A month or so ago I saw a list for the 2021 Anthony Awards nominees. I was in the mood to read something other than my usual mystery series so I started looking them up and this one sounded interesting. It is excellent. Beautifully written, you can't help but sympathize with Beauregard and hope he makes it, although you can't see how that could happen. The other characters are done with equal skill. Great action scenes and great sense of place. There's a lot of familiarity to it (the criminal trying to go straight but needs one last job etc) but it's all done so well. I read it straight through.

Share/Like this Review?

Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby exemplifies what I love about book clubs. Its dark, noir setup is not what I normally read and yet the characters and emotions in this book resonate. The main character is a criminal contemplating another crime. He is also an adult abandoned as a child, a husband, and a father. He is a character I find myself cheering for. Book clubs often force me to read beyond my comfort zone, and sometimes that leads to a wonderful new reading adventure.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2024/01/blacktop-wasteland.html

Share/Like this Review?

Not my typical genre to read but was glad I read it. The best part of this book was how character driven it was. The main character, Beauregard, really tugged at my heartstrings. He was a criminal doing bad things but for a reason that you could understand. Although, I don't agree with what he was doing, I couldn't help but to root for him. His wife, kids, cousin and surrogate dad were all great characters. The action was crazy, the story hopeful and sad. Will read more from the author.

Share/Like this Review?

Beauregard "Bug" Montage gave up the criminal life several years ago for his wife and kids. He is an honest, hardworking mechanic who is suddenly in a financial bind. Bug is behind on his business loan payments, his oldest son needs braces, and his mother is just days away from being evicted from her nursing home. When someone from his past needs a wheelman for a possible jewelry store heist, Bug decides to do one last job.

This book won both an Anthony Award and a Crime Writers Association Award, so I thought I'd give it a try. I wouldn't call it a mystery. It's a crime novel where we are rooting for the criminals to do the job and make a clean getaway. Well, the situation goes south very quickly, and we are treated to an action-packed, fast-moving ride. I believe this is the author's first novel. I'm looking forward to reading more of his books. My rating: 4.5 Stars.

Share/Like this Review?

This is not the type of book that I normally read. In my old age (I'm 70+), I prefer books that give me enjoyment without too much thought. Does that make me shallow? Perhaps... In any case, this was a crime novel, not an action/adventure novel. As such, it gripped me at a visceral level and was a bit disturbing. The protagonist of the book is a bad - not evil - man who wants to be good. Throughout the story he performs a number of evil acts with the presumption that they will result in an ultimate good. Without revealing any plot details, I guess I can say that this premise is ambiguous at best. I'm still thinking about this one...

Share/Like this Review?