The Rat on Fire

by George V. Higgins

Book Overview

A riveting, blistering hot novel about the shady side of the law and the business side of the Boston underworld by the one and only George V. Higgins. Jerry Fein is a small-time lawyer, occasional booking agent, and full-time slumlord. But he's nobody's fool. So when the tenants of his dilapidated buildings refuse to pay rent because of rats, Jerry knows just the man to help him--Leo Proctor, a professional arsonist, who can make a fire marshal look the other way for a little cash. But the heat is on over at the police station as well, and a couple of cops are suddenly feeling pressure from their superiors to produce, and something has got to give. Full of hardnosed cops and lawyers a little too familiar with both sides of the law, The Rat on Fire is another Higgins masterpiece and an unflinching portrait of the Boston crime world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307947246
• ISBN13: 9780307947246
• Release Date: March 2012
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Classic George Higgins fare

A fast read about the usual assortment of Boston lowlifes, corrupt attorneys and assorted sadsacks who inhabit the world of George Higgins. The witty dialogue is vintage Higgins. Highly recommended to all readers who like their crime novels gritty and hard-boiled.

Funny, tragic, and compelling

A small but complex story. The dialogue is hilarious, the characters interesting. Get your hands on a copy while you still can.

"Rat" on target

This novel deals with some would-be arsonists, a corrupt fire marshal, and the cops trying to catch them. It's a good, ingenious story, but the real reason to read it is the side-splitting dialogue. Politically incorrect, but hilarious. The Rat on Fire is one of the funniest books I've ever read. I will always be grateful to this book because it cheered me up at a time when I badly needed cheering up. The only flaw is on the very first page, where Higgins shifts scene a bit too abruptly, which is momentarily confusing. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor. One of Higgins' best..