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Blacktop Wasteland

by S.A. Cosby

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
1,0127320,280 (4.01)76
"A gritty, voice-driven thriller about a former getaway driver who thought he had escaped the criminal life who is pulled back in by race, poverty, and his own former life of crime. Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a man with many different titles: husband, father, friend, honest car mechanic. But before he gave it up, Bug used to be known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best Wheel Man on the East Coast. After a series of financial calamities, Bug feels he has no choice but to take one final job as the getaway driver for a daring diamond heist that could solve all his money troubles and allow him to go straight once and for all. Like "Ocean's Eleven" meets "Drive" (but with a mostly black cast of characters), Blacktop Wasteland is a searing, operatic story of sons living up (or down) to their fathers; of a heist gone sideways; of a man ground down by economic desperation; of fast cars and daring chases and identity and love"--… (more)
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» See also 76 mentions

English (72)  Swedish (1)  All languages (73)
Showing 1-5 of 72 (next | show all)
S.A. Cosby is such a good writer. This my third book of his. I flew through it--it is a real page-turner. ( )
  37143Birnbaum | Feb 28, 2024 |
3.5 stars. A taut thriller set in Virginia. ( )
  ben_r47 | Feb 22, 2024 |
What a phenomenal book. I had enjoyed a short story by S. A. Cosby, so picked this novel up in hopes of something similar, but Blacktop Wasteland far surpassed my expectations. Cosby takes a potboiler plot (ex-con tries to go straight) and turns it into something sharp and compelling. With a narrative style somewhere between Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler, Cosby delivers a modern take on hardboiled crime that refuses to be put down. I'm looking forward to reading more from this exciting author. (A minor gripe is his choice of character names – 'Ronnie' and 'Reggie' – really?) Highly recommended. ( )
  Lirmac | Jan 22, 2024 |
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 ( )
  njmom3 | Jan 8, 2024 |
BLACKTOP WASTELAND was exactly what I needed to get me out of a reading slump. I adore heist themes, so I was intrigued by the premise of this novel the moment I heard about it. Throw in some powerful Fast & Furious vibes, characters who are vivid, real, and flawed... and, well, I couldn't put it down.

Beauregard's world is gritty, violent, and unforgiving. And yet, I couldn't wait to dive back in every time I set the book aside. The writing is superb. Cosby brings a sense of place to the story that's almost uncanny in its accuracy. The character development feels so on-point. I can easily see this book adapted for the big screen. It would make one heck of a movie. ( )
  Elizabeth_Cooper | Oct 27, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 72 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (5 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
S.A. Cosbyprimary authorall editionscalculated
Lazarre-White, AdamNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Manuppelli, NicolaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he was meant to be. FRANK A. CLARK
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Beauregard thought the night sky looked like a painting.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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"A gritty, voice-driven thriller about a former getaway driver who thought he had escaped the criminal life who is pulled back in by race, poverty, and his own former life of crime. Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a man with many different titles: husband, father, friend, honest car mechanic. But before he gave it up, Bug used to be known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best Wheel Man on the East Coast. After a series of financial calamities, Bug feels he has no choice but to take one final job as the getaway driver for a daring diamond heist that could solve all his money troubles and allow him to go straight once and for all. Like "Ocean's Eleven" meets "Drive" (but with a mostly black cast of characters), Blacktop Wasteland is a searing, operatic story of sons living up (or down) to their fathers; of a heist gone sideways; of a man ground down by economic desperation; of fast cars and daring chases and identity and love"--

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A husband, a father, a son, a business owner...And the best getaway driver east of the Mississippi.

Beauregard “Bug” Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. Bug knows there’s no future in the man he used to be: known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best wheelman on the East Coast.

He thought he'd left all that behind him, but as his carefully built new life begins to crumble, he finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets. When a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can't-miss jewelry store heist, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back in the driver's seat. And Bug is at his best where the scent of gasoline mixes with the smell of fear.

Haunted by the ghost of who he used to be and the father who disappeared when he needed him most, Bug must find a way to navigate this blacktop wasteland...or die trying.

Like Ocean’s Eleven meets Drive, with a Southern noir twist, S. A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland is a
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