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Nick Reid #1
Ranchero
Repo man Nick Reid had a seemingly simple job to do: talk to Percy Dwayne Dubois— pronounced "Dew-boys," front-loaded and hick specific—about the payments he’s behind on for a flat screen TV, or repossess it. But Percy Dwayne wouldn't give in. Nope, instead he saw fit to go all white-trash philosophical and decided that since the world was stacked against him anyway, he might as well fight it. He hit Nick over the head with a fireplace shovel, tied him up with a length of lamp cord, and stole the mint-condition calypso coral-colored 1969 Ranchero that Nick had borrowed from his landlady. And he took the TV with him on a rowdy ride across the Mississippi Delta.
Nick and his best friend Desmond, fellow repo man in Indianola, Mississippi, have no choice but to go after him. The fact that the trail eventually leads to Guy, a meth cooker recently set up in the Delta after the Feds ran him out of New Orleans, is of no consequence—Nick will do anything to get the Ranchero back. And it turns out he might have to.
An original and ballsy road-trip of a crime novel—most of it in Desmond's ex-wife's Geo—Ranchero is an unforgettable read and a fantastic series debut.
Nick and his best friend Desmond, fellow repo man in Indianola, Mississippi, have no choice but to go after him. The fact that the trail eventually leads to Guy, a meth cooker recently set up in the Delta after the Feds ran him out of New Orleans, is of no consequence—Nick will do anything to get the Ranchero back. And it turns out he might have to.
An original and ballsy road-trip of a crime novel—most of it in Desmond's ex-wife's Geo—Ranchero is an unforgettable read and a fantastic series debut.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2011
18 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 14, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
“The nexus between Aw-fuck-it and I-don’t-give-a-shit is a beautiful place to be.”
When Nick Reid shows up to repossess a rental television, the last thing he expects is to get cold-cocked with a fireplace shovel. Actually, Nick probably would expect something like that. The thing that’s really unexpected is for the non-payment making resident to take off in the vintage Calypso Coral Ranchero Nick’s landlady let him take for a spin. This is the story of attempting to track down and steal back that cherry ride . . .
“A Ranchero is essentially a glorified Fairlane, which never rated glorification. It’s sort of a low-slung, boxy coupe in the front and a small truck in the back, not fit on the one end for a proper family or on the other for legitimate cargo.”
I wanted to give this 1 Star out of spite because Shelby dared to not enjoy my special James Renner Kool-Aid mix, but I just can’t . . .
Ranchero was what would happen if Hap and Leonard and Stephanie Plum had a baby. It featured an amazing road trip through the Delta and one of my most favorite new subjects . . .
Put some meth in a storyline and you really have to poop the bed in order for me to hate it. It also featured two unforgettable main characters who, despite being complete opposites in appearance, went together just like peas and carrots . . .
If you’re looking for pure fun and a compact size, Ranchero might be just the story for you . . .
“So you’re hauling around what? Ephedrine and ether? On a stole tag? Ever hear about those killers who get caught from parking tickets?”
“That’d be some shit, wouldn’t it?” Eugene said, and then added, “I’m careful where I park.”
Just make sure you stop by the local Sonic and stock up on coney dogs before reading . . .
3.5 Stars
“The nexus between Aw-fuck-it and I-don’t-give-a-shit is a beautiful place to be.”
When Nick Reid shows up to repossess a rental television, the last thing he expects is to get cold-cocked with a fireplace shovel. Actually, Nick probably would expect something like that. The thing that’s really unexpected is for the non-payment making resident to take off in the vintage Calypso Coral Ranchero Nick’s landlady let him take for a spin. This is the story of attempting to track down and steal back that cherry ride . . .
“A Ranchero is essentially a glorified Fairlane, which never rated glorification. It’s sort of a low-slung, boxy coupe in the front and a small truck in the back, not fit on the one end for a proper family or on the other for legitimate cargo.”
I wanted to give this 1 Star out of spite because Shelby dared to not enjoy my special James Renner Kool-Aid mix, but I just can’t . . .
Ranchero was what would happen if Hap and Leonard and Stephanie Plum had a baby. It featured an amazing road trip through the Delta and one of my most favorite new subjects . . .
Put some meth in a storyline and you really have to poop the bed in order for me to hate it. It also featured two unforgettable main characters who, despite being complete opposites in appearance, went together just like peas and carrots . . .
If you’re looking for pure fun and a compact size, Ranchero might be just the story for you . . .
“So you’re hauling around what? Ephedrine and ether? On a stole tag? Ever hear about those killers who get caught from parking tickets?”
“That’d be some shit, wouldn’t it?” Eugene said, and then added, “I’m careful where I park.”
Just make sure you stop by the local Sonic and stock up on coney dogs before reading . . .
March 13, 2018
Toward the tail end of June, I found myself with a rare gap in my reading schedule. So I began to scroll through my handy-dandy TBR looking for something fun, and this book seemed to fit the bill nicely. I don’t recall exactly how this initially found its way onto that mountainous pile, but I can totally blame a couple of the usual suspect for bringing it back onto my radar.
The premise here is fairly straightforward - after a repo job goes sideways, a couple of buddies set off on a road trip through the Deep South in an attempt to recover a stolen mint-condition calypso coral ’69 Ranchero. Comedic escapades ensue.
The problem I ran into was that comedy, for me at least, dried up rather quickly. I’ve seen this redneck buddy spiel done a few time before. The obvious comparison would be to Lansdale’s Hap and Leonard series, or his even better Thicket one-off (can’t wait for the movie!). However, the difference between those Lansdale works and this book is rather striking. Lansdale excels at characterization. Hap and Leonard or Shorty and Eustace (take your pick) feel like fully fleshed out, relatable characters, with a ton of heart. Even when the adventure side of things is lacking, you’re still more than willing to tag along for the ride with such compelling leads. Lansdale also has a great ear for dialogue, which is often a hilarious back and forth where the barbs and insults fly. By the end of those stories, those boys feel like a couple of old friends. Whereas here, our intrepid narrator was so memorable that I couldn’t even recall his name a week later. He does almost all of the talking while his buddy Desmond sits in silence, or grunts out a few responses every now and again. Desmond can’t be bothered to get too involved when his hunger is overwhelming, and his desire to stuff his fat face with more of those Sonic Coney Islands is all-encompassing.
The Sonic is brought up so often throughout the story you’d swear they gotta be lacing those coneys with crack cocaine. How anyone could be that mesmerized by a fucking hotdog is beyond the grasp of my understanding. Some of Desmond’s other endearing (?) traits, besides being the muscle in the outfit, are his numerous phobias—from doctors, needles, and medicine, to his irrational fear of nearly the entire natural world. Snakes and gators and spiders I get, but trees and bayous and harmless little old dogs? That’s nuts. He also displays some remarkable driving skills, as he drifts his tiny Geo all over the road, thumping over all the roadkill for no apparent reason.
This Desmond is such a bland character that they’re forced to pick up a few frenemies along the way to liven things up. These are essentially only slight variations of the exact same character. Dimwitted, shiftless, “Delta crackers” who carry some piece of the puzzle our boys need to track down that car. All of whom are roughed up and threatened, then somehow coerced into tagging along for the ride. Each one evolves from a bitter enemy to a helpful crew member in the blink of an eye, which doesn’t make a lick of sense. But then, neither does the contrived side plot concerning the “muscle-headed cracker cop.” All of these shiftless morons have the mentality of little kids, as they constantly bicker and fight until whatshisname slaps the shit out of ’em and/or hollers to STFU!
There’s just something completely off about this story. Even the cover is wrong—there’s no mystery here. The narrative shifts are a bit jarring, from the occasional masterful literary phrasing to this simplistic writing, which labels people as cracker fools or swamp trash. A Caucasian so often tossing around the term “cracker” seems strange to me. I could be off-base, but it sounds more like someone aping the lingo, than actually hip to it.
In summary: If you’d care to spend some time with a couple of no-account repo men, as they journey from Sonic to Sonic out on the back roads of Mississippi; traveling across trash strewn landscapes filled with rundown, dilapidated buildings, abandoned downtowns, low-income housing, trailer parks, and meth dens all rife with domestic squalor; encountering shiftless idiots, swamp trash louts, wannabe gangsters, meth heads, crooked cops, and porch shitting toddlers (?); in their quest to reacquire that oh so sweet, mint-condition calypso coral ’69 Ranchero then, by all means, delve in.
As for me, I’ll call a spade a spade. No matter how much this wants to be another Hap and Leonard, it pales in comparison. This is Dude Lit, plain and simple. For all those people who find the WWE storylines too hard to follow, you’re in luck!
1 Star: Cue the Benny Hill music
The premise here is fairly straightforward - after a repo job goes sideways, a couple of buddies set off on a road trip through the Deep South in an attempt to recover a stolen mint-condition calypso coral ’69 Ranchero. Comedic escapades ensue.
The problem I ran into was that comedy, for me at least, dried up rather quickly. I’ve seen this redneck buddy spiel done a few time before. The obvious comparison would be to Lansdale’s Hap and Leonard series, or his even better Thicket one-off (can’t wait for the movie!). However, the difference between those Lansdale works and this book is rather striking. Lansdale excels at characterization. Hap and Leonard or Shorty and Eustace (take your pick) feel like fully fleshed out, relatable characters, with a ton of heart. Even when the adventure side of things is lacking, you’re still more than willing to tag along for the ride with such compelling leads. Lansdale also has a great ear for dialogue, which is often a hilarious back and forth where the barbs and insults fly. By the end of those stories, those boys feel like a couple of old friends. Whereas here, our intrepid narrator was so memorable that I couldn’t even recall his name a week later. He does almost all of the talking while his buddy Desmond sits in silence, or grunts out a few responses every now and again. Desmond can’t be bothered to get too involved when his hunger is overwhelming, and his desire to stuff his fat face with more of those Sonic Coney Islands is all-encompassing.
The Sonic is brought up so often throughout the story you’d swear they gotta be lacing those coneys with crack cocaine. How anyone could be that mesmerized by a fucking hotdog is beyond the grasp of my understanding. Some of Desmond’s other endearing (?) traits, besides being the muscle in the outfit, are his numerous phobias—from doctors, needles, and medicine, to his irrational fear of nearly the entire natural world. Snakes and gators and spiders I get, but trees and bayous and harmless little old dogs? That’s nuts. He also displays some remarkable driving skills, as he drifts his tiny Geo all over the road, thumping over all the roadkill for no apparent reason.
This Desmond is such a bland character that they’re forced to pick up a few frenemies along the way to liven things up. These are essentially only slight variations of the exact same character. Dimwitted, shiftless, “Delta crackers” who carry some piece of the puzzle our boys need to track down that car. All of whom are roughed up and threatened, then somehow coerced into tagging along for the ride. Each one evolves from a bitter enemy to a helpful crew member in the blink of an eye, which doesn’t make a lick of sense. But then, neither does the contrived side plot concerning the “muscle-headed cracker cop.” All of these shiftless morons have the mentality of little kids, as they constantly bicker and fight until whatshisname slaps the shit out of ’em and/or hollers to STFU!
There’s just something completely off about this story. Even the cover is wrong—there’s no mystery here. The narrative shifts are a bit jarring, from the occasional masterful literary phrasing to this simplistic writing, which labels people as cracker fools or swamp trash. A Caucasian so often tossing around the term “cracker” seems strange to me. I could be off-base, but it sounds more like someone aping the lingo, than actually hip to it.
In summary: If you’d care to spend some time with a couple of no-account repo men, as they journey from Sonic to Sonic out on the back roads of Mississippi; traveling across trash strewn landscapes filled with rundown, dilapidated buildings, abandoned downtowns, low-income housing, trailer parks, and meth dens all rife with domestic squalor; encountering shiftless idiots, swamp trash louts, wannabe gangsters, meth heads, crooked cops, and porch shitting toddlers (?); in their quest to reacquire that oh so sweet, mint-condition calypso coral ’69 Ranchero then, by all means, delve in.
As for me, I’ll call a spade a spade. No matter how much this wants to be another Hap and Leonard, it pales in comparison. This is Dude Lit, plain and simple. For all those people who find the WWE storylines too hard to follow, you’re in luck!
1 Star: Cue the Benny Hill music
August 31, 2016
Hot damn, what an utter hoot this book is. It's gravel and grit lit but with a lighter, sunnier touch, that bleeds zippy dialogue, colorful characters and zany situations. It's a road trip buddy picture type deal that very nearly turns into a circus caravan. It's Breaking Bad meets Pineapple Express on the Mississippi Delta where "crackers" and "white trash" abound, as much fiscally as they are hygienically challenged.
Nick Reid is just your regular guy trying to get along as best he can as a repo man -- repossessing unpaid for goods. It can be a dangerous, sticky job coming to take from people what they already consider to be theirs. Nick finds this out the hard way when he comes to repo a plasma TV from Percy Dwayne Dubois (that's pronounced Dew-boys). Percy Dwayne gets the jump on Nick and smacks him upside the head with a fireplace shovel. It knocks Nick temporarily senseless, during which time Percy Dwayne flees the scene with his wife, baby, plasma TV and Nick's mint-condition 1969 Ranchero. The Ranchero is actually borrowed from Nick's elderly landlady who he's quite fond of so he feels honor bound to do everything in his power to get it back from the lowlife who drove off with it.
Thus kick-starts Nick's hunt and chase across the Delta to recover the '69 Ranchero. Joining him will be his best buddy Desmond -- extremely large, black, very fond of Sonic Coney Islands and averse to any place or situation that might have snakes or other biting stinging things.
"I don't go in attics. I don't go in basements. I don't go in bayous. I don't go in the woods."Along the way, Nick and Desmond will pick up a cast of bayou misfits and miscreants in their bid to track down and steal back the Ranchero. There will be many mishaps and much mayhem along the way.
I laughed. A LOT. Fans of Frank Bill and Donald Ray Pollock looking for something less bloody and despairing, and more slapstick and outrageous need look no further than Nick Reid. There's two more books in this series so far, and I can't wait to see what Nick gets up to next.
April 18, 2016
Nick Reid is a repo-man that has to go and pick up a big screen plasma TV from Percy Dubois. Percy hasn't seen fit to keep up on the payments and Nick's boss has recently suffered a loss of his price taxidermied bobcat in a robbery and he is just ticked off and wants his money. Nick was given the use of his neighbor lady's dead husband's 1969 Ranchero. Nick gets more than he bargains for though because Percy knocks him upside the head with a shovel and takes off with the Ranchero.
Nick's loyalty can't allow Ms. Pearl to not get back the Ranchero, so he enlists the help of his bestie, a fellow repo man Desmond. Desmond is a 350 pound black man who takes care of his Momma and her oxy addiction and now thanks to an ex-wife..drives a Geo Metro. After making sure that Desmond's Sonic Coney dog addiction needs are met they are off in search of the car.
It's pretty hard to look all cool and stuff in a Geo Metro but these two somehow manage it. Along the way they pick up several "helpers" including Percy's nephew Luther who gets to indulge in Nick's neighbor lady's habit of 'insisting' and gets decked out in some new threads including some leisure jackets.
Once they find Percy they find out the car is now in the hands of a transplanted New Orleans meth dealer. He has taken off with the car and Percy's wife and child. They aren't a hundred percent sure if she went against her will or if it's her idea. One thing they do know is that she is mean enough to cut out his liver when he isn't looking.
Give me some rednecks and idiots and I'm pretty much going to love a book. This one fits that bill and then some. It reminds me of Joe Lansdale's Hap and Leonard series but I actually think I thought this one was just a tad better than the two of those that I've read.
I was browsing books on GR one day and I saw this on Trudi's shelf and knew it was calling to me.
Nick's loyalty can't allow Ms. Pearl to not get back the Ranchero, so he enlists the help of his bestie, a fellow repo man Desmond. Desmond is a 350 pound black man who takes care of his Momma and her oxy addiction and now thanks to an ex-wife..drives a Geo Metro. After making sure that Desmond's Sonic Coney dog addiction needs are met they are off in search of the car.
It's pretty hard to look all cool and stuff in a Geo Metro but these two somehow manage it. Along the way they pick up several "helpers" including Percy's nephew Luther who gets to indulge in Nick's neighbor lady's habit of 'insisting' and gets decked out in some new threads including some leisure jackets.
Once they find Percy they find out the car is now in the hands of a transplanted New Orleans meth dealer. He has taken off with the car and Percy's wife and child. They aren't a hundred percent sure if she went against her will or if it's her idea. One thing they do know is that she is mean enough to cut out his liver when he isn't looking.
Give me some rednecks and idiots and I'm pretty much going to love a book. This one fits that bill and then some. It reminds me of Joe Lansdale's Hap and Leonard series but I actually think I thought this one was just a tad better than the two of those that I've read.
I was browsing books on GR one day and I saw this on Trudi's shelf and knew it was calling to me.
August 15, 2016
4 meth-addled stars.
This book was a lot of fun, a "hoot" as they might say in the Mississippi delta region. It's sort of a hick-lit, with some noir and revenge spree thrown in for good measure. Think Carl Hiaasen on meth, trying to avoid cottonmouths and gators deep in the delta. I'm not even going to try to describe the book any more than that.
If you're looking for a humorous, quick read, pick up this book.
This book was a lot of fun, a "hoot" as they might say in the Mississippi delta region. It's sort of a hick-lit, with some noir and revenge spree thrown in for good measure. Think Carl Hiaasen on meth, trying to avoid cottonmouths and gators deep in the delta. I'm not even going to try to describe the book any more than that.
If you're looking for a humorous, quick read, pick up this book.
October 17, 2011
The Following Review Is A Firstreads Winner Review:
The cover of this book bills it as a mystery. Well I don't know about that. Here is how this one starts: A repo guy go's out to collect a payment on a television set, ends up getting brained with a fireplace shovel and then has his car , that he borrowed, stolen. Now he sets out to locate said stolen vehicle, a calypso coral Ford Ranchero in mint condition. Now this book is set in the deep Delta country of Mississippi and is chock full of rednecks, meth heads, crooked cops and various reptiles. Mystery not so much. What I found this book to be was a damn hilarious, stumbling, bumbling adventure that continues to introduce more ridiculous characters as the book goes along. This was an advance edition and there were several grammatical errors that I hope are corrected before this one goes to print. My feelings are that Gavin has a winner on his hands and a very good possibility of a bright future as a writer should he continue to pursue this path.
The cover of this book bills it as a mystery. Well I don't know about that. Here is how this one starts: A repo guy go's out to collect a payment on a television set, ends up getting brained with a fireplace shovel and then has his car , that he borrowed, stolen. Now he sets out to locate said stolen vehicle, a calypso coral Ford Ranchero in mint condition. Now this book is set in the deep Delta country of Mississippi and is chock full of rednecks, meth heads, crooked cops and various reptiles. Mystery not so much. What I found this book to be was a damn hilarious, stumbling, bumbling adventure that continues to introduce more ridiculous characters as the book goes along. This was an advance edition and there were several grammatical errors that I hope are corrected before this one goes to print. My feelings are that Gavin has a winner on his hands and a very good possibility of a bright future as a writer should he continue to pursue this path.
March 19, 2019
RANCHERO (2011) by Rick Gavin is one of those finds you manage to stumble across and are glad you did. I found it in a used book store and snatched it up. We were out of town and somehow I had forgotten to bring along my current read. The cover artwork wasn’t great but the coral pink Ranchero car/wagon/truck is shown at a rakish angle, what looks at first glance like a flaming guitar is shown as a sign for a night club (the flames are actually music notes coming out of the guitar) and the whole scene gives off a feeling of danger, sex, and action.
Nick Reid is a repo man working in the Mississippi delta area. A former cop out east, Nick is more than a bit down on his luck. He does have a best friend, fellow repo man Desmond, a large, laid back home grown inhabitant of the eastern shores of the delta who is there for Nick when a repo job goes way south on him. Not only doesn’t Nick get neither the big screen television or the money due, he is clonked on the noggin with a fireplace shovel and his ride, the Ranchero, is stolen.
This book is a fun ride through an area of America most people are not familiar with and probably never will be. Mr. Gavin has populated the book with Creoles and idiots and enough uncles and cousins to fit out any decent reunion. The humor is dark, there is a smattering of Sonic drive-ins (Desmond’s favorite eatery) strewn here and there, and twists more plentiful then a rollercoaster. Mr. Gavin has managed to take one borrowed car and built a unique story around it that is surprisingly fun.
Needless to say, the book I had been reading had to wait a while to be finished. You never know what great surprises await you in a used book store. By the way, there are two more books in the Nick Reid series so I suppose I’ll have to hunt them out and see if this was a one off or the start of something big.
Nick Reid is a repo man working in the Mississippi delta area. A former cop out east, Nick is more than a bit down on his luck. He does have a best friend, fellow repo man Desmond, a large, laid back home grown inhabitant of the eastern shores of the delta who is there for Nick when a repo job goes way south on him. Not only doesn’t Nick get neither the big screen television or the money due, he is clonked on the noggin with a fireplace shovel and his ride, the Ranchero, is stolen.
This book is a fun ride through an area of America most people are not familiar with and probably never will be. Mr. Gavin has populated the book with Creoles and idiots and enough uncles and cousins to fit out any decent reunion. The humor is dark, there is a smattering of Sonic drive-ins (Desmond’s favorite eatery) strewn here and there, and twists more plentiful then a rollercoaster. Mr. Gavin has managed to take one borrowed car and built a unique story around it that is surprisingly fun.
Needless to say, the book I had been reading had to wait a while to be finished. You never know what great surprises await you in a used book store. By the way, there are two more books in the Nick Reid series so I suppose I’ll have to hunt them out and see if this was a one off or the start of something big.
October 24, 2011
This book was flat-out AWESOME. It was action-packed, funny as all hell, and strangely philosophical. It was like a less intense Gran Torino plus Breaking Bad plus Raymond Chandler, if he was from Mississippi. Simply put, this book is about a search for a car which turns into an all-out crusading war for truth, justice, and the Southern way. Not to mention drugs and money.
Ranchero is full of that 'ol Southern charm and humor, with a dash of introspection and a big heaping pile of pure entertainment gold. I recommend this book highly.
-The author of this review received an advance copy from the publisher.
Ranchero is full of that 'ol Southern charm and humor, with a dash of introspection and a big heaping pile of pure entertainment gold. I recommend this book highly.
-The author of this review received an advance copy from the publisher.
October 1, 2011
First things first, I won this as an Advance Readers Copy via the Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway & thank you Goodreads.
Now onto the good stuff.
Ranchero is NOT a mystery, it says it is on the cover, but it’s not. Don’t let that stop you from picking up this novel though if you like a good yarn with eclectic characters and plenty of action.
I found Rick Gavin’s writing style enjoyable, everything and everyone moves in rapid fire kind of speed which is completely opposite to how everything else works in the South. The characters’ speech and vernacular is conveyed so that it can be understood for those (i.e. Yankees & y’ll) that have never heard the Swamp Rats or deep Delta South peoples’ speech so that it can be understood but stays somewhat true to the areas’ inflection and cadence.
I liked this book. I found it simple and fun to read. The writer was unflinching in his description of the Delta and its people; so much so I worry there will be some backlash from those that demand political correctness over harsh truths. I have never lived in the Delta, I have driven through it and had brief stops many, many times and found the images Gavin conjures in his writing very real, vivid, and true to what I have seen personally. When you read this you have to put aside your own views of race and class and read it as if seeing something from someone else’s eyes or you may/will be offended by things said/implied.
All in all a book that is good for action, not a huge plot, no moral, or even a real message. Just a ‘good’ guy trying to get his car back, if someone gets beat up, shot, stabbed, or even blown up, well… that’s just a day in the Delta isn’t it?
Now onto the good stuff.
Ranchero is NOT a mystery, it says it is on the cover, but it’s not. Don’t let that stop you from picking up this novel though if you like a good yarn with eclectic characters and plenty of action.
I found Rick Gavin’s writing style enjoyable, everything and everyone moves in rapid fire kind of speed which is completely opposite to how everything else works in the South. The characters’ speech and vernacular is conveyed so that it can be understood for those (i.e. Yankees & y’ll) that have never heard the Swamp Rats or deep Delta South peoples’ speech so that it can be understood but stays somewhat true to the areas’ inflection and cadence.
I liked this book. I found it simple and fun to read. The writer was unflinching in his description of the Delta and its people; so much so I worry there will be some backlash from those that demand political correctness over harsh truths. I have never lived in the Delta, I have driven through it and had brief stops many, many times and found the images Gavin conjures in his writing very real, vivid, and true to what I have seen personally. When you read this you have to put aside your own views of race and class and read it as if seeing something from someone else’s eyes or you may/will be offended by things said/implied.
All in all a book that is good for action, not a huge plot, no moral, or even a real message. Just a ‘good’ guy trying to get his car back, if someone gets beat up, shot, stabbed, or even blown up, well… that’s just a day in the Delta isn’t it?
January 3, 2019
"That fella has just got to get dead."
I'll be reviewing all the books I actually really liked/actually really DIDN'T like in 2018, as well as a full 2018 on Goodreads. Bear with me!
-Z
I'll be reviewing all the books I actually really liked/actually really DIDN'T like in 2018, as well as a full 2018 on Goodreads. Bear with me!
-Z
November 21, 2011
Disclaimer: I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. This review pertains to the ARC version.
I will admit I was not prepared to like this book. This was one the first books I entered to win through First Reads, before I realized that there were over 1,000 contests to enter and I needed to be a bit more selective with my entries. When I saw that I actually won the book, I thought, "Uh-oh. I won a book that I am not sure I really want to read." I am so glad that I did.
This novel was a crazy ride. It was funny, sad, and completely nuts. It welcomes you into the world of the delta: "a place unlike any other". After reading this book, I am not sure I want to go anywhere near that insane place. I'll just read about it. :) the characters are funny, and the plot is well fleshed out. I got a little lost trying to keep all the characters straight, but I think that was my flaw, not the story's.
A few issues: 1) The ARC cover claims this is "a Mystery". It's really not. A check on Amazon shows that they changed this on the published version to "a Crime Novel". It's not really that either. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it, but neither description does it justice. I'd have to say its more "an Exercise in Absurdity" or "an Adventure in Repossession". 2) Cracker. The author loves using this racial epithet. The actual slur doesn't bother me, but it seems forced, like he is trying a little too hard to capture the culture-speak of the delta region. I think if he had mixed it up a little, it would have felt more genuine. 3) There are some character behaviors in the first chapter that don't make a whole lot of sense, like why Percy Dwayne doesn't just pay the $20 he owes or why the protagonist would attack a cop. Once you get past those 2 incidents in particular, the rest of the book is great!
I don't hand out 4 stars lightly, but I really enjoyed this book despite initial reservations. I will be looking for novels by Rick Gavin in the future.
I will admit I was not prepared to like this book. This was one the first books I entered to win through First Reads, before I realized that there were over 1,000 contests to enter and I needed to be a bit more selective with my entries. When I saw that I actually won the book, I thought, "Uh-oh. I won a book that I am not sure I really want to read." I am so glad that I did.
This novel was a crazy ride. It was funny, sad, and completely nuts. It welcomes you into the world of the delta: "a place unlike any other". After reading this book, I am not sure I want to go anywhere near that insane place. I'll just read about it. :) the characters are funny, and the plot is well fleshed out. I got a little lost trying to keep all the characters straight, but I think that was my flaw, not the story's.
A few issues: 1) The ARC cover claims this is "a Mystery". It's really not. A check on Amazon shows that they changed this on the published version to "a Crime Novel". It's not really that either. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it, but neither description does it justice. I'd have to say its more "an Exercise in Absurdity" or "an Adventure in Repossession". 2) Cracker. The author loves using this racial epithet. The actual slur doesn't bother me, but it seems forced, like he is trying a little too hard to capture the culture-speak of the delta region. I think if he had mixed it up a little, it would have felt more genuine. 3) There are some character behaviors in the first chapter that don't make a whole lot of sense, like why Percy Dwayne doesn't just pay the $20 he owes or why the protagonist would attack a cop. Once you get past those 2 incidents in particular, the rest of the book is great!
I don't hand out 4 stars lightly, but I really enjoyed this book despite initial reservations. I will be looking for novels by Rick Gavin in the future.
November 26, 2024
Gavin’s first novel is, simply put, a blast. As we tag along with world-weary repo man Nick Reid and his leviathan coworker & best friend Desmond in their efforts to recover a “kidnapped” 1969 Ranchero, we are treated to all manner of exotic species--a dandified metrocracker named Luther, a landlady named Pearl (inadvertent coincidence or intentional nod to Will Ferrell?), and a trio of dim-witted lotharios who, between them, display all the allure semi-edentulous crackers can muster. Nick and Desmond’s road trip becomes an accretion of “dry-land trash” and “swamp trash,” as Nick and Desmond criss-cross the Delta trying to track down Pearl’s Ranchero.
As fun as that is, the star of the whole escapade, however, is the setting. With a personality as idiosyncratic as any character, the Mississippi Delta feels simultaneously familiar and alien, as if you’ve discovered that that really cool and unusual house in town turns out to secretly serve as headquarters for a cretin-breeding operation. For those of us forced to lay claim to more than a little flinty New Englander in our own cultural genetics, the Mississippi Delta may as well be from another galaxy. Gavin’s novel, in large measure, functions not only as a wild ride but also an instructive tour worthy of firing up a little Google Earth for the visual. Nick’s take on the locals, through Gavin’s finely focused lens, reveals an authentic intimacy with the regional culture few writers can pull off. Gavin successfully balances a truly unvarnished and forthright assessment of the local color without tipping over into patronizing, mean-spirited mockery—no small feat. And Ranchero is funny as hell the whole way, terrific from start to finish. Curl up on your own “ugly sofa” and have at it. Your only regret will be that it ended.
As fun as that is, the star of the whole escapade, however, is the setting. With a personality as idiosyncratic as any character, the Mississippi Delta feels simultaneously familiar and alien, as if you’ve discovered that that really cool and unusual house in town turns out to secretly serve as headquarters for a cretin-breeding operation. For those of us forced to lay claim to more than a little flinty New Englander in our own cultural genetics, the Mississippi Delta may as well be from another galaxy. Gavin’s novel, in large measure, functions not only as a wild ride but also an instructive tour worthy of firing up a little Google Earth for the visual. Nick’s take on the locals, through Gavin’s finely focused lens, reveals an authentic intimacy with the regional culture few writers can pull off. Gavin successfully balances a truly unvarnished and forthright assessment of the local color without tipping over into patronizing, mean-spirited mockery—no small feat. And Ranchero is funny as hell the whole way, terrific from start to finish. Curl up on your own “ugly sofa” and have at it. Your only regret will be that it ended.
September 25, 2011
Rick Gavin, you hit it out of the trailer park on this one!
I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a story that takes place in the South (namely the Mississippi Delta region). This author has it; he has the voice to tell this story. He has captured the culture, the accents, and other geographical quirks perfectly. Full of madcap adventures, this story didn't slow down for me once. It flew along at breakneck speeds with nowhere to pull off on the shoulder and close the book. I loved every character; each one was unique and fun enough to enjoy, even the unlikeables. They're all assembled here: rednecks, swamp rats, meth heads, dirty cops and outlaw crackers plus more!
It does contain some colorful language, but I believe the author used it for characterization rather than filler.
I believe we have a winner here and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free through Goodreads. (Thank you St. Martin's Press and Rick Gavin for the opportunity to read this book). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a story that takes place in the South (namely the Mississippi Delta region). This author has it; he has the voice to tell this story. He has captured the culture, the accents, and other geographical quirks perfectly. Full of madcap adventures, this story didn't slow down for me once. It flew along at breakneck speeds with nowhere to pull off on the shoulder and close the book. I loved every character; each one was unique and fun enough to enjoy, even the unlikeables. They're all assembled here: rednecks, swamp rats, meth heads, dirty cops and outlaw crackers plus more!
It does contain some colorful language, but I believe the author used it for characterization rather than filler.
I believe we have a winner here and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free through Goodreads. (Thank you St. Martin's Press and Rick Gavin for the opportunity to read this book). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 24, 2013
I stopped by the Indianola Sonic on my lunch break last week, which reminded me I had not yet written a review for this book. Thanks to Turnrow Books in Greenwood, MS for recommending this book to a friend, who in turn loaned it to me. Gavin's hysterically funny novel takes place in the Mississippi Delta, and the plot meanders along as a slew of hilarious (and insane) characters attempt to recover the hero's Ranchero from a drug dealer. The author's strengths were definitely character and dialogue, and his weakness was solidifying the plot. Although, its drifting path echoed that of its characters and went along with the author's feelings of the region (he describes Delta citizens as being short-term thinkers who float along from day to day), so maybe it was intentional on his part? In any event, my only criticism of his novel is that the plot could have been more solidly developed. It is uncanny how well he captures the region. Being new to the Delta myself, I could certainly appreciate his impressions and humor! I've basically forced all of my friends and family to read it now.
July 10, 2013
I read this book because it was a recommended book at my local library. I can imagine this as a Quentin Tarantino movie. It was everything great all rolled into one. It had action, dark comedy, mystery and a great road trip. I would often start laughing out loud when I thought of all these misfits getting together to catch a drug lord. It's not good vs. evil. It's minor criminals on a reluctant manhunt for someone worse than they are. In many ways it's more of a "guy" book, but I still loved it!!!!!
October 16, 2011
This was a Firstreads giveaway. My luck has continued with these giveaways! Gavin takes the reader on a ride through the Delta with nonstop action. His grasp of the culture of his characters and knack for immersing the reader knee deep in this culture is reminiscent of Larry Brown. I recommend this book to any reader looking for a fast paced, fun read and I look forward to upcoming volumes in the series.
October 15, 2011
i loved this book. it was very good!
October 25, 2011
Great writing and a hilarious romp, set in the Mississippi Delta. Loved it.
June 3, 2012
PROTAGONIST: Nick Reid, repo man
SETTING: Mississippi Delta
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 3.75
Nick Reid is a former cop who has become a repo man. His latest job is to repossess a TV from Percy Dwayne Dubois (pronounced “Dew Boys”), a supposedly easy task. Things go terribly wrong when Dubois decides that he isn’t going to cooperate—he ends up hitting Nick on the head with a shovel and stealing his landlady, Pearl’s, coral-colored 1969 Ranchero. Pearl is the kind of person who has to give everything she owns to others, whether it be her late husband’s cars or his clothing.
Nick immediately decides that Pearl’s generosity means that he must go to whatever lengths are necessary to retrieve the car. Accompanied by his best friend and fellow repo man, Desmond, he goes on a road trip through the Mississippi Delta countryside to find the car. The quest involves meeting with a mangy group of colorful characters, including a dandy Oxycontin dealer named Luther Dubois and an extremely scary meth dealer named Guy. It’s a wild ride through a place like no other.
You may have seen reviews in which the reviewer mentions that the setting is really a character. That is certainly the case for RANCHERO. Gavin perfectly captures the nuances of life in the Mississippi Delta. It has its own culture (or lack thereof) and rhythms. The human characters are very much a product of the setting.
Life in the Delta demands sweet-tea existentialism, a view of the world narcotic at bottom and sugared over with courtliness. Heat and mosquitoes in summer. Scouring wind in winter. Anemic prospects lingering through the year. People steal and drink. They work when they can, get along as best they’re able, and the mood of the place extends to the local police as well.
In addition to the insight into the place, Gavin creates authentic dialogue and wonderful descriptive passages. The characters aren’t quite as well developed, but they certainly are entertaining. RANCHERO is the first book by Rick Gavin, and I’m positive it won’t be the last.
SETTING: Mississippi Delta
SERIES: Debut
RATING: 3.75
Nick Reid is a former cop who has become a repo man. His latest job is to repossess a TV from Percy Dwayne Dubois (pronounced “Dew Boys”), a supposedly easy task. Things go terribly wrong when Dubois decides that he isn’t going to cooperate—he ends up hitting Nick on the head with a shovel and stealing his landlady, Pearl’s, coral-colored 1969 Ranchero. Pearl is the kind of person who has to give everything she owns to others, whether it be her late husband’s cars or his clothing.
Nick immediately decides that Pearl’s generosity means that he must go to whatever lengths are necessary to retrieve the car. Accompanied by his best friend and fellow repo man, Desmond, he goes on a road trip through the Mississippi Delta countryside to find the car. The quest involves meeting with a mangy group of colorful characters, including a dandy Oxycontin dealer named Luther Dubois and an extremely scary meth dealer named Guy. It’s a wild ride through a place like no other.
You may have seen reviews in which the reviewer mentions that the setting is really a character. That is certainly the case for RANCHERO. Gavin perfectly captures the nuances of life in the Mississippi Delta. It has its own culture (or lack thereof) and rhythms. The human characters are very much a product of the setting.
Life in the Delta demands sweet-tea existentialism, a view of the world narcotic at bottom and sugared over with courtliness. Heat and mosquitoes in summer. Scouring wind in winter. Anemic prospects lingering through the year. People steal and drink. They work when they can, get along as best they’re able, and the mood of the place extends to the local police as well.
In addition to the insight into the place, Gavin creates authentic dialogue and wonderful descriptive passages. The characters aren’t quite as well developed, but they certainly are entertaining. RANCHERO is the first book by Rick Gavin, and I’m positive it won’t be the last.
Read
November 23, 2011Ex-cop and repo man Nick Reid thought he was on a simple collection for $20 owed on a rented TV. Instead, Percy Dwayne Dubois knocks Nick out with a shovel, and steal’s the 1969 Ranchero Nick borrowed from his landlady. Accompanied by his Sonic-loving friend Desmond, Nick sets out across the Mississippi Delta to retrieve the TV for his hotheaded boss, and to return the Ranchero as promised.
Of course, each new plan only makes things more complicated, and Nick and Desmond reluctantly end up with more and more colorful characters in their party. Nick is an enjoyable narrator and a likeable character, despite is violent actions as he takes the law into his own hands.
Ranchero is a fun quick read with a great sense of humor. The story is action packed, funny, and gives a very clear picture of the Delta and its people, although some characters do play into a lot of southern stereotypes. This is a different kind of crime novel that is definitely worth a look. Be forewarned, Desmond’s constant Sonic stops may give you a craving.
A review copy was provided through the Goodreads.com First Reads program.
Of course, each new plan only makes things more complicated, and Nick and Desmond reluctantly end up with more and more colorful characters in their party. Nick is an enjoyable narrator and a likeable character, despite is violent actions as he takes the law into his own hands.
Ranchero is a fun quick read with a great sense of humor. The story is action packed, funny, and gives a very clear picture of the Delta and its people, although some characters do play into a lot of southern stereotypes. This is a different kind of crime novel that is definitely worth a look. Be forewarned, Desmond’s constant Sonic stops may give you a craving.
A review copy was provided through the Goodreads.com First Reads program.
February 12, 2012
This book is fun to read. It travels all around Mississippi (mostly from Sonic to Sonic) and goes from a simple TV repo job to car theft to kidnapping to an all-out war with a meth dealer. And it does it with a sense of humor and is told by a narrator who knows how to turn a phrase. But it is not all that long on plot. There is a story here that you can follow from beginning to end. It’s not that it doesn’t have a discernible story line; it’s just that sometimes it felt like the story line was just a convenient way to introduce us to all the characters the author wanted us to meet. Are some of the characters slightly clichéd and lacking in depth? To some degree, yes. But are the characters interesting? I think so, yes. And well worth the time you invest in this book to meet them all. There’s a lot of action and the story moves quickly from one crazy situation to the next which sets a good pace and makes for a quick read. I think it is the kind of book that is best enjoyed if you don’t think too much about it. You shouldn’t worry about where it is all going, don’t try to discern great meaning or figure out some mystery. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
February 26, 2012
I requested Ranchero from the library after reading a review that extolled its descriptions of the Mississippi Delta. Having spent an emotional week in the Delta after my Indianola born and raised brother-in-law died, I thought I would enjoy revisiting the area in print. Rick Gavin did a good job describing the landscape, but the characters who peopled his book were so different from those I met that the it did not recapture the sense of place for me.
Nearly every character was a violent sleaze-ball. Even the children depicted were unpleasant, almost always sporting a reeking diaper. It was hard to care about any of the people so I skipped to the end to see what happened to the only character I cared about, the stolen Ranchero.
Nearly every character was a violent sleaze-ball. Even the children depicted were unpleasant, almost always sporting a reeking diaper. It was hard to care about any of the people so I skipped to the end to see what happened to the only character I cared about, the stolen Ranchero.
November 16, 2015
Only put on "reading all of now" shelf, because that's what I *would* do if I would let myself. HOWEVER... "Gavin" (Uh-hem?) T.R. Pearson is SO TOO brilliantly funny... that I HAVE to play the "Savoring Game" with his books. Reading him is kind of like the opposite of that feeling when you won't let yourself cry because you're afraid you really won't be able to stop.
Well no, that's not it. Oh wait, I know what it's like; I'm not writing that here.
If I ever get (or find the one I lost) an e-reader (that highlights passages), this title will be almost entirely highlit.
So So SO wonderful to laugh again. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Pearson.
Well no, that's not it. Oh wait, I know what it's like; I'm not writing that here.
If I ever get (or find the one I lost) an e-reader (that highlights passages), this title will be almost entirely highlit.
So So SO wonderful to laugh again. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Pearson.
October 23, 2011
********THIS WAS A GOODREADS.COM CONTEST WIN!!!!!!!!!!**********
This was a good interesting read. The author had captured my interest in the book from the beginning. With the talk about the area, culture, and life in part of the southern states makes this book come to life. I do not know a lot about the area described in the book but the author had the agriculture correct. I highly recommend this book to people that like to read crime-mystery.
********THIS WAS A GOODREADS.COM CONTEST WIN!!!!!!!!!!**********
This was a good interesting read. The author had captured my interest in the book from the beginning. With the talk about the area, culture, and life in part of the southern states makes this book come to life. I do not know a lot about the area described in the book but the author had the agriculture correct. I highly recommend this book to people that like to read crime-mystery.
********THIS WAS A GOODREADS.COM CONTEST WIN!!!!!!!!!!**********
February 25, 2015
I am so happy to have found this series, and so sad that I have flown through all three books. If you like Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen, you will dig these. If you like hard-boiled Mike Hammer type stuff, you have come to the right place. If you like Randy White's Doc Ford series, you will probably like Gavin also.
Finally, if you want to get hip-deep in backwards bayou culture and fully immersed in Delta muck while laughing at dumb criminals and redneck cops, sit for a spell and let Nick Reid tell you his story. The man sure has a way with words.
Finally, if you want to get hip-deep in backwards bayou culture and fully immersed in Delta muck while laughing at dumb criminals and redneck cops, sit for a spell and let Nick Reid tell you his story. The man sure has a way with words.
October 4, 2011
I truly enjoyed Rick Gavin's Ranchero. It's amusing from cover to cover. Set in the Missippi Delta. Nick Ried, the main character is a man of action...even while he is surrounded by "cracker trash", "swamp rats" and druggies. It's written in a sort of laid back style and the characters are a real kick! If you enjoy light reading this might be a book for you.
August 28, 2012
I have me a new boyfriend and his name is Rick Gavin. I loved this book. Mississippi Delta rednecks, crackers, assorted ne'er do wells and one Acadian stick f*ck run out of New Orleans. Full of poverty, violence and stupidity, yet at the same time, it's a wickedly funny and upbeat book. I loved it muchly.
November 26, 2011
Mr. Gavin's first novel is a hit in my opinion. He redefines terms like bigot, redneck, swamp rat, and another bunch of colorful characters in this entertaining tour of the major Sonic drive-ins in the Mississippi delta region.
This is funny stuff.
This is funny stuff.
January 13, 2012
Ranchero first off is not a mystery like it says it is but Ranchero is a good book and it is mostly fast paced which is good I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads
November 1, 2011
The Dukes of Hazzard meet Spencer. Funny and slightly hard-boiled at the same time. Good mystery, great dialogue. What a debut!
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