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Killer on the Road

Author James Ellroy
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Paperback
$18.00 US
Knopf | Vintage
5.2"W x 7.99"H x 0.79"D   | 10 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Dec 02, 2025 | 272 Pages | 9798217007882
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Ellroy’s deep dive into the psyche of a serial killer and “the scariest book I’ve ever read.” (Jonathan Kellerman)

Killer on the Road is an exploration into the mind of a perfectly crafted psychopath: a mix of clinical vision, genius intellect, and an empty conscience. And once you’re in, it’s impossible to get out.

Even as a child, Martin Michael Plunkett was no ordinary boy. Extreme parental indifference marked him as an outcast. In his head, Plunkett crafted a second life, remaking himself in the guise of his favorite comic book villain. His mind fixated on dark thoughts and twisted imaginings. A heart of evil was burnished—and Plunkett grew up to become a psychotic murderer.

This chilling tale is written as the reflections of an unrepentant criminal. As Plunkett serves four consecutive life sentences in solitary at Sing Sing, he reminisces on his decades of discovery and horror. He moves in the shadows of American madness and obsession. He is the killer on the road.
© Marion Ettlinger
JAMES ELLROY was born in Los Angeles. He is the author of the Underworld U.S.A. Trilogy: American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood’s A Rover; and the L.A. Quartet novels: The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz. He is also the author of two other Freddy Otash novels, Widespread Panic and The Enchanters. He was awarded the 2022 Los Angeles Times Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. He lives in Colorado. View titles by James Ellroy

About

Ellroy’s deep dive into the psyche of a serial killer and “the scariest book I’ve ever read.” (Jonathan Kellerman)

Killer on the Road is an exploration into the mind of a perfectly crafted psychopath: a mix of clinical vision, genius intellect, and an empty conscience. And once you’re in, it’s impossible to get out.

Even as a child, Martin Michael Plunkett was no ordinary boy. Extreme parental indifference marked him as an outcast. In his head, Plunkett crafted a second life, remaking himself in the guise of his favorite comic book villain. His mind fixated on dark thoughts and twisted imaginings. A heart of evil was burnished—and Plunkett grew up to become a psychotic murderer.

This chilling tale is written as the reflections of an unrepentant criminal. As Plunkett serves four consecutive life sentences in solitary at Sing Sing, he reminisces on his decades of discovery and horror. He moves in the shadows of American madness and obsession. He is the killer on the road.

Author

© Marion Ettlinger
JAMES ELLROY was born in Los Angeles. He is the author of the Underworld U.S.A. Trilogy: American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand, and Blood’s A Rover; and the L.A. Quartet novels: The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz. He is also the author of two other Freddy Otash novels, Widespread Panic and The Enchanters. He was awarded the 2022 Los Angeles Times Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. He lives in Colorado. View titles by James Ellroy

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