Laukkanen, Owen

Owen Laukkanen

Owen Laukkanen's debut thriller, THE PROFESSIONALS, will be published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in winter, 2012.

An alumnus of the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing BFA program, Laukkanen spent three years in the world of professional poker, traveling to high-stakes tournaments across the globe as a writer for PokerListings.com.

A commercial fisherman when he’s not writing, Laukkanen divides his time between Toronto and Prince Edward Island, Canada.

About THE PROFESSIONALS:

Forced into a life of crime after graduating into the worst employment market in recent history, Arthur Pender has uncovered the secret to a long career in kidnapping: work quick, work cheap, and never stop moving. For the last two years and counting, Pender and three friends have criss-crossed the United States, making low-ransom scores at high volume with nobody the wiser.

When Minnesota state trooper Kirk Stevens happens onto Pender’s transcontinental crime spree, he enlists the help of beautiful FBI agent Carla Windermere in tracking down the kidnappers. Complicating matters is the presence of ruthless Mafia hitman Alessandro D’Antonio, out for revenge after Pender and company try to kidnap the wrong man.

The first thriller in a series featuring Agents Stevens and Windermere, THE PROFESSIONALS has been called “a brutally beautiful piece of work” by New York Times bestselling author John Sandford.

Advance Praise for THE PROFESSIONALS:

"Smoothly written, with a slam-bang ending...a brutally beautiful piece of work." – John Sandford, author of the Lucas Davenport Prey novels.

"A first-class thriller by a terrific new voice." – NYT bestselling author John Lescroart

"A spectacular debut novel written with intelligence, toughness and heart." - Thomas Perry, author of Strip and Butcher’s Boy.

"A coiling plot, insightful characters, and a tale fraught with danger. What more could any thriller reader want?" - NYT bestselling author Steve Berry

"A high-octane adrenaline and gunpowder-fueled rocket ride...an excellent first novel!" - C.J. Box, NYT bestselling author of Cold Wind.

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