This was a very exceptional novelâgritty, violent, emotional, and moving. Two young gay men, Derek and Isiah, who are married to each other are brutally murdered. Was this a hate crime against the gay community or something else entirely? The cops are at a loss to find the perpetrators but the fathers of the two men do not want to see this rest. Ike, the father of Isiah, is a Black man who has been out of prison for fifteen years and is making it in the landscape business. He was shocked to learn his son was gay and never supported him in his lifestyle but he still felt a lot of love for him. Buddy Lee, the father of Derek, is a white redneck ex-con who also faulted his son for his choices. But Buddy like Ike loved his son deeply. Buddy can't rest until he finds the truth behind the murders so he recruits Ike to seek retribution. This all leads to a high-ranking figure who wanted the boys killed to protect his own interests.

This novel was a great action story with two very well-written characters in Ike and Buddy Lee. It was filled with violence, hard language, and finally compassion. But it was also a great novel in showing the prejudices of people and how harmful they can be. The story shows how the two men confront their perspectives on the LGBTQ community but it also digs deep into racial prejudices especially in the rural areas of the South. Overall, this was an excellent novel and I will definitely be reading more of Cosby.

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Full-throttle reading with a plot that keeps you turning the pages. Get out the candles for this read! G.B.

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