Owning Up

''Perhaps the greatest living American crime writer'' Stephen King

After the Carusos family home is destroyed by police with a no-knock warrant, the family struggle to return to normal.

Two former inmates reunite on a TV set. They''re both back on the straight and narrow ... until one sees the potential for an easy grift.

A teenage boy must step into the man he''d like to be as a hostage crisis grips his hometown.

A woman adrift meets a man tied to her grandmother''s past, and awakens to the bloody history of the place she grew up.

Pelecanos'' portraits are characterized by shades of grey, resisting the mold of heroes and villains, victims and perpetrators, good and evil. At once streetwise and full of heart, Owning Up grapples with random chance, the bind of consequence, and the forked paths a life can take.

****

Praise for George Pelecanos:

''Triple-distilled excellence. Pelecanos is the undisputed poet laureate of America''s most secret city. Not just recommended: this is essential reading.'' LEE CHILD

''Every time I read one of George Pelecanos''s novels I''m left a little awed and a little envious. The guy''s a national treasure.'' DENNIS LEHANE

''Pelecanos is a powerful writer - he deserves to be listed among the best.'' OBSERVER

''Gold-standard character-driven crime writing that few will ever match.'' FT

''George Pelecanos writes hard-boiled fiction with heart.'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH