The Big Bite by Charles Williams

After a car accident ends his professional football career, John Harlan discovers that the man who hit him was murdered by his wife, Julia Cannon, and her lover, Dan Tallant. Harlan attempts to extort the couple for $100,000, leading to a dangerous game of blackmail involving a recorded confession. The tension escalates as Julia and Dan retaliate, eventually leading to Tallant's death during a final confrontation. Although Harlan successfully secures the money, Julia reveals a final, devastating act of revenge before taking her own life. She has left a notarized confession with a dying friend, ensuring that Harlan will spend the rest of his life in constant fear of eventual arrest. This narrative explores themes of greed, corruption, and the inescapable nature of guilt.