Carefully Simplistic

Achingly Adroit

St. Gabriel’s Home for Boys is where the children of addicts, cons and abusers land. It’s not a refuge. If their lives were difficult before they arrived, they are appalling by the time they leave. At St Gabe’s boys are terrorized, brutalized, and left disaffected.

Within this abortive melange, four boys find each other: Boo, Junior, Ollie and Twitch. Back then, they had each other’s back and survived St Gabe’s. Today, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Boo and Junior provide security for The Cellar, a bar for the hard drinking and the hard partying. It’s a place where live music is a backdrop to bar brawls, puking and general kick-ass mayhem.

The Hard Bounce: Boo & Junior on the trail of a missing teenager who doesn’t want to be found. It’s Robinson’s debut book and an Anthony Award nominee. 

Rough Trade: a waitress at The Cellar asks Boo & Junior to put a scare into her roommate’s ex-boyfriend who is harassing her. Nothing is as it seems.

Ollie and Twitch are available to back their moves and each brings a specific skill set. These are character driven books. No crazy conspiracies or high tech agencies. Think more pavement noir and street justice. 

Boo and his crew take beatings and police interrogations in stride. Part vigilantes, part knights in shining armour. Part adrenalin and anger fueled justification. They work daily to stay above the layers of pain, anger and unresolved grief. In some ways and on some days, they succeed

Todd Robinson’s writing is funny, heart wrenching and merciless. You’ll love these books.

~ June Lorraine