Distraught by a failing marriage, Francie Cullingwood enters into a secret affair with charismatic radio psychologist Ned Demarco. But what seems like a refuge takes a decidedly dark turn. For when the liaison is discovered, a seething, enraged genius begins to construct the perfect, flawless murder, manipulating Francie, her lover, and her best friend like chess pieces in a lethal game. But even the most brilliant mind can make mistakes. And soon the intricate plan is spinning wildly out of control–in shocking, fatal directions. . . .

Selected Reviews

“A PERFECT PAGE-TURNER… Peter Abrahams is my favorite American suspense novelist.”
– Stephen King

“A FIRST-RATE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER… A plot filled with Machiavellian maneuvers and subtle irony… this novel is a must-read for anyone addicted to thrillers.”
– The Denver Post

“Roger Cullingwood, one of the villains in Peter Abrahams’ ninth suspense novel, is a “throwback.” He believes in aristocracy, both inherited and earned. He has a mansion on Boston’s Beacon Hill, a summa cum laude degree from Harvard and an IQ of 181….Roger has lost his job as a securities analyst and can’t get another, for reasons that are mysterious to him but clear to us: He lacks the normal complement of human feelings, except for jealousy and pride….Only when A Perfect Crime is over do we see how Abrahams, a plotter even more skilled than Roger, has manipulated us. We don’t mind too much, because in this case the conventions of the genre have packaged not only the expected thrills but that always unexpected bonus: good writing.”
– The Los Angeles Times