This is a very impressive story of a man on the run. At the start of his run, he picks up a $10 a night hooker who proves to be an equally interesting character. Unlike the criminal, the girl, Ellie, knows and accepts what she is. The man, Lou Roebuck, is a serial liar, who has largely invented a heroic past for himself. He spins lies off the top of his head with hardly any effort at all. As the couple travel west, trying to escape the law, we see, however, that it is Ellie who is really stronger. Nevertheless, we see that Lou is a complex character through his actions as he and Ellie encounter people who help or hinder them along the way. The most interesting of these is a corrupt county sheriff. As the book races to its conclusion, we find out more about what has made Lou the way he is. His increasing paranoia toward the end of the book seems a bit abrupt, and the ending may leave you a bit less than satisfied, but the fascinating relationship between Lou and Ellie and the memorable story of their cross-country journey will stay with you for a long time. This is a book filled with great scenes and characters that rises well above the usual genre restrictions. It is the first book I have read by John Lutz, but it will not be the last. ( )