{"product_id":"tough-messes-eleven-stories-of-crime-and-desperation-paperback","title":"Tough Messes: Eleven Stories of Crime and Desperation - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eR. M. Lowery\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTough Messes\u003c\/em\u003e brings together eleven short stories featuring a range of characters from varied backgrounds. From a group of mob soldiers trying to mitigate blowback from decades-old deeds in \"Moving Day,\" to a low-level arms dealer trying to stay alive after present-day blowback in \"Leaky Pipe,\" to a man making his bones for a modern crime family in \"Quality Time.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \"Luxury Goods,\" old-school grifters set their sights on a hapless mark in a hotel bar. And \"Flush\" takes readers into the world of a master safecracker on parole. Just days away from being clear of his past, he's presented a shot at a lucrative score. If he pulls it off, he'll clear six-figures, that is if his partners don't kill him first.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlso featured in this collection is a story that takes readers inside the mind of a serial killer searching for a victim on the streets of Denver, a corporate nepo baby who pushes unchecked greed to the limits, a low-level drug dealer pushed into an impossible situation, a man trying to rebuild his life and save his nephew from the depths of addiction, a couple struggling to define right and wrong, and a man trying to escape his past-and his many enemies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis collection of stories, available for the first time in a single volume, is a welcome addition to the library of anyone who enjoys crime, noir, and mystery fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 188\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.4 x 8 x 5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 01, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48048823566487,"sku":"9798993396200","price":24.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/4552\/4631\/files\/vRa6Wwwy1C9798993396200.webp?v=1784856292","url":"https:\/\/leyambercollective.com\/products\/tough-messes-eleven-stories-of-crime-and-desperation-paperback","provider":"Ley Amber Collective","version":"1.0","type":"link"}