On The Make — John D. MacDonald

Tal Howard, a disillusioned Korean War veteran, breaks away from his old life, looking for answers. He's convinced he's going to find them in the small town of Hillston, the location of 60 grand in embezzled funds that Howard learned about from a dying friend in a POW camp. He just needs to find out where the money is hidden and contend with another former POW who has come looking for it -- Earl Fitzmartin, a psychopath of whom they were all terrified in the camp. Howard soon learns that the secret to the money's location lies in the dead man's past, which must be discovered through the women he knew, such as the respectable Ruth Stamm and the sultry and dangerous Toni Rassele. Now featuring a new biography of John D. MacDonald and an essay exploring the paperback revolution of the mid-20th century, this early novel by a crime writing legend features classic hard-boiled writing, brutal action, tough characters, and a plot in which no one is spared.