About The Book

Stewart O’Nan is one of the most highly acclaimed fiction writers of his generation, selected by Granta as one of the Best Young American Novelists and hailed by the New York Times as “a master.”

The Speed Queen is the gripping story of a twisted love triangle’s drug-fueled killing spree across the desert plains, told in the voice of Oklahoma death-row inmate Marjorie Standiford, who is recounting her experiences for a best-selling horror writer researching the murders. It’s a chilling, unputdownable crime novel in the tradition of James M. Cain — a voyage into the dark soul of the American West.

Praise

“Classic American noir.” –San Francisco Chronicle

“Vividly realized . . . Hypnotic . . . Features an unfailing intelligence, a grim and bracing humor, an unblinking eye for the telling detail.” –The New York Times Book Review

“I liked The Speed Queen so much I went back and bought five or six copies to send to everyone I know. The conceit is ingenious and the book is beautifully executed. I wish I’d written it.” –Sue Grafton

“A sexy, breathless, and pitch-perfect tale . . . An unabashed roller coaster of a book . . . Marjorie is a character straight out of a David Lynch film, realistic and unsentimental, creepy and bizarre.” –Detour

“A terrific novel: gripping, quirky, funny, violent, and heart-breaking. I haven’t read a better book so far this year.” –Nick Hornby

“Scathing and intelligent . . . Makes the skin crawl.” –Los Angeles Times