If Jim Thompson wrote A CHRISTMAS CAROL, it might go a little something like this... CONSCIENCE is a short, fierce novel of corruption and redemption by New York Times bestselling author John Skipp. Using the terse, muscular prose of modern crime fiction, it is a Dickensian fable of hope and despair, 21st century style. Charley Weber is a lousy guy. He kills for a living, and doesn't mind it a bit. He has come to L.A. to do something terrible: for money, for vengeance, and to make an ugly point about life and truth and love. But a funny thing happens on the way to the massacre. He finds himself confronted by the only one who could possibly stop him. He finds himself confronted by...himself. Designed to be read in one sitting—in roughly the time it takes to watch a feature film—CONSCIENCE is lightning-fast yet thematically rich. It's a dangerous story, for our dangerous times: violent, funny, thoughtful, tragic, loving, and wise to the ways of the world. This edition also features six additional short pieces, revealing author intros, and the feature length screenplay, JOHNNY DEATH.