of the highest order that is both powerful and compelling. Tough and original characters and situations that really get under the skin mark this writer out as a great new find in the world of crime fiction. She's got one hell of a future in our opinion.
Samantha Mack is a cop with a drink problem, a married lover and blood on her hands. On an impromptu sting operation, her ex-partner Fred Maloney is shot dead with her gun. Sam remembers firing her gun at the perp, but when she wakes up in hospital, there is no evidence that there was anyone besides her and Fred at the scene, alive or dead.
"Schwegel, who writes about police work with authority, has also created a tough and original character." - Chicago Tribune
"Layers of betrayal and mistrust... Officer Down is not for those who want their heroines unsullied and idealized, but is an excellent choice for contemporary noir fans." - Baltimore Sun
"A powerful and compelling first effort that promises good things to come from Schwegel." - Chicago Sun-Times
Author
About Theresa Schwegel
Theresa Schwegel grew up in Illinois and always believed she would be a crime writer. She studied Communications Media at Loyola University in Chicago and went on to a screenwriting course at Chapman University in Orange County. Officer Down is her first novel and with it she won the 2006 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Quercus will publish her second novel, Probable Cause, later in 2007.