Guest Post Vincent Zandri author of The Innocent

[Giovanni Gelati]

I had occasion to bump into Vincent Zandri and for some reason, he being of such few words, I only got one question in on him. The one question: Hey, what ‘s new?

It's been ten years since the publication of my first major thriller, As Catch Can. Back then it was called, The Innocent, but the publisher decided to change the title at the
last minute since a sister publisher had an author with the same title, and the
editor was very afraid the Bertlesman boys might leave a severed horse head in
his bed one night if he were to put out a novel with the same title. So it was
changed to As Catch Can.

Now, I'm not complaining. I actually like the title, for a jazz standard. But for a book, it's a tough one to remember. That is, unless you add the "Catch" to it, as in "Catch As Catch Can,"
which is most definitely not the title. When asked the title of my new novel
and I'd respond, "As Catch Can, most people would peer at me quizically,
and with upturned brows respond, "Say what?"

So now here we are ten years later. As Catch Can which received awesome reviews from the New York Post, The Boston Herold, etc. and authors like Harlan Coben (see below) and was translated into several
languages, was quickly pulled off the B&N front shelves after 6 weeks to
make room for something else. That's how the big monster bookstores work (what
a joy it will be to see them crash and burn!) It also was remaindered within a
years and half of its original pub date. In other words, dear reader, it was
never given a chance (and here the pub was cutting checks for a quarter of a
million bucks for me. You explain the logic!)

Now, with the advent of the new indy publishing, EBooks, Kindle and the new digital age and my new awesome publishers, StoneHouse Ink and StoneGate Ink, As Catch Can or, The Innocent, is alive and well again, and
destined to become a bestseller. Some fans still think of it as my best book.
Even DreamWorks thought so when they gave it three reads in anticipation of
purchasing the movie rights. Too bad my agent at the time was on crack and busy
writing his own novel and negotiating his own deals with Holywood.

Ok, time to let go of the past and embrace the now and the present. I hope you dig The Innocent as much as I dug writing it!!!!

To order click on the word "Catch!"

Accolades and Sling Blades:

It's been a year since Jack Marconi's wife was killed. Ever since, he's been slipping up at his job as warden at an upstate New York prison. It makes him the perfect patsy when a cop-killer breaks out--with the help of
someone on the inside. Throwing himself into the hunt for the fleeing con, Jack
doesn't see what's coming.

Suddenly the walls are closing in. And in the next twenty-four hours, Jack will defy direct orders, tamper with evidence, kidnap the con's girlfriend--and run from the law with a .45 hidden beneath his sports
coat. Because Jack Marconi, keeper of laws, men, secrets, and memories, has
been set up--by a conspiracy that has turned everyone he ever trusted into an
enemy. And everything he ever believed in into the worst kind of lie.

Reviews for "The Innocent" (formally, As Catch Can)

"If you want a novel that runs wild like a caged beast let loose, Zandri is the man."

--(Albany)

"Sensational...masterful...brilliant."

--New York Post

"Probably the most arresting first crime novel to break into print this season."

--Boston Herald

"A thriller that has depth and substance, wickedness and compassion."

--The Times-Union (Albany)

"Vincent Zandri explodes onto the scene with the debut thriller of the year. As Catch Can is gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting. Don't miss it."

--Harlan Coben, author of The Final Detail

"A Satisfying Yarn."

--Chicago Tribune

"Compelling...As Catch Can pulls you in with rat-a-tat prose, kinetic pacing...characters are authentic, and the punchy dialogue rings true. Zandri's staccato prose moves As Catch Can at a steady, suspenseful
pace."

--Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

"Exciting...An Engrossing Thriller...the descriptions of life behind bars will stand your hair on end."

--Rocky Mountain News

"Readers will be held captive by prose that pounds as steadily as an elevated pulse... Vincent Zandri nails readers' attention."

--Boston Herald

"A smoking gun of a debut novel. The rough and tumble pages turn quicker than men turn on each other."

--Albany Times-Union

Please turn the page for more extraordinary acclaim...

"The story line is non-stop action and the flashback to Attica is eerily brilliant. If this debut is any indication of his work, readers will demand a lifetime sentence of novels by Vincent Zandri."

--I Love a Mystery

"A tough-minded, involving novel...Zandri writes strong prose that rarely strains for effect, and some of his scenes...achieve a powerful hallucinatory horror."

--Publishers Weekly

"A classic detective tale."

--The Record (Troy, NY)

"[Zandri] demonstrates an uncanny knack for exposition, introducing new characters and narrative possibilities with the confidence of an old pro....Zandri does a superb job creating interlocking puzzle
pieces."

--San Diego Union-Tribune

"This is a tough, stylish, heartbreaking car accident of a book: You don't want to look but you can't look away. Zandri's a terrific writer and he tells a terrific story."

--Don Winslow, author of The Death and Life of Bobby Z

"Satisfying."

--Kirkus Reviews