Official Review: Girl with the Flat Tire by Leon Loy
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- AvidBibliophile
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Official Review: Girl with the Flat Tire by Leon Loy
Girl with the Flat Tire by Leon Loy is a thrilling crime tale of happenstance associations. Loy takes you back to the 1970s, to a little Texas town called Flat Mountain. When two initially divergent storylines converge in fatefully unexpected ways, survival becomes hoped for but not guaranteed. The story begins in the aftermath of an attack on a drug-addicted broad in her late twenties named Angel. Who’s responsible for the domestic assault? Her live-in boyfriend John Brookner, a real gem of a guy that followed her home after a ZZ Top concert. As he skips town with a duffel full of drugs, so does a machete-toting Julio, the dealer to whom John owes a significant amount of cash.
Meanwhile, in Mississippi, a sweet divorcée named Anna leaves the reminders of her adulterating husband and divorce behind as she watches her hometown fade into the rearview mirror. But when a flat tire leaves her suddenly stranded on a dusty Texas road as night falls, a handsome fella named Travis comes along. But can you trust the sudden appearance of a chivalrous, country man with a sexy southern drawl? An oilfield roughneck studying to become a certified petroleum geologist? When sweet Anna, cocaine John, and savior Travis suddenly all find themselves in a mystery trifecta, rolls of duct tape and scenes of collateral damage follow the trio across the county as Brookner leaves a trail of bloody carnage in his wake. The entire story takes place over a 48-hour period, and the level of suspense stays just as revved up as Brookner’s black-and-gold Oldsmobile 442.
Loy clearly possesses a talent for descriptive prose and an effortless ease of storytelling. He juxtaposes drug-fueled delinquents against endearing moments of blossoming love and humor. There are Native American legends, quaint antique shops, cheap motel pools, nostalgic record albums, and bell-bottom jeans. The story is told in 31 chapters, over 235 pages. I feel this book would be appropriate for adult audiences, since there are mature themes, sexual innuendos, and scattered bits of profanity present. This crime thriller is perfect for readers who like storylines with repeat offenders on the run, and for those who possess a familiarity with certain Texas state highways and towns. I did encounter a small handful of typographical and grammatical errors, but they did little to disrupt the flow.
Themes of armed robbery, suicide, cheating husbands, prostitution, kidnappings, gun violence, Apache scalpings, illicit drug use, the Viet Cong, and murder are mentioned to varying degrees throughout. There is also presence of some derogatory terminology with ethnic slurs like: “gooks, wetbacks, darkies, hicks, pigs, spics, and baboons.” Brookner's character exhibits a clear implication of cultural disdain, as he proceeds to enact a racially-motivated hate crime at a truck stop. While this set of personality traits assists in creating a true antagonist, readers who might be sensitive to such topics should be forewarned.
I award this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. There is an unexpected twist at the end, and the story offers a decisive conclusion. If you like vigilante justice, drug cartels, retribution, payback, and love at first sight, then you’ll enjoy this twisted tale of romance and revenge. As the cover states: “she wasn’t looking for trouble, but he was looking for her,” and it seems some things (and people) are simply destined to collide. This is the author’s third novel.
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Girl with the Flat Tire
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- aacodreanu
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Thank you for the great review!
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Suspenseful for sure, and all of the era-specific cars and fashion choices and records and various other 70s details truly helped build each scene! Luckily most guys aren’t as creepy as Brookner, he was bad news for sure. Thanks!RetiredOBNurse wrote: ↑22 Mar 2020, 13:57 How exciting and suspenseful this book sounds! Having grown up in this era, as well as living in Texas for 30+ yrs, I would feel right at home in many ways. I had a boyfriend who had an Oldsmobile 442 as well but he wasn’t a creepy guy as Brookner must be! Thank you for the excellent review! Look forward to reading it soon.
- AvidBibliophile
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Ooh, it would make a delightful film, and with the right cast, I can see it unfolding on the big screen too! And it’s always nice when a book title nails it. Thank you so much for stopping by and kindly commenting!aacodreanu wrote: ↑22 Mar 2020, 14:58 Definitely a book to read. Not only that but the way you present it, I can see the novel turned into a successful film. I think I can almost do the casting for it. And the title is right too.
Thank you for the great review!
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Haha, and in that fast car, it was a wild ride indeed! Add cocaine to the mix, and speeds were effectively off the charts. Thanks for reading and commenting, my friend!
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Well done!
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Thanks so much, I appreciate you stopping by to read and comment!Kanda_theGreat wrote: ↑23 Mar 2020, 06:03 I read your review and learnt alot about this book, yet I've only read its review.
Well done!
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Right?! It just offers the perfect storm of decade and locale, then throw in some ZZ Top and you’ve got an undeniable party. Really appreciate you coming by, thank you!
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These kind of books definitely aren’t for everyone, but I still appreciate you considering it and leaving some feedback! Thanks so much.
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That condensed timeframe boggled my mind in the best way too! These characters legit had quite the memorable 2 days together. Thanks for coming by!kandscreeley wrote: ↑23 Mar 2020, 19:25 I do like unexpected twists. I'm just not sure the content of this one is for me. The fact that it takes place in only 48 hours is quite intriguing, though. Thanks!