Two novels that probe the political corruption of a big Midwestern city, where the important deals are always made behind closed doors, and the real power is wielded behind the throne. Along with The Asphalt Jungle, these three novels form a thematic trio known as the Urban Trilogy. Quintessential books about America, particularly the conflict of idealism and the way things really work behind closed doors, where corruption and disillusionment run rampant. --Cullen Gallagher, Pulp Serenade Burnett is, at heart, a moralist, and his books are popular passion plays. --David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times His novels are not mysteries, but crime novels, powerful, accurate cynical explorations of criminals in their own environment: at their best they are important additions to the honor roll of hard-boiled fiction. --George Grella, 20th Century Crime & Mystery Writers LITTLE MEN, BIG WORLD Ben Reisman, veteran columnist for the Journal, is bored. So when he stumbles across a reference to a character known as De Ark, an underworld person who seems to operate without anyone knowing about him, he is intrigued. De Ark is in fact, Mr. Orral Wanty, Arky to his friends, the right hand man of the Mover, the man who really runs the city. Arky's control is so tight, even Commissioner Stark, the zealous law-and-order crusader, has never heard of him. But Arky's hand is everywhere. He's the man Leon Sollas, front for the syndicate, makes his weekly payment to and he's the man who Sollas goes to when he wants out. But Arky's got problems of his own. The Big City Boys want to move in. His woman, Anna, wants a baby. And somewhere, hot on his trail, is a newspaper man in search of a story VANITY ROW Police Captain Roy Hargis is the Administration's fair-haired boy, only answering to Chad Bayliss, the city's political boss. Most of the officers are in awe of him. Hargis can do no wrong. He knows how to cut to the heart of a case and bring the facts home to the D.A.'s office. So when rich lawyer Frank Hobart is shot down in cold blood, it looks open and shut. Hobart had been fooling around with a babe named Ilona Vance, things got out of hand, and she kills him. But Hargis doesn't figure it that way not after he meets Miss Vance. Because Ilona Vance is a force to be reckoned with, not merely beautiful, but so desirable it almost hurts. Hargis will go to any lengths to get her off, but he's up against it this time. The syndicate wants to see her burn, Bayliss wants a quick conviction, and Hargis is finding his tough shell has been thoroughly cracked. William Riley Burnett was born November 25, 1899 in Springfield, Ohio. Moving to Chicago in 1927, he developed an interest in gangsters which prompted him to write his first noir novel, Little Caesar, in 1929. Soon after that overnight success, Burnett moved to Los Angeles, eventually writing 36 novels including the classic High Sierra--and 60 screenplays, as well as songs, plays and short stories. Nominated twice for an Academy Award, he received both the MWA Grand Master award and an O. Henry Memorial Award. Burnett died on April 25, 1982.