Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author T.C. Boyle makes his Ecco debut with a powerful, gripping novel that explores the roots of violence and anti-authoritarianism inherent in the American character.

Set in contemporary Northern California, THE HARDER THEY COME explores the volatile connections between three damaged people --- an aging ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran, his psychologically unstable son and the son's paranoid, much older lover --- as they careen towards an explosive confrontation.

On a vacation cruise to Central America with his wife, 70-year-old Sten Stensen unflinchingly kills a gun-wielding robber menacing a busload of senior tourists. The reluctant hero is relieved to return home to Fort Bragg, California, after the ordeal --- only to find that his delusional son, Adam, has spiraled out of control.

Adam has become involved with Sara Hovarty Jennings, a hardened member of the Sovereign Citizens’ Movement, right-wing anarchists who refuse to acknowledge the laws and regulations of the state, considering them to be false and non-applicable. Adam’s senior by some 15 years, Sara becomes his protector and inamorata. As Adam's mental state fractures, he becomes increasingly schizophrenic --- a breakdown that leads him to shoot two people in separate instances. On the run, he takes to the woods, spurring the biggest manhunt in California history.

As he explores a father’s legacy of violence and his powerlessness in relating to his equally violent son, T.C. Boyle offers unparalleled psychological insights into the American psyche. Inspired by a true story, THE HARDER THEY COME is a devastating and indelible novel from a modern master.

The Harder They Come
by T.C. Boyle

• Publication Date: March 1, 2016
• Genres: Fiction, Psychological Suspense, Suspense
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Ecco
• ISBN-10: 0062349384
• ISBN-13: 9780062349385