"[Joe Gores] is at the top of his form in this swiftly-paced tale about what happens when Runyan Elliot walks out of San Quentin, having served his sentence. Refusing the offered help of his brother Art, a labor-union leader, Runyan starts his new life, intending to recover the cache of jewels he had been caught stealing. But his plans are inhibited by many importunate people, greedy for the jewels: an insurance investigator ready to bargain for their return; a gangster willing to kill to grab the stones; Runyan's partner in the theft who had escaped prison, and others. Most important to Runyan is beautiful Louise Graham. Pretending to interview him for a book about ex-convicts, Louise becomes his lover and potential betrayer. Events engender seemingly endless chilling ramifications, the suspense, punctuated by the author's earthy wit. Louise and Runyan's brother, Art, play decisive roles in the drama; so does the fate of the buried treasure." --From Publisher's weekly.