Jason Starr - Fake I.D.

Starr has...a hard-edged style that is clean, cold and extremely chilling.

New York Times

A throwback to the spare, snappy crime writing of Jim Thompson and James M. Cain.

Entertainment Weekly

Jason Starr is the first writer of his generation to convincingly update the modern crime novel.

Bret Easton Ellis

A fearless, pitiless writer.

Laura Lippman

The New York sound, the energy, dialog thats on the beat...Read it and youll go hunting for Jason Starrs other books, I promise.

Elmore Leonard

[A] crackling hot beach read.

New York Post

Diabolically well-plotted.

The Literary Review

Deliciously addictive.

Megan Abbott

Cool, deadpan, a rollercoaster ride to hell.

The Guardian

A hip, white-collar update on the James Cain, Jim Thompson-style novel with a seasoning all its own.

Joe R. Lansdale

His stuff is tough and real and brilliant.

Andrew Klavan

Starrs got a hip style and an ear for crackling dialogue.

Jeffery Deaver

Bang up to date, but reminiscent of David Goodis and Jim Thompson, Fake I.D. is a powerful novel of the American Dream turning into the American Nightmare that marks Starr out as a writer to follow.

Time Out

An American masterpiece, a piece of great literature while its also a great crime novel.

Pulpetti

Demonic, demented, and truly ferocious, and a flat-out joy to read...My book of the year.

Ken Bruen

We started to make out again, then she was lying on the couch on her back and I was on top of her. I pulled back and smiled, looking into her eyes, and then we went into the bedroom.

Afterwards, her head was wedged between my arm and my chest. We were naked and sweaty.

It feels so nice to be with you, she said.

A few minutes later she was fast asleep.

I noticed the jewelry box on the dresser. I got out of bed and dressed quietly. The light on the night table was still on. In the dim yellow light I saw Janene still facing the other way. A necklace and a bracelet were out next to the jewelry box, but shed probably notice if they were missing. Instead, I reached inside the box and took out another necklace, some diamond earrings, and a gold bracelet. I put the jewelry in my pocket. Janene was still fast asleep. I tiptoed out of the room and left the apartment...

SOME OTHER HARD CASE CRIME BOOKS YOU WILL ENJOY:

SLIDE by Ken Bruen and Jason Starr

DEAD STREET by Mickey Spillane

DEADLY BELOVED by Max Allan Collins

A DIET OF TREACLE by Lawrence Block

MONEY SHOT by Christa Faust

ZERO COOL by John Lange

SHOOTING STAR/SPIDERWEB by Robert Bloch

THE MURDERER VINE by Shepard Rifkin

SOMEBODY OWES ME MONEY by Donald E. Westlake

NO HOUSE LIMIT by Steve Fisher

BABY MOLL by John Farris

THE MAX by Ken Bruen and Jason Starr

THE FIRST QUARRY by Max Allan Collins

GUN WORK by David J. Schow

FIFTY-TO-ONE by Charles Ardai

KILLING CASTRO by Lawrence Block

THE DEAD MANS BROTHER by Roger Zelazny

THE CUTIE by Donald E. Westlake

HOUSE DICK by E. Howard Hunt

CASINO MOON by Peter Blauner

by Jason Starr

A HARD CASE CRIME BOOK

(HCC-056)

First Hard Case Crime edition: June 2009

Published by

Titan Books

A division of Titan Publishing Group Ltd

144 Southwark Street

London SE1 0UP

in collaboration with Winterfall LLC

If you purchased this book without a cover, you should know that it is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Copyright 2000 by Jason Starr.

Never previously published in North America.

Cover painting copyright 2009 by Gregg Kreutz

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Print edition ISBN 978-0-85768-323-6

E-book ISBN 978-0-85768-398-4

Cover design by Cooley Design Lab

Design direction by Max Phillips

www.maxphillips.net

Typeset by Swordsmith Productions

The name Hard Case Crime and the Hard Case Crime logo are trademarks of Winterfall LLC. Hard Case Crime books are selected and edited by Charles Ardai.

Printed in the United States of America

Visit us on the web at www.HardCaseCrime.com

For Sandy

The gates to Milford Jai-Alai didnt open for another hour, but instead of driving to some diner to kill time, I figured Id just hang out in my car, reading the Racing Form .

I had just started going over the daily double at Aqueduct when I heard someone knocking on my passenger-side window. I looked up and saw a short fat guy smiling at me. At first, I had no idea who he was, then he started to look familiar. He had dark eyebrows and a big mole on his chin. His eyes were bloodshot, like he was drunk, but maybe it was because he was squinting against the cold wind. He was wearing one of those black wool winter hats that can make anyone look like a mental patient.

I turned on the ignition and opened the window a few inches. A blast of cold air came into the car.

Hows it goin? the guy asked.

I still couldnt place him. He looked forty-five, maybe fiftyat least ten years older than me.

Not bad, I said.

You dont remember me, do you?

Your face looks kind of familiar but

Your names Danny, right?

Tommy, I said.

I knew it was something with a Y at the end of it. Remember me? You know, Pete. Pete from Yonkers.

Now I remembered. A few years ago, I used to go to Yonkers Raceway a few nights a week to bet on the trotters. Pete was one of the regulars.

I remember, I said. It just took me a couple seconds to place your face. Hows it going?

Could be better, he said. Just came back from Vegas last night. Hit a few things, nothing too big. Shoulda gone to the Cayman Islands. Hear about those racebooks they got down there?

With the eight-percent payback.

Un-fuckin-believable. They give you eight percent back on all your action. If youre a big player you cant afford not to go there. I mean it might be a good idea to bring a gun with you into some of those joints, you know what I mean? But when youre playing horses what do you want, a classy time or eight percent back on your action?

Id take the eight percent, I said.

Damn fucking right you would, Pete said, any serious player would. He turned away and spat. It was getting cold in the car with the window open.

Ever been to Vegas? Pete asked.

I shook my head.

Youre kiddin me? You gotta go to Vegas, man. But casino gambling is a whole different ball game. When youre gambling in a casino you want class. You go to Vegas, whatever you do, dont go to Ballys. You want Ballys go down to Atlantic City and play at those Mickey Mouse tables they got there. You want a classy joint to spend a weekend, go to Caesars Palace. Now thats a place theyll treat you like a fucking king. And Im talkin about service, not shows. You want shows you can turn on the fuckin TV. You go to A.C.?