The Thicket

Jack Parker knows all too well how treacherous life can be. His parents did not survive a smallpox epidemic. His grandfather was murdered. Now his sister Lula has been kidnapped by a bank robber.

Alongside bounty hunter Shorty, an eloquent dwarf with a chip on his shoulder, and Eustace, the grave-digging son of an ex-slave, Jack sets off to rescue Lula.

In turn-of-the-century Texas, that quest is likely to turn dangerous. Murderous outlaws find their homes in the remote wilderness. Oil wells spurt liquid money from the ground. And blood and redemption still rule supreme.

Acclaimed author Joe Lansdale's landmark tale of love and vengeance at the dark dawn of the East Texas oil boom.

“THE THICKET presents Joe Lansdale at his finest - which is to say, at the high-water mark of all storytelling. Nuanced, compelling, darkly humorous and remarkably vivid, THE THICKET quickly becomes a one-sitting novel, told in a voice that would have called Huck Finn himself in from the river. Lansdale marries story and style in a way most writers never achieve.”

Joe Lansdale is one of the dark kings of modern mystery fiction, a master of the genre. His name deserves to be whispered with the greats.

A master of noir laced with laugh-out-loud black humour . . . horror, bloodshed and laughs - Shortlist

The Bard of East Texas is back . . . Memorable characters, a vivid sense of place, and an impressive body count make THE THICKET another Lansdale treasure - Booklist

A gently legendary quality makes this tall tale just about perfect - Kirkus Reviews

Storytelling laced with bravado, good humor, action, and heart . . . As captivating as the best of Larry McMurtry and written in a style reminiscent of Mark Twain. . . This title cannot help but captivate readers. - Library Journal

Joe R. Lansdale is the author of more than a dozen novels, including SUNSET AND SAWDUST, RUMBLE TUMBLE and THE BOTTOMS. He has received the British Fantasy Award, the American Mystery Award, the Edgar Award, the Grinzane Cavour Prize for Literature, and seven Bram Stoker Awards. Several of his novels have been adapted for the screen, including BUBBA HO-TEP and most recently COLD IN JULY, starring Michael C. Hall. His Hap and Leonard series is currently in development for television. He lives with his family in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Visit his website at , follow him on Twitter @joelansdale or find him on Facebook at

Jack Parker knows all too well how treacherous life can be. His parents did not survive a smallpox epidemic. His grandfather was murdered. Now his sister Lula has been kidnapped by a bank robber. Alongside bounty hunter Shorty, an eloquent dwarf with a chip on his shoulder, and Eustace, the grave-digging son of an ex-slave, Jack sets off to rescue Lula.In turn-of-the-century Texas, that quest is likely to turn dangerous. Murderous outlaws find their homes in the remote wilderness. Oil wells spurt liquid money from the ground. And blood and redemption still rule supreme.Acclaimed author Joe Lansdale's landmark tale of love and vengeance at the dark dawn of the East Texas oil boom.

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