The House on Lily Street is a novel by American author Jack Vance

Jack Vance

John Holbrook Vance is an American mystery, fantasy and science fiction author. Most of his work has been published under the name Jack Vance. Vance has published 11 mysteries as John Holbrook Vance and 3 as Ellery Queen...

. It was published in the United States by Underwood-Miller

Underwood-Miller

Underwood-Miller Inc. was a science fiction and fantasy small press specialty publishing house founded in 1976. It was founded by Tim Underwood, a San Francisco book and art dealer, and Chuck Miller, a Pennsylvania used book dealer, after the two had met at a convention.For their first book,...

in 1979 and again in 2002 as part of the Vance Integral Edition (VIE).

Plot introduction

A police detective investigates the murder of a solipsistic social worker who had sought the identity of the mysterious "Mr. Big", an extortionist who threatens welfare cheats with exposure unless he is paid off.