The Hanging Stranger

By Philip K. Dick

From the legendary author Philip K. Dick, The Hanging Stranger is a chilling tale of an alien invasion that will leave you wrapped in suspense.

Step back into the Golden Age of science fiction with this masterful work by the prolific short story author behind blockbuster films such as Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report.

In this gripping short story, meet Ed Loyce, a store owner with a disturbing discovery: a stranger hanging from a lamppost. To his utter horror, the townspeople appear unbothered by the gruesome sight. As Ed investigates further, he uncovers evidence that alien insects have infiltrated and taken control of his once-idyllic town. As the web of deception deepens, Ed struggles to expose the real threat lurking behind every corner. With the danger increasing, he finds himself face-to-face with the authorities - but can they, too, be trusted?

The Hanging Stranger is an irresistible descent into the heart-pounding world of alien invasion. With its unique twists and shocking conclusion, this suspense-filled classic will have you questioning who to trust and what's really lurking in the shadows. Prepare for a masterful study in paranoia and creepy suspense that sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of speculative fiction won't want to miss.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: May 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781473396098

Philip K. Dick

Over a writing career that spanned three decades, PHILIP K. DICK (1928–1982) published 36 science fiction novels and 121 short stories in which he explored the essence of what makes man human and the dangers of centralized power. Toward the end of his life, his work turned to deeply personal, metaphysical questions concerning the nature of God. Eleven novels and short stories have been adapted to film, notably Blade Runner (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall, Minority Report, and A Scanner Darkly, as well as television's The Man in the High Castle. The recipient of critical acclaim and numerous awards throughout his career, including the Hugo and John W. Campbell awards, Dick was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005, and between 2007 and 2009, the Library of America published a selection of his novels in three volumes. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.

Book preview

THE HANGING STRANGER

Ed had always been a practical man, when he saw something was wrong he tried to correct it. Then one day he saw it hanging in the town square.

Five o’clock Ed Loyce washed up, tossed on his hat and coat, got his car out and headed across town toward his TV sales store. He was tired. His back and shoulders ached from digging dirt out of the basement and wheeling it into the back yard. But for a forty-year-old man he had done okay. Janet could get a new vase with the money he had saved; and he liked the idea of repairing the foundations