The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper: Introduction by Lee Child: (Travis McGee: 10): a masterpiece in suspenseful thriller writing from the grandmaster of American crime fiction, Issue 10

John D MacDonald

Aug 2013 · Random House

About this ebook

The Travis McGee series by John D MacDonald - bestselling author and the inspiration behind a generation of crime writers - is one for fans of Lee Child, Michael Connelly and John Grisham not to miss. All of John D MacDonald's books are thoughtful and explore human nature often at its most venal and this book is no exception. You won't be able to put this down!

'MacDonald had a huge influence on me . . . Reacher is like a fully detached version of Travis McGee' -- LEE CHILD
'The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller' -- STEPHEN KING
'To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen.' -- KURT VONNEGUT
'. . . my favorite novelist of all time' -- DEAN KOONTZ

'Great read with a plot that keeps you hooked to the end. Loved it!!!!' -- ***** Reader review
'Powerful story, intriguing plot, highly recommended' -- ***** Reader review
'Prepare to read it in one sitting - too good to put down' -- ***** Reader review
'Essential reading for mystery buffs' -- ***** Reader review

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Travis McGee isn't your typical knight in shining armour. He only works when his cash runs out, and his rule is simple: He'll help you find whatever was taken from you, as long as he can keep half.

When Travis McGee enters the prosperous town of Fort Courtney he quickly realises that something's not quite right. Here to rescue the suicidal daughter of a deceased friend, Travis is shocked by the string of murders and suicides that is taking over the town.

Then, just when it seems that things can't get any stranger, Travis becomes the lead suspect in the murder of a local nurse. To save the young woman, he's going to have to save himself first . . .

First published in 1968, The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper features an introduction by Lee Child

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Further Praise for the Travis McGee series:

'The consummate pro, a master storyteller and witty observer . . . The Travis McGee novels are among the finest works of fiction ever penned by an American author and they retain a remarkable sense of freshness' - Jonathan Kellerman

'Travis McGee is my favourite fiction detective. He's great because he has a philosophical side - he will fight a bunch of mobsters in a car park and then have a muse about life, the universe and everything' - Tony Parsons

'A dominant influence on writers crafting the continuing series character . . . I envy the generation of readers just discovering Travis McGee' - Sue Grafton

'A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field' - Mary Higgins Clark

'What a joy that these timeless and treasured novels are available again' - Ed McBain

'There's only one thing as good as reading a John D. MacDonald novel: reading it again . . . He is the all-time master of the American mystery novel' - John Saul

Ratings and reviews

Every story gets more and more tragic and exasperating but Travis McGee is raw emotional goodness in a tough nutshell and I can't put him down

About the author

John D. MacDonald was an American novelist and short-story writer. His works include the highly influential and iconic Travis McGee series and the novel The Executioners, which was adapted into the film Cape Fear. In 1972, MacDonald was given The Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America; in 1980, he won a National Book Award for the Travis McGee title The Green Ripper. In print, he delighted in smashing the bad guys, deflating the pompous, and exposing the venal. In life, he was a truly empathic man; his friends, family, and colleagues found him to be loyal, generous, and practical. In business, he was fastidiously ethical. About being a writer, he once expressed with gleeful astonishment, “They pay me to do this! They don’t realize, I would pay them.” He spent the later part of his life in Florida with his wife and son, and died in 1986.