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The Sure Thing
In the deepest recesses of the Internal Revenue Service's vast computer network, a databased time bomb was ticking off the final seconds for an entire nation. Only a chosen few knew of its existence--and fewer still knew its goal: total domination of the U.S. government!
443 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1988
About the author
Warren Murphy
298 books126 followersWarren Murphy was an American author, most famous as the co-creator of The Destroyer series, the basis for the film Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. He worked as a reporter and editor and after service during the Korean War, he drifted into politics.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
Murphy also wrote the screenplay for Lethal Weapon 2. He is the author of the Trace and Digger series. With Molly Cochran, he completed two books of a planned trilogy revolving around the character The Grandmaster, The Grandmaster (1984) and High Priest (1989). Murphy also shares writing credits with Cochran on The Forever King and several novels under the name Dev Stryker. The first Grandmaster book earned Murphy and Cochran a 1985 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original, and Murphy's Pigs Get Fat took the same honor the following year.
His solo novels include Jericho Day, The Red Moon, The Ceiling of Hell, The Sure Thing and Honor Among Thieves. Over his career, Murphy sold over 60 million books.
He started his own publishing house, Ballybunion, to have a vehicle to start The Destroyer spin-off books. Ballybunion has reprinted The Assassin's Handbook, as well as the original works Assassin's Handbook 2, The Movie That Never Was (a screenplay he and Richard Sapir wrote for a Destroyer movie that was never optioned), The Way of the Assassin (the wisdom of Chiun), and New Blood, a collection of short stories written by fans of the series.
He served on the board of the Mystery Writers of America, and was a member of the Private Eye Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, the American Crime Writers League and the Screenwriters Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 26, 2024
Warren Murphy was probably best-known for his Destroyer series of men's action novels. I prefer his big stand-alone thrillers like this one, from 1988.
Matt Taylor is an IRS agent and computer expert who discovers that thousands of people in western Pennsylvania who are filing tax forms and paying taxes don't exist. So if the people don't exist, who's filing the tax forms and where is the money coming from? And why would anybody pay taxes for imaginary people?
This nifty little mystery explodes into a wild, sprawling, 443-page thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. I won't give away the mystery, but it's pretty clever and comes with a satisfying ending. Along the way there's plenty of intrigue, action, violence, politics, and some interesting characters, several of whom are not what they seem. There are also some good female characters and relationship complexities that add depth and a few extra surprises to the story.
Warren Murphy won many awards for his fiction, including multiple Edgars. If you haven't read him and like big, juicy thrillers, you should give this one a try.
Matt Taylor is an IRS agent and computer expert who discovers that thousands of people in western Pennsylvania who are filing tax forms and paying taxes don't exist. So if the people don't exist, who's filing the tax forms and where is the money coming from? And why would anybody pay taxes for imaginary people?
This nifty little mystery explodes into a wild, sprawling, 443-page thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. I won't give away the mystery, but it's pretty clever and comes with a satisfying ending. Along the way there's plenty of intrigue, action, violence, politics, and some interesting characters, several of whom are not what they seem. There are also some good female characters and relationship complexities that add depth and a few extra surprises to the story.
Warren Murphy won many awards for his fiction, including multiple Edgars. If you haven't read him and like big, juicy thrillers, you should give this one a try.
October 4, 2012
A nice thriller from Warren Murphy, but nothing especially great. I njoyed expected cameos as the overheard discussion about a movie that must have been "Remo Williams" which is based on Warren Murphy's destroyer series, which he wrote in cooperation with Mr Sapir. Sapir is in the book a senior partner of a criminal law firm.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews