AustLit

'Kenny and his half-brother, the slow-witted Phoebus, have been through hard times; they've lost both their dads, and their mom ran off with another man. Kenny, abusive yet protective of Phoebus, devises a plan to get them out of their shack: they'll kidnap a rich woman and live off the million-dollar ransom. Phoebus doesn't like the plan one bit but can't say so to Kenny, and sure enough, things go awry when the husband of the woman (Kathryn) ignores their demands. Then Kathryn, dealing with her own demons, enlists the help of her kidnappers to exact revenge on her betraying husband.

'The deliciously twisted story is told by multiple narrators - mostly Phoebus, but also Kathryn, Kenny's stripper girlfriend, and even Kathryn's husband - and these shifting perspectives keep the pace quick and the reader guessing. Phoebus, who appears pathetic early on, emerges as the brains behind this ne'er-do-well criminal enterprise.' (Publisher's blurb)