The ethereal vision of “smoke rings and memories” prowls throughout West’s rousing debut: Smoke rings from moonshiner Jimmy West’s cigarette, creeping toward the rear-view mirror of his ’66 Dodge Coronet as he races to escape police in hot pursuit—with his two young sons sitting in the back seat; smoke rings from smuggled marijuana as those boys become adults; and smoke rings around their home in the mountains of East Tennessee. Huck and Tommy West, growing up the sons of a bootlegging 1970s moonshiner, are no strangers to dangerous escapades. As young adults, the boys follow in their father’s footsteps, seeking a life of danger and excitement—though instead of moonshine, they’re selling drugs. From using to dealing to smuggling, their desire for wealth and the high life leads them down dark roads of ambition, disaster, and a forceful reckoning.

The boys’ quest for riches is grounded by emotional anchors: Tommy wants to help his girlfriend Clementine bring life back to the downtown square of Scruffy City, while Huck dreams of providing a comfortable life for his wife and son. Their hijinks are based on the author’s real-life experiences, and readers can expect an abundance of outlandish, precarious, and unexpected exploits to keep them on the edge of their seats. There are rental houses with fully equipped ecstasy-making labs in the basement and “the best weed in Atlanta” growing in the attic; accidental run-ins with state troopers while Tommy and Huck change a flat on a marijuana-loaded van; a cellmate whose nickname is Nightmare, and more.

West—who plays in a band—incorporates his own song lyrics (and linked QR codes) throughout the novel, giving the story an expressive feel that resonates far beyond the close calls and drug busts. The rollicking adventure, chaos, and danger—alongside a late-in-the-game, stirring rebuilding—all serve as powerful reminders that “When you’re scared to death, You’re never more alive.”

Takeaway: Unforgettable, rousing story of drugs, misadventure, and rebuilding.

Great for fans of: David Benioff’s The 25th Hour, Nico Walker’s Cherry.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A