JJ Moretti is being hunted down by his past where he and two other friends, 25 years earlier, stole a buttload of money from some very unsavory people who are looking to collect. After finding Augie, his partner in crime, dead in his Las Vegas home, the debt collectors are hot on his trail. Suddenly he is on the run from the past mistake he made as a teenager. This lapse in judgement places him and his family in harms way.
Jon narrates as he travels from Las Vegas to his home town Pitchford (as well as other states) where he comes to terms with his past. He encounters lost loves, old friends, childhood bullies, and estranged family members. There is enough depth and background information given that you can't help but hope this guy succeeds in getting away from his bill collectors and finally let the past rest where it is. The pieces in Jon's character that may be missing from his own reflections are provided to us by the people he comes in contact with their assessment of his actions.
One other thing done well in this novel is the amount of action and suspense it maintains. When Jon is recounting the times in the past he shared with his pals and is the catalyst for his current situation is the only time it may become slow but Lashner throws in a bit of whit to keep readers eyes glued. One glaring notion planted in the back of my head is how did they get found out and why wouldn't the bill collectors assume the money is gone . Or why did it take so long for them to come? It seemed like a lot of effort for a payday that could never come. Thankfully, Lashner satisfies these concerns over the course of the novel.
Fans of William Lashner will be happy with this exciting novel. Readers who have not read any of his other books may want to start here since it is not a part of a series such as his other books are. FYI the book blurb gives away a part of the plot that doesn't happen until 75% in the novel so if at all possible, skip reading the back of the book and just go in for page one.***
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