58 pages • 1 hour read
Blacktop Wasteland
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Book Brief
320
Novel • Fiction
Rural Virginia • Contemporary
2020
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In S. A. Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland, African American garage owner Beauregard “Bug” Montage, a former getaway driver with a family to support, reluctantly agrees to participate in a jewelry store heist due to financial pressures, resulting in a series of escalating dangers and tragic consequences. The novel contains pervasive adult language, drug use, and graphic violence, including torture and murder.
Gritty
Dark
Emotional
Suspenseful
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
54,202 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby is lauded for its gripping narrative and richly drawn characters, blending high-octane action with emotional depth. Critics praise its raw, poetic prose and insightful exploration of race and poverty. A few note its intense violence and predictability in parts. Overall, it is celebrated as a compelling and thought-provoking crime novel.
Who Should Read Blacktop Wasteland?
Readers who enjoy gritty, fast-paced crime thrillers with deep character exploration would relish S. A. Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland. Fans of books like Dennis Lehane's Mystic River or Richard Price's Lush Life will appreciate its intense narrative and intricate look at the struggles of a getaway driver trying to escape his past while pulled into one last heist.
54,202 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Kia Montage
Kia Montage
Bug's wife of 15 years, mother to their two sons, who works as a housekeeper. She is frank and honest, and she struggles with the tension between their financial woes and the dangers of Bug's past criminal activities.
Ronnie Sessions
Ronnie Sessions
A career criminal who has recently been released from prison and quickly returns to a life of crime. He is irresponsible and egotistical, with a penchant for reckless behavior and substance use.
Lazarus "Lazy" Mothersbaugh
Lazarus "Lazy" Mothersbaugh
A tall, thin, white mobster known for his relentless joviality and ruthless nature. He leads a formidable group of thugs and cannot tolerate challenges to his authority, often seeking revenge for perceived slights.
320
Novel • Fiction
Rural Virginia • Contemporary
2020
Adult
18+ years
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