Part Crime Novel, Part Hard-boiled Noir, John C. Foster’s Rapid-fire Rooster is 100 Percent Retribution
CHICAGO, March 30, 2021 — Coming from Grey Matter Press (GMP) in July 2021, is author John C. Foster’s high-octane crime noir novel Rooster. Foster’s protagonist John Gallo, known as Rooster, is an unrelenting gangland hitman suffering the ravages of mental illness who learns that an unknown member of the criminal underworld wants him dead and has put a price on his head, and now everyone is out to cash in on the reward and snuff the Rooster.
Foster’s Rooster is part road novel, part revenge thriller, and part hard-boiled noir. Upon its release, Rooster becomes the third novel by the author published by GMP. It is preceded by the atmospheric modern New England gothic crime/suspense novel about a mysterious community isolated from the outside world in The Isle (2018) and the action-packed supernatural occult thriller Mister White (2016).
When Rooster is released on July 20, it will be available in both paperback and ebook versions. Pre-orders are expected to be announced and available in the GMP Bookstore prior to the publication date.
Synopsis of John C. Foster’s Rooster
John Gallo is a professional hitman with a history that’s spattered in blood and littered with bodies. Known in the criminal underworld as Rooster, Gallo is an assassin suffering from mental illness and constantly battling the black dog of depression that stalks him. When able to crawl out of his downward spiral and throw himself into the job, he’s a proficient, stealthy and unforgiving killer. A relentless wheeler-dealer in the game of death.
But now he finds there’s a price on his head. A vendetta that could have been placed by anyone in the gangland underground. And everyone wants to collect. From two-bit street punks to the highest echelons of organized crime. The Mafia. Yakuza. Russians. Chinese. Every crime syndicate that’s ever been on the bullet-end of his gun is now taking aim at him, intent on ending the reign of the Rooster.
After making a fast break from New York with a young actress rescued from certain death at the hands of the Chinese mob, Rooster is on the run and headed to his native Boston and promised refuge with his on-again, off-again criminal associate Grace. He quickly learns Beantown’s dark underbelly is only interested in welcoming Rooster home so thugs and gangsters can line up to seize the prize that is his head.
Determined to solve the mystery of who wants him dead and exact his own revenge, Rooster uncovers a deadly plot with tendrils that stretch across the country, revealing a conspiracy designed to achieve the ultimate retribution.
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ABOUT JOHN C. FOSTER
John C. Foster was born in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and has been afraid of the dark for as long as he can remember. A writer of thrillers and dark fiction, Foster lives in New York City with the actress Linda Jones and their dog, Coraline. His novels The Isle (2018) and Mister White (2016) were published by Grey Matter Press. Originally a short story, “Mister White” was included in the GMP anthology Dark Visions Vol. 2, and his “Burial Suit” was published in the publisher’s Death’s Realm anthology. Foster’s duet of road novels in the “Libros de Inferno” series, including Dead Men and Night Roads, were released by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, along with the short story collection Baby Powder and Other Terrifying Substances. For more information, please visit his website at johnfosterfiction.com.
ABOUT GREY MATTER PRESS
Grey Matter Press is a Chicago-based publisher whose mission it is to discover and cultivate the best voices working in the dark fiction genre. The company is committed to producing only the finest quality volumes of literary fiction containing exceptional tales of horror, fantasy, science fiction and speculative fiction. More information about Grey Matter Press is available at greymatterpress.com.
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