Publisher: Macmillan Audio / Flatiron Books
Published: July 6, 2021
Source: Netgalley via Publisher
Summary:
A Black father. A white father. Two murdered sons. A quest for vengeance.
Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid.
The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss.
Derek’s father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed his father was a criminal. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy.
Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys.
Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change – and maybe even redemption.
My thoughts:
Last year I read Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby and it ended up being on of my favorite books of the year. So of course when I was asked to be part of the tour for his second book, Razorblade Tears, I didn’t even hesitate…this was a highly anticipated read and let me tell you, this book is just as good, if not better! And will definitely be a favorite for this year!
I don’t know what it is about this author’s writing that just pulls me in but once again I found myself completely engaged from start to finish. Even though I listened to the book, I was still captivated by the characters and everything they are going through. Yes, this is another crime fiction story, but it is so much more than that. This is a story with so much heart…it is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The journey that Buddy Lee and Ike take, not only physically but emotionally as well, packs quite the emotional punch.
This book is dark, gritty and full of action. At times, it is a pure adrenaline run, and at other times, you feel the suspense and tension dripping off the pages as you are not sure what is going to happen next. The author does not shy away from violence, yet nothing is gratuitous or unwarranted. Every violent action happens for a reason. And it’s to this end that makes his writing so powerful. It’s that perfect mix of dark and tender.
The characters that S.A. Cosby creates are so dynamic. You find yourself really coming to care for them, despite the fact that they are both ex-cons. Both Ike and Buddy Lee are deeply flawed and have their own prejudices, yet while on their search for justice, they also end up exploring their own biases and regrets.
This book is one that will stay with me for a long time. It’s got so much to unpack and one that I know I will be rereading at some point because it is just that good. I highly recommend picking up this one…you won’t regret it!
Audio thoughts:
I was able to request this on Netgalley to listen to and what a fantastic book this was on audio. Adam Lazarre-White narrates it and he did a superb job with the voices. He has a gravelly voice and it was perfect for this book. His pacing and intonation were spot on and he infused just the right amount of emotion and tension into his voice as needed. I thought this book translated well to audio.
