BLACKTOP WASTELAND by S.A. Cosby

At first glance on the surface, S.A. Cosby’s new novel is your run-of-the-mill crime tale. It focuses on a talented getaway driver who’s gotten out of the crime life to become a dedicated family man and mechanic and is pulled back in for another heist once the bills start piling up. You might think that you’ve read something like this before and you’d be correct. This story has been written before, but the big difference is that I doubt that it was written with such heart and soul. This is a standout, breakout novel that not only is impeccably paced and completely entertaining, but it also dives deep into character, creating a protagonist and a supporting cast that linger long after the last page.

Beauregard Montage is a great protagonist, a man struggling to reckon with his past and with his unexplained abandonment by his father, and a man whose desire to make a better life for his children comes into conflict with his suspicions that he can never outrun his violent life and criminal tendencies. Beauregard carries the story, but every other character is just as well-drawn, whether it was the sleazy brothers Reggie and Ronnie or even the unseen but just as impactful character of Beauregard’s long-gone father. 

Anchored by confident writing and well-conceived, riveting action and car chase scenes, this is a quick, entertaining read that should launch S.A. Cosby as a must-read crime writer.

GRADE: A-