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When the beautiful girlfriend of a notorious gangster vanishes, it’s up to P.I. Donald Lam to get to the bottom of her disappearance — and of a mining scam, an illegal casino operation, a double homicide, and an opportunity for an enterprising private eye to make a small fortune...if he can just stay alive long enough to cash in!

• Erle Stanley Gardner is the creator of "Perry Mason" and one of the most popular American authors of all time, with over 100 million books sold
• TOP OF THE HEAP — a thrilling hardboiled detective story from Gardner’s legendary "Cool & Lam" series — is appearing in print for the first time in more than 30 years

"The best-selling author of the century...a master storyteller."

— The New York Times

"Among his many other virtues, Erle Stanley Gardner is surely the finest constructor of hyper-intricate puzzles in evidence..."

— Anthony Boucher, The New York Times Book Review

"An ingenious story."

— Kirkus Reviews

"One of the best in the series...You can only love a book where everyone gets exactly what they deserve in triplicate."

— Karen Ellington, The Mystery Read