jayyenn's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this novel. Like the short stories in Debris, it’s literary tough guy fiction. Daniel, a former MMA fighter, tries to do right by his family with the means available to him while trying to escape underworld involvement. The plot treads familiar territory but the literary style and depth of characters make it unexpected when it goes to those places. I like that the characters are developed without getting into lengthy backstories. The book’s eschewal of pulp fiction devices makes it jarring when the ending goes full James Ellroy although it’s inevitable given the progression of events.
hughburger's review against another edition
4.0
Found this by chance in an indie bookstore. From page 1 I was hooked. It took about 30 pages to get accustomed to the writing, which shares a lot with Cormac McCarthy's later work. Riveting story. Impossible to put down. Finished in a little over 24 hours. Will definitely seek out more of Hardcastle's work.
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