FIFTY-TO-ONE
Charles Ardai
December 2008
ISBN: 978-0857683243
Cover art by Glen Orbik

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HARD CASE CRIME!

Okay, not really. But what if, instead of having been founded 50 books ago, Hard Case Crime had been founded 50 years ago, by a rascal out to make a quick buck off the popularity of pulp fiction? Such a fellow might make a few enemies—especially after publishing a supposed non-fiction account of a heist at a Mob-run nightclub, actually penned by an 18-year-old showgirl. With both the cops and the crooks after them, our heroes are about to learn that reading and writing pulp novels is a lot more fun than living them...

  • First publication ever!
  • By the Edgar award-winning author of SONGS OF INNOCENCE and LITTLE GIRL LOST (written as "Richard Aleas")
  • Told in 50 chapters, each chapter named after one of the first 50 books in the series
  • Featuring a full-color insert section containing images of the first 50 Hard Case Crime covers!
  • Publishers Weekly on FIFTY-TO-ONE: "High-speed action and nonstop thrills highlight the 50th novel from Hard Case Crime...Ardai sets an impressive standard for the new wave of pulp crime fiction...Breathless action and entertaining characters make this a page-turner from start to finish."

Acclaim for Charles Ardai...

"A very smart and very cool fellow."
Stephen King

"Charles Ardai...will be the next me
but, I hope, less peculiar."
Isaac Asimov

"The best thing Hard Case is publishing
right now? Ardai’s own books."
San Francisco Chronicle