The Four Stages of Cruelty (32 page)

This novel could not have been written without Chris Richardson, whose insights and experiences were essential to “getting it right” and whose instinct for story and character was only matched by his willingness to read every line many times. Beth Hollihan was also invaluable for relaying the perspective of a female law enforcement officer, and for opening important doors. A number of other law enforcement professionals involved in corrections work and criminal investigations were generous with their time, stories, and answers, as well as in the trust they showed me despite the natural caution engendered by a dangerous workplace. I’d also like to thank the friends and strangers who offered suggestions, access, and support. In particular, I am grateful to Mike Lambrecht, Robert Syliboy, Jeff McCann, Henry Tenny, Kory Beaton, Bix Skahill, Reema Abdo, Clea Felien, Janna Rademacher, Charlie Williams, David Richardson, James Ellroy, and Bruce Tapola.
Karen Stephenson’s network theory was applied in an unusual setting, and Siegfried Janzen’s work in restorative justice hopefully echoes within. Two others were vital in making the book a reality. My agent, Helen Heller, was instrumental with her unconditional confidence and expert guidance, and knew when a vigorous baseball conversation was exactly the right thing. Peter Joseph at St. Martin’s/Thomas Dunne Books championed the book and made it better with his creativity, enthusiasm, and commitment. Finally, my wife, Rosemary Williams, has been my creative partner every step of the way.

KEITH HOLLIHAN
worked as a business analyst and a ghostwriter before publishing his first novel,
The Four Stages of Cruelty
. He has travelled widely and lived in Japan, Canada and the Czech Republic. A Canadian, he now lives with his wife and sons in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit
keithhollihan.com
.

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“FIRST COMES THE AWARENESS THAT YOU’RE HOME ALONE. NEXT THE BUTTERFLIES KICK IN. SOON YOU’RE SKIPPING AHEAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE BEFORE YOU GET THE NERVE TO BACK UP AND FACE WHAT HAPPENED.”

The New York Times

“[AN] IMPRESSIVE FIRST NOVEL, A COMPLEX AND ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER.”

Publishers Weekly
(starred review, a Best Book of the Year)

“POWERFUL, ARTICULATED, MESMERIZING AND FILLED WITH STARTLING MOMENTS OF INSIGHT…. A RESONANT POWERHOUSE OF A NOVEL.”

The Globe and Mail

“[AN] ASTONISHING DEBUT…. A DARKLY COMPELLING, ONE-OF-A-KIND PRISON THRILLER.”

Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)

The Four Stages of Cruelty
Copyright © 2010 by Keith Hollihan.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.
EPub Edition © DECEMBER 2011 ISBN: 978-1-443-40990-2

Published by Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Originally published by Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press: 2010
First published in Canada in this Harper Perennial trade paperback edition: 2012

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Hollihan, Keith
The four stages of cruelty / Keith Hollihan.

ISBN 978-1-44340-989-6

I. Title.
PS8615.O4376F68 2012      C813’.6       C2011-905798-0

RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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