Intimate Victims Format: Paperback

Somehow he’d ended up with someone else’s coat . . . and that act could end Robert Bowser’s life before it started.

His hand trembled as he answered the phone.

''Mr. Bowser?''

''Yes.''

''Mr. Bowser, my name is Harvey Plangman.''

''Yes, Mr. Plangman. I have your wallet, and jacket, too, I believe.''

''And I have yours.''

''Why don’t you drive over here? I could offer you a drink and we could reclaim our things.''

''Mr. Bowser, were you planning on going to Brazil?''

Was this really how the world ended?

''You don’t have anything to be afraid of, Mr. Bowser.''

''I’d better come there.''

''Yes, I think it would be better if you came here. You’ll know who I am all right, Mr. Bowser. I’m wearing your coat . . .

Vin Packer is the pen name for Marijane Meaker (born May 27, 1927), an American novelist and short story writer in several genres. From 1952 to 1969, she wrote twenty mystery and crime novels as Vin Packer, including Spring Fire, which is credited with launching the genre of lesbian pulp. Using her own observations of lesbians in the 1950s and 1960s, she wrote a series of nonfiction books as Ann Aldrich from 1955 to 1972. In 1972, she switched genres and pen names once more to begin writing for young adults, and became quite successful as M.E. Kerr, producing over twenty novels and winning multiple awards, including the American Library Association’s lifetime award for young-adult literature (Edwards Award). She was described by The New York Times Book Review as “one of the grand masters of young adult fiction.” As Mary James, she has written four books for younger children.