Expiration date : [a novel

An out-of-work reporter travels back to the 1970s where he has a chance to stop a murder in this hard-boiled science fiction mystery. “Fashioning an unholy mash-up of Back to the Future, The Time Machine, and Twelve Monkeys, Swierczynski shows once again that when it comes to pulp velocity, pop culture savoir-faire, and storyteller bravado, he’s settling all the standards.” —Megan Abbott, author of The Song Is You and Bury Me DeepWinner, 2011 Anthony Award Mickey Wade is out of work, out of time, and quite possible out of his mind. Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather’s place. The only problem: it’s in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape. But now he’s back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he’s reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally. At first he thinks it’s a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below. The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey’s father . . .“Swierczynski cleverly melds the thriller and fantasy elements (especially the notion of nonlinear time), producing a thoroughly readable, suspenseful romp that evokes John D. MacDonald’s pulp classic The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything.” —Booklist“Duane Swierczynski is one of the best thriller writers in America, and probably my favorite. I blazed through Expiration Date in one sitting and I loved it.” —James Frey, New York Times–bestselling author of Bright Shiny Morning and A Million Little Pieces

recently Unemployed Journalist Mickey Wade Lucked Into A Rent-free Apartment - His Sick Grandfather's Place. The Only Problem: It's In A Lousy Neighborhood - The One Where Mickey Grew Up, In Fact. The One He Was So Desperate To Escape. But Now He's Back. Dead Broke. And Just When He Thinks He's Reached Rock Bottom, Mickey Wakes Up In The Past. Literally. At First He Thinks It's A Dream. All Of The Stores He Remembered From His Childhood, The Cars, The Rumble Of The Elevated Train. But As He Digs Deeper Into The Past, Searching For Answers About The Grandfather He Hardly Knows, Mickey Meets The Twelve-year-old Kid Who Lives In The Apartment Below. The Kid Who Will Grow Up To Someday Murder Mickey's Father.

publishers Weekly

in This Workmanlike Time Travel Thriller From Swierczynski (severance Package), 37-year-old Mickey Wade, A Struggling Journalist Who’s Lost His Job With An Alt-weekly Newspaper, The Philadelphia City News, Accepts His Mother’s Suggestion To Move Into His Grandfather’s Apartment In The City’s Seedy Frankford Neighborhood. After Popping Some Long-expired Tylenols For A Hangover, Wade Is Transported Back To February 22, 1972, The Day He Was Born. Wade’s Time-traveling Self Proves Vulnerable To Light, As Shown By His Losing Two Fingers. On Returning To The Present, Wade Finds Those Fingers Restored But Without Feeling. Subsequent Deliberate Trips Into The Past Give Wade Some Background On The Great Trauma Of His Life, The Apparently Motiveless Stabbing Murder Of His Father, A Musician Known As The Human Jukebox. Predictable Complications Follow From Wade’s Efforts To Prevent The Killing. This One Will Appeal Mainly To Swierczynski Fans. (mar.)

If you thought Duane Swierczynski's The Blonde and Severance Package were page turners, hold on to your seat. Expiration Date is a detective novel with a time-travel twist that will leave readers gasping. In this neighborhood, make a wrong turn ... and you're history. Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather's place. The only problem: it's in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape. But now he's back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he's reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally. At first he thinks it's a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below. The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey's father.

In this neighborhood, make a wrong turn...

... and you're history.

Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather's place. The only problem: it's in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape.

But now he's back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he's reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally.

At first he thinks it's a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below.

The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey's father, in Duane Swierczynski's Expiration Date.

In this neighborhood, make a wrong turn and you're history. Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment his sick grandfather's place. The only problem: it's in a lousy neighborhood. The one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape. But now he's back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he's reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally. At first he thinks it's a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below. The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey's father. "Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment - his sick grandfather's place. The only problem: it's in a lousy neighborhood - the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. But now he's back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he's reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally. At first he thinks it's a dream. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below. The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey's father."--Page 4 of cover