Edgar Award Nominee: Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby

 

Razorblade Tears

Author: S.A. Cosby

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Date of Publication: July 6, 2021

Pages: 336

     The five nominees for the 2022 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel are: Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby, The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen, Five Decembers by James Kestrel, How Lucky by Will Leitch, and No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield.  This is the first of my reviews for this list of books.

     I immediately became engrossed in this book since it is set in my new (and old) hometown of Richmond, Virginia.  One scene even takes place in a strip mall about two miles from my new home!  There are references to many Richmond landmarks including the recently removed Civil War statues on Monument Avenue.  Even if you are not familiar with our area, the descriptions of the city and surrounding counties are vivid and add to the depth of this story.

     The story itself is intriguing.  Two fathers, one black and one white, dissatisfied with the lack of progress of a police investigation, join forces to find the killer of their married, gay sons.  Both fathers are ex-cons and each had rejected their sons for their lifestyle.  Poking around their sons' workplaces and acquaintances they become entangled with a large biker gang.  Violence and mayhem ensue.  

     The writing in this book is very good.  The characters are well developed and the dialogue is superb.  The exchanges between the two main characters are particularly crisp.   The action moves the story along at a brisk pace.  The brutal encounters with the bikers are not for the faint-hearted!  The story is a good one and gives the author a platform to examine contemporary aspects of race relations as well as LGBTQ issues.  In many regards this novel evokes favorable comparisons to Joe R. Lansdale's Hap Collins and Leonard Pine novels.  

   Razorblade Tears is a worthy nominee for the Edgar Award.  I enjoyed it very much.