Man in the Net

A “drastic domestic mystery story verging on nightmare” from the Edgar Award–winning author of the Peter Duluth series (Tatler).

Struggling artist John Hamilton is a man living a lie. Since moving to the small New England town of Stoneville to pursue painting, he’s been desperately trying to cope with his wife’s alcoholism. Linda has become an expert at hiding it from her wealthy circle of friends—and at keeping John from exposing her. Though, their marriage has devolved into a never-ending cycle of deception and denial.

But when John is offered his old job back in New York City at twice the pay, things come to a head. Linda wants nothing more than to be back in the city among her old friends, living the high life—only John and his artistic ambitions stand her way.

When John comes back from Manhattan, turning down the job, he finds his house in utter disarray—and Linda nowhere to be found. In her wake, she has made sure that suspicions immediately fall on John. And as the villagers turn against him and evidence points to murder, John must delve into the darkness of his own wife’s twisted mind to uncover the truth. After all, no one knows her better than him . . .

“For lovers of anxiety crime fiction, The Man in the Net certainly fills the bill. At the same time, there is a neat central crime puzzle to solve and some excellent acerbic writing and character portraits.” —The Passing Tramp

The basis for the 1959 movie starring Alan Ladd