The Devil Won’t Care
Paybacks can be fatal
by
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The Devil Won’t Care
A novel by John Streby
“Whatever Lessner had done to Kathy Hastings’ father, Harold Platt, was a matter of urgent concern to me. As the story unfolded, she made it clear that the betrayal was one of Biblical proportions. When she left, my worst fears were confirmed—Platt had taken his own life.
“Lessner didn’t force Otis Whitman into an overpowered passenger car whose gory destruction was virtually inevitable. Nor did he orchestrate the convergence of disaster that drained Harold Platt of the will to live, or put Ricky Valentine in a prison cell. Yet, in the allegorical sense, his fingerprints were all over Valentine’s judgment of sentence and the others’ death certificates. Could it be that a man revered by millions as a hero for our time, a self-effacing do-gooder who reveled in exposing scandal, was a villainous figure with a heart of darkness?
“With this book, I am submitting my case to the court of public opinion. Like the man depicted, my accounting is sure to be controversial. Whether the verdict of the multitudes ultimately falls in my favor or against me, I’ve gained the satisfaction of telling my side of the story.”
Praise for the author’s debut novel, Rabbit Stew…
—Ken Gormley, Professor of Law and Dean, Duquesne University and award-winning author of Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation and The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr
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About the Book
The Devil Won’t Care
A novel of betrayal and retribution
The Devil Won’t Care delves into the career of Lanny Lessner, a journalist who rockets to fame and wealth with a hard-hitting documentary about the decline of his home town after a spate of factory closings. Revered by millions, Lessner seems poised to become the Ralph Nader of his generation.
But Lessner has a dark side, replete with shady dealings, antisocial behavior, and mean-spirited hypocrisy. The filmmaker’s saga is retold by a friend and supporter, Warren Hill, whose narrative chronicles their relationship. As the story evolves, Hill confronts a growing body of evidence that Lessner, intoxicated by his celebrity status, is a crass, deceptive, manipulative phony, whose shortcomings mimic those of the targets of his pungent wit.
The Devil Won’t Care addresses some of the flaws of a dysfunctional society in which “What’s in it for me?” is the common denominator. Checkbook photojournalism, celebrity worship, reality TV and our sound-bite culture are all laid bare. On a broader level, the book is a morality tale in which the narrator is forced to confront his deepest fears and emotions, set against a backdrop of deception, atonement and redemption.
About the Author
John Streby is a connoisseur of Broadway musicals, pre-1930 phonographs and records, and films noir. His first novel, Rabbit Stew, dealt with the incestuous mix of law and politics, and featured several characters who appear in this book. Mr. Streby is currently writing a third novel, Follow the Money.