When he is not writing thrillers, young (29) Michael Ledwidge works in Manhattan as a night underground phone splicer for Verizon. Pocket Books is convinced he is a new master of noir mysteries, however, and senior editor George Lucas has just signed him for two more novels, North American rights, from agent Richard Pine at Arthur Pine Associates. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, the first in the new deal, will appear in fall 2002. Ledwidge's The Narrowback was a spring mass market reprint, and the hardcover Bad Connection appeared around the same time.