Beauty & the Beast by Ed McBain (1982)

Beauty & the Beast
by Ed McBain
Publisher:  Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Copyright:  1982
Book Club Edition

Matthew Hope spotted her on North Sabal Beach, one of those fabulous Gulf Coast keys that yearly draw ever more people to condo life in the Sunshine State.  She was spectacular, "carved of alabaster, pale white exquisite face framed by ebony cascades of hair, the flesh of her naked breasts almost translucent, lustrous in the hot rays of the sun, wide hips flaring above the restraining strings of the bikini patch, a shimmering mirage in black and white that came closer, pale gray eyes in that incredibly lovely face, the scent of mimosa as she passed and was gone."  That was on Saturday.

On Monday, Michelle Harper came to Hope as a client.  Below the short sleeves of her T-shirt, ugly bruises obliterated the whiteness of her arms.  Adhesive was taped across the bridge of her nose and both her eyes were discolored, one puffed almost entirely shut.  She wanted Hope's help in filing a complaint with the police.  She wanted her husband arrested and put away.

On Tuesday, Michelle Harper was found dead on Whisper Key Beach.  Her hands and legs were bound with wire hangers and she had been burned to death.  An empty five-gallon gasoline can lay some ten feet from the body.

By four that afternoon, George Harper had been charged with the brutal murder of his wife.

Big, black, and monstrously ugly, George Harper vociferously denied the charge.  And somehow, Hope believed him.  But in committing himself to help Harper, Matthew Hope is drawn into a hall of mirrors filled with lies, sexual perversity, and thrill-seeking corruption.  The result, says The Sunday Times (London), is "a strictly X-rated fairy tale" a thoroughly good read.

**************************

Don't Delay. Buy It Now!

Why Buy From Me?

* Shipping Speed Most people are extremely amazed at how fast I get their item delivered to them. I ship the same day you pay for your item, whenever possible.

• Strong Positive Feedback 100% positive feedback. Customers are overwhelmingly pleased with the quality of the item they receive, the accuracy of the item's description, the prompt and informative email notifications, and of course the speedy delivery.
  
  * Blujay Member Since 2005 I'm here to stay.
  
  * ID Verified My feedback profile also displays the ID Verified icon. An extra level of safety and security for buyers to know.
  
  * PayPal Buyer Protection All of my listings display the PayPal Buyer Protection icon to qualify for up to $1000.00 of protection for you, the buyer.