This book is dark, in the vein of Jim Thompson and Elliott Chaze. It starts out with a guy who’s troubled and hiding from life. In fact, he’s engineered his whole life to avoid entanglements, responsibilities and feelings. Then, when he gets drawn into his brothers' criminal troubles, along comes someone who takes a real interest in him. She’s mentally and emotionally tough, and he can’t quite deal with the gift she’s trying to give him.