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Rough Trade
The long-awaited second novel in Todd Robinson's Anthony Award-nominated Boo and Junior series
The long-awaited second novel in Todd Robinson’s Anthony Award-nominated Boo and Junior series
When a waitress at The Cellar asks Boo and Junior to scare her roommate Dana’s harassing ex-boyfriend, Byron, Boo’s white knight impulses kick in and they perform the job with gusto, leaving Byron bloodied but very much alive. So when Byron is found dead, they’re shocked. They’re even more shocked when they learn that nothing is what they originally thought, and they’re being held accountable in the man's death.
With Junior called in for questioning, Boo is determined to clear their names by finding Byron’s true killer. It’s a quest in which Boo will have to face down crooked cops, crazed guard dogs, a rival security crew, the Irish mob and—worst of all—his own ingrained prejudices.
Action-packed, outrageously funny, and brutally honest, Rough Trade brings back crime fiction’s favorite bouncers and takes them well out of their comfort zone in a novel that’s whip-smart, hilarious, gritty and above all human, proving that Todd Robinson is one of the most important voices in crime fiction.
The long-awaited second novel in Todd Robinson’s Anthony Award-nominated Boo and Junior series
When a waitress at The Cellar asks Boo and Junior to scare her roommate Dana’s harassing ex-boyfriend, Byron, Boo’s white knight impulses kick in and they perform the job with gusto, leaving Byron bloodied but very much alive. So when Byron is found dead, they’re shocked. They’re even more shocked when they learn that nothing is what they originally thought, and they’re being held accountable in the man's death.
With Junior called in for questioning, Boo is determined to clear their names by finding Byron’s true killer. It’s a quest in which Boo will have to face down crooked cops, crazed guard dogs, a rival security crew, the Irish mob and—worst of all—his own ingrained prejudices.
Action-packed, outrageously funny, and brutally honest, Rough Trade brings back crime fiction’s favorite bouncers and takes them well out of their comfort zone in a novel that’s whip-smart, hilarious, gritty and above all human, proving that Todd Robinson is one of the most important voices in crime fiction.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2016
5 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 8, 2016
This novel really was the story of two halves for me: I thought the first half was similar, yet subtler and ethically more challenging than THE HARD BOUNCE, while keeping its goofy, graphic novel-ish l vibe. (the first five chapters are somewhat of a retelling of West Side Story for tough guys). ROUGH TRADE spins in a different direction over chapter 13 (which is about one third of the novel), where characters from THE HARD BOUNCE reemerge and pretty much everything you need to know is revealed in a series of wacky action scenes. It was weird. I like Boo Malone, but I like his buddies Junior and Twitch better and I could've done without the kintergarden lesson about accepting your friends the way they are.
ROUGH TRADE was fun, complicated and asynchronous. I'm enjoying the bizarre moral universe of Todd Robinson's characters, but I've known them for a while. If you're looking to get into Boo and Junior, starting with THE HARD BOUNCE might be a good idea.
ROUGH TRADE was fun, complicated and asynchronous. I'm enjoying the bizarre moral universe of Todd Robinson's characters, but I've known them for a while. If you're looking to get into Boo and Junior, starting with THE HARD BOUNCE might be a good idea.
July 27, 2016
Very good 2nd installment in Robinson's Boo/Junior series. The boys beat up a guy who is stalking a friend of theirs but when that guy turns up dead the next day, all hell breaks loose. These characters are all very well portrayed, including an interesting back story, which makes this more than just another tough guy/bouncer type series.
October 12, 2016
Todd Robinson has returned to his Boo and Junior series with a hell of a bang. Rough Trade shows that Robinson and his crew of characters are big on heart, witty as hell, and all have a story to tell that will hopefully lead to many more entries on what is shaping up to be the best “bromance” series since Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar and Win hit the scene.
Boo and Junior are their usual lovable selves in this excellent read. They have sharp tongues, sharp wits, and tend to solve their problems with their fists; yet they do it with heart and a manner that leaves the reader flying through the pages and enjoying every punch and scrape.
After helping a work colleague deal with a friend’s abusive ex, Boo and Junior find themselves in over their heads; the abusive ex is found murdered, with Junior’s phone in his possession. When Junior is pulled in by the police, Boo is forced to hit the streets and attempt to find the answers that the police, thinking they have an open and shut case, won’t look for. Knowing that if Junior goes down for the murder he will also have one foot through the prison door, Boo is racing against the clock to put the pieces together and save his brother from a fate neither one of them want.
The beauty of this book is the depth that Robinson adds to his characters. He explores more of Boo and Junior’s shared childhood and their relationships with two other friends from their time in their foster care system. We get more glimpses into what shaped Boo’s white knight syndrome and why he is willing to sacrifice himself to save the people he loves.
Between learning of Boo’s hallucinations of his lost and abused eight year-old self during times of mental stress, to his self-realization that while he sees himself as a hero he may just be a bully that bullies the bullies, and to his learning that the words he chooses may have life-long implications of those he loves, the reader gets a glimpse at the humanity that lies underneath the tough exteriors of Boo and we grow to love him more because of his faults, rather then despite them and we understand how he was shaped by the world he grew up in.
Robinson has infused this series with heart, compassion, and a great sense of character growth. This is one hell of a great series and seems to be getting a good deal of well deserved main-stream attention. I really enjoyed this book and am already anticipating the next series addition.
Boo and Junior are their usual lovable selves in this excellent read. They have sharp tongues, sharp wits, and tend to solve their problems with their fists; yet they do it with heart and a manner that leaves the reader flying through the pages and enjoying every punch and scrape.
After helping a work colleague deal with a friend’s abusive ex, Boo and Junior find themselves in over their heads; the abusive ex is found murdered, with Junior’s phone in his possession. When Junior is pulled in by the police, Boo is forced to hit the streets and attempt to find the answers that the police, thinking they have an open and shut case, won’t look for. Knowing that if Junior goes down for the murder he will also have one foot through the prison door, Boo is racing against the clock to put the pieces together and save his brother from a fate neither one of them want.
The beauty of this book is the depth that Robinson adds to his characters. He explores more of Boo and Junior’s shared childhood and their relationships with two other friends from their time in their foster care system. We get more glimpses into what shaped Boo’s white knight syndrome and why he is willing to sacrifice himself to save the people he loves.
Between learning of Boo’s hallucinations of his lost and abused eight year-old self during times of mental stress, to his self-realization that while he sees himself as a hero he may just be a bully that bullies the bullies, and to his learning that the words he chooses may have life-long implications of those he loves, the reader gets a glimpse at the humanity that lies underneath the tough exteriors of Boo and we grow to love him more because of his faults, rather then despite them and we understand how he was shaped by the world he grew up in.
Robinson has infused this series with heart, compassion, and a great sense of character growth. This is one hell of a great series and seems to be getting a good deal of well deserved main-stream attention. I really enjoyed this book and am already anticipating the next series addition.
April 4, 2017
"Who's going over first?" Both of us needed assistance to get over the wall, but i figured whoever did it first would be able to manage it with the most dignity intact.
"Like we always do?" Junior placed his fist into his open palm, ready for yet another bout in our lifelong game of rock-paper-scissors. "On three?"
"On three," I said.
"One... two... HOLY FUCKBALLS!"
Furious barking erupted from the back door of the house. Big barking. We both jumped in tandem and got ready to bolt. I looked at the rear of the house for any sign of a doggy door to fit through.
Junior was crouched in a ready position.
"Jesus, i almost pissed my Fruit of the Looms."
Follow up to
, this is the second 'Boo & Junior' encounter. More gritty crime blended with humor. For readers who enjoy Joe R. Lansdale's "Hap & Leonard" stories.
"Like we always do?" Junior placed his fist into his open palm, ready for yet another bout in our lifelong game of rock-paper-scissors. "On three?"
"On three," I said.
"One... two... HOLY FUCKBALLS!"
Furious barking erupted from the back door of the house. Big barking. We both jumped in tandem and got ready to bolt. I looked at the rear of the house for any sign of a doggy door to fit through.
Junior was crouched in a ready position.
"Jesus, i almost pissed my Fruit of the Looms."
Follow up to
, this is the second 'Boo & Junior' encounter. More gritty crime blended with humor. For readers who enjoy Joe R. Lansdale's "Hap & Leonard" stories. 
September 1, 2016
This was a really brave novel. Not many people could write a tough-guy novel that completely dismantles the tough guy stereotype. Robinson does a great job of it largely, I think, because he doesn't pull any punches. Lesser writers would probably try to soften Junior's and Boo's edge to make them a little more palatable while discussing sexual orientation and gender identity—both already touchy subjects—but by keeping the characters true to who they are, the result ends up a more honest, clear-eyed, and poignant look at homophobia and the definition of family. And it doesn't hurt that Robinson is funny as hell. Highly recommended.
February 11, 2025
Boo and Junior are bouncers/security specialists for a tough bar in the Boston area. They and a couple of their friends bonded when they were together in a group home. They like to get in fistfights and swear a lot. That's about all there is to this book. The author likes hyperbole and obscene insults, the more offensive the better. No plot. All the characters make stupid decisions. I only made it halfway through.
October 29, 2020
ROUGH TRADE is a great ripping romp in the classic tradition of darkly comic buddy crime fiction, meant more to be viscerally experienced than reflected upon, and a fine fit for fans of Joe R. Lansdale's Hap & Leonard novels or Johnny Shaw's Jimmy Veeder Fiascos. This second Boo & Junior outing finds the pair of down-but-never-out Boston club bouncers expanding into the world of private security, with predictably pooparoo results. Trying to explain the convoluted plot, with its wide-screen cast of characters, would be like a semi-comatose stoner trying to explain "The Big Lebowski." Suffice to say, our dumb-but-not-as-dumb-as-they-look heroes take all manner of beatings all over Beantown and keep bouncing back, and manage to do so while not violating their forged-in-youthful-hellfire code to keep their pummelings as non-lethal as possible.
ROUGH TRADE gets bonus points for exploring Boo and Junior's troubled-youth backstory in flashback, though the I'm-trying-to-be-OK-with-gay-people through-line feels heavy-handed and heavily outdated (which is a good thing!). And I could have done with a little less of Boo's ceaseless, cringe-inducing self-criticism. But balancing out that ballast is the often laugh-out-loud prose. Examples:
— "One morning, after a particularly epic drinking session, I’d woken up on his couch with all the flavors of hell having an oily orgy in my mouth."
— "The place smelled like someone had recently pooped in a bag of Cheetos."
— "As I looked back, the guy sat in the dirty snow, clutching his foot and screaming like a death metal singer who’d stepped on a Lego."
And I will be forever indebted to Todd Robinson for introducing me to the word "twatwaffle."
Great fun, ROUGH TRADE. I'm on board for Boo & Junior's next outing.
ROUGH TRADE gets bonus points for exploring Boo and Junior's troubled-youth backstory in flashback, though the I'm-trying-to-be-OK-with-gay-people through-line feels heavy-handed and heavily outdated (which is a good thing!). And I could have done with a little less of Boo's ceaseless, cringe-inducing self-criticism. But balancing out that ballast is the often laugh-out-loud prose. Examples:
— "One morning, after a particularly epic drinking session, I’d woken up on his couch with all the flavors of hell having an oily orgy in my mouth."
— "The place smelled like someone had recently pooped in a bag of Cheetos."
— "As I looked back, the guy sat in the dirty snow, clutching his foot and screaming like a death metal singer who’d stepped on a Lego."
And I will be forever indebted to Todd Robinson for introducing me to the word "twatwaffle."
Great fun, ROUGH TRADE. I'm on board for Boo & Junior's next outing.
September 1, 2016
You don't want to go through what Boo, Junior and their "family" has gone through. You don't want to go through what they're GOING through. But somehow you want to be part of the family. Welcome to Rough Trade, the second Boo and Junior novel from Todd Robinson.
My first reaction is always that I wish the books were longer, so I could spend more time with the crew. The dialogue/banter is done so well that the lifelong friendship feels fully authentic. The way the characters have slipped into roles relative to one another doesn't feel manufactured, like it does in other stories, either.
But to stretch the books would be to ruin the frantic pace of action, which allows you to buy into the seemingly unbelievable sequence of events.
This is not Shakespeare. This is not MacCarthy. And thank the fucking stars that it isn't! It's a very enjoyable story. Too violent, too vulgar? Maybe, but so what? It doesn't take itself too seriously and that's part of what makes it so enjoyable.
Go get it. Read it. Enjoy it.
My first reaction is always that I wish the books were longer, so I could spend more time with the crew. The dialogue/banter is done so well that the lifelong friendship feels fully authentic. The way the characters have slipped into roles relative to one another doesn't feel manufactured, like it does in other stories, either.
But to stretch the books would be to ruin the frantic pace of action, which allows you to buy into the seemingly unbelievable sequence of events.
This is not Shakespeare. This is not MacCarthy. And thank the fucking stars that it isn't! It's a very enjoyable story. Too violent, too vulgar? Maybe, but so what? It doesn't take itself too seriously and that's part of what makes it so enjoyable.
Go get it. Read it. Enjoy it.
August 21, 2016
Those lovable lunkheads, Boo and Junior, are back for their second fast-paced adventure. Under Todd Robinson's skilled hand, their characters develop in a very warm and affecting way as they discover new things about their oldest friends that had been hidden by their unmeaning insensitivity. The wisecracks and action come thick and fast too. This story is a lot of fun.
October 5, 2016
very good second book in the series. great characters, great story....pretty good pace to the book, only thing i could maybe complain about was the section that they were not together, missed the dialog between them, but still a five star book!
June 28, 2021
Brutasses.
On ne peut pas dire que les protagonistes de cette série* soient d'une extrême finesse. Ni physiquement, ni psychologiquement. Bande de 4 orphelins désormais adultes qui ne se sont pas quittés depuis cette époque, ils sont également défini par une fidélité à toute épreuve. Que l'un d'eux se trouve dans la panade, c'est toute l'équipe qui débarque.
Il y a cependant un duo plus central: Boo (le narrateur) et Junior (celui qui se met le plus rapidement dans les problèmes). Ils sont à la tête d'une entreprise de sécurité, c'est-à-dire de videurs d'une boîte relativement mal famée. Les deux autres, Ollie (le nerd technicien) et Twitch (un psychopathe fini) interviendront moins souvent dans l'histoire mais toujours de façon marquante.
On est en présence d'un roman Noir où le protagoniste se prend coup sur coup tout au long du récit et on peut dire que l'auteur n'y va pas avec tendresse. L'alcool est le principal remède, ce qui est une autre convention du genre, tout comme le monologue intérieur.
D'un service qui se voulait simple --éloigner l'ex trop pressant de Dana, colocataire de la serveuse du bar-- Junior se retrouvera accusé de crime homophobe et ce sera l'occasion pour Boo de s'interroger sur son homophobie normalisée. Même s'il dit "La plupart des gens qu'on qualifie d'homophobes ne souffrent en fait d'aucune phobie. Ce sont juste des connards.", le roman s'ouvre sur sa demande à un couple gay d'arrêter de s'embrasser dans son bar. Pas parce qu'il trouve ça dégoûtant mais parce qu'il sait que ça risque de créer des violences de la part d'autres clients. Il choisit le pragmatisme et ce qu'il considère être le plus simple au lieu d'utiliser sa qualité de videur pour éviter que ça dégénère.
S'il y a un défaut à cette histoire, c'est qu'on devine quel est l'élément qui permettra de dénouer toute cette affaire dès son apparition mais le récit fait semblant de l'oublier pour le ressortir dans les derniers chapitres. C'est un procédé qui enlève de la satisfaction de lecture car il manque au lecteur un élément qui lui permet de "deviner" lors de la lecture.
Toutefois, les personnages sont tous intéressants, les situations varient du cocasse au dramatique et ce souvent d'un paragraphe à l'autre et on ressent vraiment les liens qui unissent les 4 orphelins.
*ceci étant le deuxième tome, mais la lecture du premier n'étant pas nécessaire à part pour la toute fin où l'auteur conclut deux ou trois fils restants
On ne peut pas dire que les protagonistes de cette série* soient d'une extrême finesse. Ni physiquement, ni psychologiquement. Bande de 4 orphelins désormais adultes qui ne se sont pas quittés depuis cette époque, ils sont également défini par une fidélité à toute épreuve. Que l'un d'eux se trouve dans la panade, c'est toute l'équipe qui débarque.
Il y a cependant un duo plus central: Boo (le narrateur) et Junior (celui qui se met le plus rapidement dans les problèmes). Ils sont à la tête d'une entreprise de sécurité, c'est-à-dire de videurs d'une boîte relativement mal famée. Les deux autres, Ollie (le nerd technicien) et Twitch (un psychopathe fini) interviendront moins souvent dans l'histoire mais toujours de façon marquante.
On est en présence d'un roman Noir où le protagoniste se prend coup sur coup tout au long du récit et on peut dire que l'auteur n'y va pas avec tendresse. L'alcool est le principal remède, ce qui est une autre convention du genre, tout comme le monologue intérieur.
D'un service qui se voulait simple --éloigner l'ex trop pressant de Dana, colocataire de la serveuse du bar-- Junior se retrouvera accusé de crime homophobe et ce sera l'occasion pour Boo de s'interroger sur son homophobie normalisée. Même s'il dit "La plupart des gens qu'on qualifie d'homophobes ne souffrent en fait d'aucune phobie. Ce sont juste des connards.", le roman s'ouvre sur sa demande à un couple gay d'arrêter de s'embrasser dans son bar. Pas parce qu'il trouve ça dégoûtant mais parce qu'il sait que ça risque de créer des violences de la part d'autres clients. Il choisit le pragmatisme et ce qu'il considère être le plus simple au lieu d'utiliser sa qualité de videur pour éviter que ça dégénère.
S'il y a un défaut à cette histoire, c'est qu'on devine quel est l'élément qui permettra de dénouer toute cette affaire dès son apparition mais le récit fait semblant de l'oublier pour le ressortir dans les derniers chapitres. C'est un procédé qui enlève de la satisfaction de lecture car il manque au lecteur un élément qui lui permet de "deviner" lors de la lecture.
Toutefois, les personnages sont tous intéressants, les situations varient du cocasse au dramatique et ce souvent d'un paragraphe à l'autre et on ressent vraiment les liens qui unissent les 4 orphelins.
*ceci étant le deuxième tome, mais la lecture du premier n'étant pas nécessaire à part pour la toute fin où l'auteur conclut deux ou trois fils restants
March 31, 2022
Inséparables depuis l’enfance, Boo et junior sont videurs dans une boîte de Boston. Avec Twitch et Ollie, ils font partie des Avengers, toujours prêts à se serrer les coudes depuis l’orphelinat. Quand une de leurs collègues sollicite leur aide pour éloigner l’ex petit-ami un peu trop insistant de sa colocataire, Boo et Junior se font un plaisir de lui rendre service. Mais les deux chevaliers servants auraient-ils eu la main un peu lourde ? Car l’ex est retrouvé mort, et nos deux héros accusés de meurtre…
On passe un très bon moment à observer les frasques de ces deux bras-cassés au grand cœur, qui ont leur propre code d’honneur : au-delà des bagarres fort détaillées qui s’enchainent, on suit avec plaisir les mésaventures de Boo et Junior, et on rit beaucoup de leur balourdise. Les dialogues sont notamment très drôles.
L’air de rien certains sujets sociétaux s’invitent entre deux bastons, principalement l’homosexualité et l’homophobie.
Les quatre Avengers ont chacun une personnalité très affirmée et font l’objet de portraits très crédibles et originaux : Twitch par exemple est une sorte d’homme invisible incroyable qui surgit dès que ses amis sont dans le besoin. Leur amitié indéfectible et leurs maladresses les rendent tous très touchants.
Noir et humour garantis !
On passe un très bon moment à observer les frasques de ces deux bras-cassés au grand cœur, qui ont leur propre code d’honneur : au-delà des bagarres fort détaillées qui s’enchainent, on suit avec plaisir les mésaventures de Boo et Junior, et on rit beaucoup de leur balourdise. Les dialogues sont notamment très drôles.
L’air de rien certains sujets sociétaux s’invitent entre deux bastons, principalement l’homosexualité et l’homophobie.
Les quatre Avengers ont chacun une personnalité très affirmée et font l’objet de portraits très crédibles et originaux : Twitch par exemple est une sorte d’homme invisible incroyable qui surgit dès que ses amis sont dans le besoin. Leur amitié indéfectible et leurs maladresses les rendent tous très touchants.
Noir et humour garantis !
October 22, 2018
The further adventures of Boo and Junior. I really like Todd Robinson. The "Boo and Junior" series involves a very unique ensemble cast who grew up together in Boston foster homes. Consequently, they have a bond and consider one another brothers and watch out for each other through thick and thin. "Rough Trade" involves a murder mystery where Junior is framed. Lots of violence and humor throughout, however the interpersonal relationships of this group of "brothers" are what makes this novel interesting. I hope Todd Robinson writes another book in this series.
May 13, 2019
Rough Trade is the sequel to one of my favorite books that I read last year - The Hard Bounce.
The below synopsis will tell you all that you need to know. I will just say that Rough Trade is already a contender for my favorite book of the year. I enjoyed it even more than The Hard Bounce, which is saying something! This one takes the craziness of Boo & Junior to a whole new level as things continually go from bad to worse! A must read.
The below synopsis will tell you all that you need to know. I will just say that Rough Trade is already a contender for my favorite book of the year. I enjoyed it even more than The Hard Bounce, which is saying something! This one takes the craziness of Boo & Junior to a whole new level as things continually go from bad to worse! A must read.
March 13, 2018
Anti-heros Boo and Junior get themselves into and out of trouble more times than you can count. Not one of the times doesn't include violence and comedy. This is dark humor at it's best. I hope these two continue to make mayhem in Boston for many many books to come.
May 9, 2017
That was an awesome read!
June 15, 2017
I love Junior and Boo. especially Boo's commentary while he "narrates". Laugh out loud funny shit. and the profanity... makes me laugh more. good stuff.
April 22, 2020
Todd Robinson has an original, hilarious voice. Great read.
June 24, 2017
Un tome 2 à la hauteur du premier. J'ai adoré l'enquête, mais surtout l'évolution des personnages !
J'espère lire un tome 3 bientôt !!
J'espère lire un tome 3 bientôt !!
December 17, 2019
J'adore suivre les aventures de Boo et Junior ! Parfois, les personnages pourraient réfléchir un tout petit peu plus, mais bon, on va dire que ça fait partir de leur charme.
July 20, 2020
Second novel to feature Boo and Junior and I hope there will be more. Once again Robinson excellently balances the (mostly) dark humor and violence and wisely focuses on his main characters as they are the reason for the high recommendation.
June 14, 2016
Where to even start with this one? So many things I could talk about. Maybe the fact that by the time I was 10% through the book, I'd highlighted close to a dozen amazing & hilarious lines of prose? Or I could focus on the excitement Todd Robinson embroils Boo and Junior in and the abuse he gleefully hurls their way. Or maybe, just maybe, we could touch delicately on the way he broaches both the reckless use of homophobic slurs and the very real hurt they can do to those around us?
Let's begin here: It should not be possible to pack that much action into a book like this without leaving the reader feeling fatigued. Leave it to Robinson to nail the pacing so perfectly in Rough Trade that you're left with the impression that Boo is just the right amount of beat up. And make no mistake--Boo gets the ever-loving crap kicked out of him. At times from his own hubris. At times from sheer numbers. And at least one time from an untimely misunderstanding.
The point is that the book flows masterfully, weaving smoothly between periods of intense action and reprieve, fighting and taking a god damn minute to think about the problem. And I don't think I'd buy anybody without Todd's experience writing brawls like this. There's never any confusion as to what's happening to whom and how. I don't find myself re-reading sections to parse out how a fight went down. These fights, they seem tangible. They seem real. You'll cringe at the violence inflicted upon (and by) Boo, because it seems likely. It feels like how a fight would happen with all the chaos tainted by the good and bad luck of the combatants.
And if anybody has the bona fides to write about bouncing, to write about crazy people at bars and nightclubs, to speak to the pain of broken ribs and the fight of taking somebody down it would be Todd Robinson.
Todd Robinson: Broken bone fiction you know you can trust.
The story itself is wonderful. Every additional flip of the proverbial card turns up the intensity a notch, while underneath it all there's the subtle tick tock as the time Boo has to prove Junior innocent rushes away. It grabs you by the hand and pulls you along for the ride during Boo's mad rush to find the killer. As hard as I tried to parse out where it was all heading, the ending took me by surprise.
And it shouldn't have. It was all there. All the pieces of the puzzle, just laid out there right in front of you and man, if you don't pick them up you'll be kicking yourself later.
But that's hardly what hit me the most, despite all the previous rambling gushes of excitement for this book. And maybe it's that I finished it the night after Orlando. Or maybe it's that my heart aches for every one of my friends when they feel even a hint of trepidation over embracing who they love in public.
I'll admit. I was... Hesitant, to say the least, at the start of this book. The unrepentant homophobic language from the bouncers. Tossing out the two men kissing and leaving them to the mercy of their attackers in the street. The [redacted spoiler bit you can thank me later for not saying now].
And though Todd gave reasons for Boo and, especially, Junior, to hold such opinions, it was Hard to read because I know men like that. I work with them nearly every damn day. Men who I can't tell about friends who do drag, men who throw the word "f****t" around like a football.
Men who hold the opinion that it'd be fair to beat the crap out of a date they take home if they discover them to be transitioning.
But the evolution of this, shall we say, Problem, throughout the book almost had me in tears. The change Boo has to make in himself, everybody else's trepidation at the change Junior is either going to make himself or reject in the worst of ways, makes all the rough parts worth it. Although the murder is the true rub of the book, I was more touched by the redemption of Boo and Junior when it mattered the most. When it mattered to family.
So yeah, I absolutely recommend Rough Trade, are you kidding? It’s going to be far too long before I get my hands on another Boo and Junior gig.
Let's begin here: It should not be possible to pack that much action into a book like this without leaving the reader feeling fatigued. Leave it to Robinson to nail the pacing so perfectly in Rough Trade that you're left with the impression that Boo is just the right amount of beat up. And make no mistake--Boo gets the ever-loving crap kicked out of him. At times from his own hubris. At times from sheer numbers. And at least one time from an untimely misunderstanding.
The point is that the book flows masterfully, weaving smoothly between periods of intense action and reprieve, fighting and taking a god damn minute to think about the problem. And I don't think I'd buy anybody without Todd's experience writing brawls like this. There's never any confusion as to what's happening to whom and how. I don't find myself re-reading sections to parse out how a fight went down. These fights, they seem tangible. They seem real. You'll cringe at the violence inflicted upon (and by) Boo, because it seems likely. It feels like how a fight would happen with all the chaos tainted by the good and bad luck of the combatants.
And if anybody has the bona fides to write about bouncing, to write about crazy people at bars and nightclubs, to speak to the pain of broken ribs and the fight of taking somebody down it would be Todd Robinson.
Todd Robinson: Broken bone fiction you know you can trust.
The story itself is wonderful. Every additional flip of the proverbial card turns up the intensity a notch, while underneath it all there's the subtle tick tock as the time Boo has to prove Junior innocent rushes away. It grabs you by the hand and pulls you along for the ride during Boo's mad rush to find the killer. As hard as I tried to parse out where it was all heading, the ending took me by surprise.
And it shouldn't have. It was all there. All the pieces of the puzzle, just laid out there right in front of you and man, if you don't pick them up you'll be kicking yourself later.
But that's hardly what hit me the most, despite all the previous rambling gushes of excitement for this book. And maybe it's that I finished it the night after Orlando. Or maybe it's that my heart aches for every one of my friends when they feel even a hint of trepidation over embracing who they love in public.
I'll admit. I was... Hesitant, to say the least, at the start of this book. The unrepentant homophobic language from the bouncers. Tossing out the two men kissing and leaving them to the mercy of their attackers in the street. The [redacted spoiler bit you can thank me later for not saying now].
And though Todd gave reasons for Boo and, especially, Junior, to hold such opinions, it was Hard to read because I know men like that. I work with them nearly every damn day. Men who I can't tell about friends who do drag, men who throw the word "f****t" around like a football.
Men who hold the opinion that it'd be fair to beat the crap out of a date they take home if they discover them to be transitioning.
But the evolution of this, shall we say, Problem, throughout the book almost had me in tears. The change Boo has to make in himself, everybody else's trepidation at the change Junior is either going to make himself or reject in the worst of ways, makes all the rough parts worth it. Although the murder is the true rub of the book, I was more touched by the redemption of Boo and Junior when it mattered the most. When it mattered to family.
So yeah, I absolutely recommend Rough Trade, are you kidding? It’s going to be far too long before I get my hands on another Boo and Junior gig.
September 7, 2016
***Received via Goodreads Giveaway***
Had I known this was the second book in a series, I wouldn't have entered the giveaway. While Robinson did sketch out what happened in the previous book, still feels like I missed something.
I've read a number of these types of books, "guys who came up together without any parental guidance and become family," and while this doesn't come anywhere close to the best of them, the Burke series by Andrew Vachss, it was still good. Lots of humor, lots of action, and of course, the obligatory ghostlike crazy friend who's a whiz with the weapons. So a decent read, if like many others I've read before.
I've spoilered the next, because it does give away a major plot point.
Had I known this was the second book in a series, I wouldn't have entered the giveaway. While Robinson did sketch out what happened in the previous book, still feels like I missed something.
I've read a number of these types of books, "guys who came up together without any parental guidance and become family," and while this doesn't come anywhere close to the best of them, the Burke series by Andrew Vachss, it was still good. Lots of humor, lots of action, and of course, the obligatory ghostlike crazy friend who's a whiz with the weapons. So a decent read, if like many others I've read before.
I've spoilered the next, because it does give away a major plot point.
December 9, 2016
Big Daddy Thug does it again with another Boo and Junior adventure. Robinson has a gift for combining humor, action, inappropriate language and behavior, and empathy. The story never lags, yet the pace is never out of control. There’s a lot of craft hidden under the entertainment here that most readers probably won’t notice. That’s fine. There’s entertainment enough for everyone here, with another level available for those who want it.
November 14, 2016
If you like Todd's first novel, you'll like this one. Unfortunately, what makes Boo an entertaining character also makes him an unbelievable investigator. So when he ultimately spends the whole book fumbling around and getting his butt kicked, it takes a bit of the edge off of this thug lit plot. Still, it's a decent book and worth reading.
January 6, 2017
Another great read from Todd Robinson. Love the brutal, down and dirty adventures of Boo and Junior.
Also, a monster amount of love for the author for casually mentioning Boo listening to the greatest band of all time- Clutch. 'Binge and Purge' is an old school reference, well appreciated by this fan.
Also, a monster amount of love for the author for casually mentioning Boo listening to the greatest band of all time- Clutch. 'Binge and Purge' is an old school reference, well appreciated by this fan.
August 9, 2017
Rating : 3.75 stars
Not as good as the first one and a bit more dramatic, but still very entertaining and enjoyable~
Not as good as the first one and a bit more dramatic, but still very entertaining and enjoyable~
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