The Price of Liberty

Finalist for the Society of Midland Authors Fiction Prize

"With its wacky characters and deadpan humor, Graff's third novel (after My Fellow Americans and One Nation, Under God), another winner, will appeal to those who like their thrillers slightly off-kilter in the tradition of Donald Westlake and Lawrence Block."
--Library Journal

"Graff's cynical take on government waste and corporate greed plays well. McEnroe is as rugged as the desolate country he lives in, and his gritty do-what-ya-gotta-do actions keep the pages turning easily."
--Publishers Weekly

"Graff's writing keeps the reader anxious for the next scene. If a tale of murder and mystery, told with finely wrought characters, setting, and a delightful touch of humor, is of interest, this is the book to read."
--ForeWord Reviews

"By the time you reach the halfway point, you can't stop reading. . . . Other contemporary thriller writers resort to the exotic and outlandish to sustain their narrative, but Graff builds suspense around real people in the real world. He plugs his characters into the everyday and reveals how unnerving it can be."
--Chicago Sun-Times

"one of the best books of the year by any local author . . . a different America that is good, good reading."
--Rick Kogan, WGN

"a first-class thriller that sweeps the reader along on a bouncy, jarring ride . . . It will grip you, it will feel real, and it will make you think about American values."
--Blogcritics.org

"Graff's tautest yet. It's an almost seamless thriller, a page-turner. The best feature of the book is the villain, Shane Fetters. In a new move for Graff, the book is partly told from Fetters' point of view, which allows Graff to flex a talent also not yet seen in his previous novels: humor."
--Missoula Independent

"The ensuing events include murders and chases, with the tension building to a crescendo . . . it is a fast-reading, exciting novel, and is recommended."
--Spinetingler

It's a new day in America--but old contracts must still be paid.

Jack McEnroe is a construction worker with an unusual job: building a prison for terrorists. Like his neighbors in Red Rock, Wyoming, Jack isn't particularly concerned about politics. In a depressed rural economy, he's just grateful to have a job.

Jack's boss, Dave Fetters, is grateful, too: he has a no-bid, cost-plus contract issued by the previous administration. It's his last chance to get rich, and he's making the most of it.

But Dave is cooking the books, passing inflated costs along to defense contractor Halcyon Corporation--and Jack's ex-wife, Kyla, plans to blow the whistle. Suddenly, everyone Jack cares about, including his two young children, is in danger.

As the first winter snows fall in the rugged mountains, Jack must navigate a razor-wire labyrinth to rescue those he loves. And the true price of liberty, he discovers, is paid not in dollars, but human life.