Letty Dobesh is coming off a bender and hasn't had a job in months when she gets a very enticing offer. John Fitch, the ultrawealthy CEO of a major energy company, has recently been convicted of securities fraud. In four days he must report to a federal prison, where he will almost certainly spend the rest of his life. Fitch wants a female companion for his last night of freedom.

But Letty is no high-priced call girl, and this gig isn't about sex. The plan is to steal an original Van Gogh from Fitch's island retreat. A petty thief by trade, Letty has never had a shot at this kind of payout. It's certainly dangerous, but the money will set her up for life and allow her to regain custody of her young son. Besides, it's stealing from a very bad guy.

If all goes well, she'll be on Easy Street…but in Letty's life, all seldom goes well.

Blake Crouch's profile page

"A fast-paced thriller written in spare, efficient prose...Sunset Key hooks the reader effortlessly with minimalistic style. A gritty, jaded atmosphere permeates the story, making readers right at home in the dirty underbelly of Letty's con world, brutally snappy dialogue, exotic locales and all. Letty is at once prickly and emotionally resonant. Her surface façade is tough and edgy enough to deal with other shady characters believably. Meanwhile, her interior wishes and hopes are revealed gradually, exposing a relatable, touching side to her. The growth of her character through the story makes her easy to root for, and the strength she find in herself at the end is fitting for this survival story. The pace moves swiftly, not lingering overlong in any one setting; even slow scenes are charged with subtle meaning. Once the twist is revealed, the stakes skyrocket. Clipped, crisp writing narrates the action, which is nonstop for a good four chapters. Crouch intersperses the action with brief links to Letty's past, rounding her out and deepening the emotional connection for both her and the reader. With a contrastingly quiet yet satisfying ending that brings the protagonist almost full circle, Sunset Key is a quick, electrifying read that holds much appeal to thriller readers."

CM Magazine