Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing (UK 2004)

From the Publisher:
When 27-year-old Josh Redmont first received the unexpected cheque for a thousand dollars from an organization called United States Agent he was young, single and poor. Unable to locate his mysterious benefactor, Josh starts to feel that somehow everything must be all right when the cheque clears. And the next one a month later. And the next. Now married, with a two-year-old son and a steady job, his monthly cheques have become a mere background to his life. Until, one day, a stranger sits next to him on a bench and says, 'You are now active.' So begins Josh's descent into absurdity and fear. Here is an ordinary man trying to protect his family and survive a carnival ride through a modern hell.

Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing. Robert Hale, ISBN: 070907672X (September, 2004), 222 p., £18.99.

Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing (USA 2004)

From the Publisher:
When it comes to crime-the good, the bad, and the hilarious-nobody does it like Donald E. Westlake, the creator of the uproarious Dortmunder novels and the dark classic The Ax. Westlake's outrageous new thriller is all about something too good to be true... and too terrible to believe.

MONEY FOR NOTHING
Every month a $1000 check came to Josh Redmont, as regular as clockwork. Somewhere along the line, Josh stopped wondering why an untraceable organization in Washington was sending him money. His career took off and his bank account swelled-he didn't even need the money anymore. Then, one day on a ferry to Fire Island, a stranger approaches Josh with words that chill him to the spine: "You are now active." Josh has been paid for a job that he must do-a job that will turn out to be a growing horror for him, for his family, and possibly for the whole country...

Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing. Warner, ISBN: 0446613789 (March, 2004), 336 p., $7.50.

Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing (USA 2003)

From the Publisher:
Once a month they came in the mail. As regular as clockwork. Addressed to Josh Redmont. Issued by something called "United States Agent." Each check for the exact same amount: $1000. At first, Josh tried to find out if some mistake had been made. After a while, he simply accepted that for unknowable reasons some obscure, untraceable branch of the U.S. government was paying him $1000 a month.

A poor temp when the checks first appeared seven years ago, Josh has now become successful in his field, with a wife and child, a nice Upper West Side apartment, a summer rental on Fire Island - so the checks don't mean that much anymore. That is, until a smiling stranger approaches Josh with words that chill him to the spine: "I'm from United States Agent. You are now active."

Josh has been paid for a job that he now must do... a job that will turn out to be a growing horror for him, for his family, and possibly for all of us.

Donad E. Westlake: Money for Nothing. A Novel. Mysterious Press, ISBN: 0892967870 (April, 2003), 294 p., $24.95