The Castaway Lounge by Jon Boilard
Set in a busted Massachusetts mill town circa 1986, The Castaway Lounge is the story of Jackson “Applejack” Woods. Cocaine peddler, womanizer, and tough-guy-for-hire, Applejack is weary of the wrong life and trying to put it in his rearview mirror. But all bets are off when a pole dancer ends up dead during an after-hours party with a local businessman and politician. Applejack finds himself inextricably linked to the murder and must risk going to prison or worse by setting in motion a plan to bring the killers to justice.
Along the way, Applejack’s fiancée gets abducted by a flying saucer, a bible-thumping arsonist burns down the local titty bar, and a disturbing love triangle forms when a washed up guitar player seduces his teenage son’s girlfriend. To further complicate matters, upon learning of her demise, the dead stripper’s father and twin brothers thunder down from the high hills hell-bent on revenge.
Told in the clipped, hard-as-nails language of Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy, The Castaway Lounge explores one man’s struggle to choose between right and wrong, and his growing sense that sometimes the right choice requires the ultimate sacrifice.
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Paperback: 280 pages
ISBN: 978-1-938103-01-8
Also available as an eBook
Set in a busted Massachusetts mill town circa 1986, The Castaway Lounge is the story of Jackson “Applejack” Woods. Cocaine peddler, womanizer, and tough-guy-for-hire, Applejack is weary of the wrong life and trying to put it in his rearview mirror. But all bets are off when a pole dancer ends up dead during an after-hours party with a local businessman and politician. Applejack finds himself inextricably linked to the murder and must risk going to prison or worse by setting in motion a plan to bring the killers to justice.
Along the way, Applejack’s fiancée gets abducted by a flying saucer, a bible-thumping arsonist burns down the local titty bar, and a disturbing love triangle forms when a washed up guitar player seduces his teenage son’s girlfriend. To further complicate matters, upon learning of her demise, the dead stripper’s father and twin brothers thunder down from the high hills hell-bent on revenge.
Told in the clipped, hard-as-nails language of Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy, The Castaway Lounge explores one man’s struggle to choose between right and wrong, and his growing sense that sometimes the right choice requires the ultimate sacrifice.
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Paperback: 280 pages
ISBN: 978-1-938103-01-8
Also available as an eBook
Set in a busted Massachusetts mill town circa 1986, The Castaway Lounge is the story of Jackson “Applejack” Woods. Cocaine peddler, womanizer, and tough-guy-for-hire, Applejack is weary of the wrong life and trying to put it in his rearview mirror. But all bets are off when a pole dancer ends up dead during an after-hours party with a local businessman and politician. Applejack finds himself inextricably linked to the murder and must risk going to prison or worse by setting in motion a plan to bring the killers to justice.
Along the way, Applejack’s fiancée gets abducted by a flying saucer, a bible-thumping arsonist burns down the local titty bar, and a disturbing love triangle forms when a washed up guitar player seduces his teenage son’s girlfriend. To further complicate matters, upon learning of her demise, the dead stripper’s father and twin brothers thunder down from the high hills hell-bent on revenge.
Told in the clipped, hard-as-nails language of Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy, The Castaway Lounge explores one man’s struggle to choose between right and wrong, and his growing sense that sometimes the right choice requires the ultimate sacrifice.
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Paperback: 280 pages
ISBN: 978-1-938103-01-8
Also available as an eBook
PRAISE FOR THE CASTAWAY LOUNGE
“The Castaway Lounge is a page-turner.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The Castaway Lounge is the kind of book that’ll keep you up all night, and then send you walking around the next day looking to smack anybody who hasn’t read it. It’s a profane, heartsick, and hilarious masterpiece.”
—Benjamin Whitmer, author of Cry Father and Pike
“Boilard’s writing isn’t just fighting-weight lean, but scarred and calloused as well, yet he writes of society’s castoffs with profound empathy and affection.”
—Craig Clevenger, author of The Contortionist's Handbook and Dermaphoria
“If you’ve never had your ass kicked in a bar fight, never known something worth slugging a stranger in the mouth for, then at least get some of that grit in your gut and read Jon’s novel. The men are real, as honest as a black eye. The women you can feel breathing on your neck. The words will stay bright red in your heart.”
—Sonny Brewer, author of The Widow and the Tree and The Poet of Tolstoy Park
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Boilard is the author of A River Closely Watched (MacAdam/Cage, 2012), a finalist for the Northern California Book Award. The Castaway Lounge is his second novel. Born and raised in Western Massachusetts, Boilard lives in San Francisco, CA.
