"Brace yourself for a tough, hard-edged look at the cutthroat world of . . . stand-up comedy. Just kidding. Barton's first novel is a genuine delight: funny in all the right places, suspenseful where it needs to be, with a likable protagonist (Biff Kincaid, stand-up comic) and a plot twist that will take readers by surprise. Barton, a professional stand-up comedian, has constructed a plot that allows him to show off his knowledge of the business--Biff has to figure out who killed a fellow comedian while simultaneously foiling a wanna-be comic's plot to steal his material--and, unlike many writers who try to turn their professional expertise into a novel, Barton has plenty of talent. Although the novel doesn't explicitly promise a s equel, it's a safe bet that Barton has more Biff Kincaid stories up his sleeve. That's great news because this is one of the most promising crime-fiction debuts of the year. Expect to be hearing lots more about Biff Kincaid." -- David Pitt, Booklist

PROLOGUE

This is the place.

Southern California.

Over ten million people live, work, eat and sleep here.

They grow up, drive cars, get married, raise families and try to live together.

Often they get hurt, or hurt each other. Sometimes real bad.

When they need a laugh, they come to me.

My name's Kincaid.

I'm a comedian.

I carry a microphone.