A freak subway accident traps a New York architect in a deadly conspiracy that will threaten what he loves most John T. Camber is waiting on an uptown subway platform the moment his life changes forever. It happens quickly, when a haggard elderly man utters a sudden plea for help before falling on the tracks in front of an oncoming train. Reeling from the accident, Camber flees the station, only to be accosted by a brass-knuckled thug who believes...

When the love of his life is accused of murder, a university professor will stop at nothing to prove her innocence On a late night drive home, Ike Goldman, a retired Columbia University law professor, saves a woman from killing herself by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. The woman's name is Elizabeth Hopper, and Ike, a widower, unexpectedly finds himself falling in love. But everything changes when Elizabeth's estranged husband, a rich Wall...

Dissatisfied with life on the Upper East Side, a socialite finds a new favorite pastime: robbing banks When James R. Hastings, president of the City Federal Bank, began construction of a new branch on Madison Avenue, he vowed to make it burglar proof. Vaults set forty feet below ground, an array of cameras, and a quartet of burly guards were intended to deter any bandit. But James Hastings did not count on being robbed by his wife.   Three weeks...

Targeted by a mysterious conspiracy, a clever young woman fights back If Shirley is surprised that someone wants to kill her, she does not let the gunmen know. As far as she knows, Shirley is no different from any other employee at the Bushwick Brothers plastics factory. So why has she been forced from her home and shoved into the front seat of a kidnapper's car?   There is no time to wonder why. Shirley Campbel has not cried since she was ten, and...

A murder investigation at a high-priced hotel reveals a deadly plot reaching the highest seats of power They call the pool at the Beverly Glen Hotel "the naked hooker." To the frustration of the Beverly Hills police department, the women there are so high class that it's impossible to distinguish guests and girlfriends from professionals. Women flock to the lavish hotel because it teems with film stars, businessmen-and America's richest criminals....

A small-town girl flees from the assassin she hired to kill her When the doctor in her small hometown tells Sally Dillman that she has six months to live, the quiet young schoolteacher sells her house and moves to New York City. She comes not to see the sights, not for one last thrill, but to die as quickly as possible. Savings in hand, she pays a mobster $3,000 to put a contract out on her life. She wants to be killed before leukemia saps her strength,...

Detective Masuto investigates a string of strange Southern California crimes that lead all the way back to Nazi Germany Returning from a funeral, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Briggs find their Beverly Hills mansion ransacked. As they wait for the police, they discover something unusual: Despite the chaos, nothing appears to be missing-a fact that greatly interests Beverly Hills police detective Masao Masuto. But the Zen detective only has a few minutes to ponder...

Detective Masuto investigates a Hollywood kidnapping that leads to a shocking conspiracy Angel is Hollywood royalty. Her husband, Mike Barton, is one of the silver screen's most bankable stars, and their marriage has all the hallmarks of a Beverly Hills fairy tale. But everything about Angel's past is kept secret, including her real name. When reporters ask why Mike dubbed her Angel, she says that she must have fallen from heaven. No one knows where...

A rare California deluge unearths a hidden body-and a decades-old crime Rain has spoiled Masao Masuto's vacation. For six days the storm has trapped the Zen Buddhist detective and his family inside their Los Angeles cottage. By the morning of his vacation's final day, he is so stir crazy that the call to come to work is a relief. Detective Masuto knows no better cure for boredom than a puzzling murder.   Nothing remains of the deceased man but his...

Vintage science fiction tales from an American master Big bugs, cloned cats, and feral star-children play leading roles in the seven stories that make up Fast's unconventional and thought-provoking collection. The Edge of Tomorrow is a significant foray into science fiction by one of the twentieth century's most prolific novelists. In looking beyond our universe, Fast reveals much about the America of his time-where the Cold War and a nascent civil...