The acclaimed author of The Alternative Detective returns with another twisting tale that “combines ironic wit with suspense to remarkable effect” (John le Carré).

Though he was born in America, Hob Draconian feels much more at home on the sunny sands of Ibiza. But the easygoing life of this twenty-first century hippie is turned upside down when he learns that rented island refuge is about to be sold for redevelopment. In need of some quick cash to save his home, Hob returns to the Alternative Detective Agency—and boy do they have a job for him.

Escorting an aspiring model from New York to Paris sounds like a delightfully easy way to make ten grand. If only he thought to ask why the gig pays so well. In short order, Hob finds himself embroiled in a criminal plot full of double crosses,

From the very beginning of his career, Robert Sheckley was recognized by fans, reviewers, and fellow authors as a master storyteller and the wittiest satirist working in the science fiction field. Open Road is proud to republish his acclaimed body of work, with nearly thirty volumes of full-length fiction and short story collections. Rediscover, or discover for the first time, a master of science fiction who, according to the New York Times, was “a precursor to Douglas Adams.”