cover image Exile

Exile

Lisa M. Bradley. Rosarium, $14.95 trade paper (340p) ISBN 978-0-9987059-5-8

Bradley (The Haunted Girl) capably plots the tale of a young woman trapped in a quarantined town, but drowns the story in sex and violence. Heidi Palermo grew up in a town called Exile, which was transformed by a chemical spill that has given its residents a hunger for brutality. She wants nothing more than to be free of her abusive family, but she can’t seem to pass the sanity test to be released. When her brother is murdered by Tank Benavides, an outsider, she decides that Tank represents her last chance to escape. The plot is strong—Heidi’s family wants revenge for her brother’s death, Tank has secrets that are gradually revealed, and the Feds may have a larger plot to destroy the town—and the novel raises questions about the nature of family, but Heidi is almost constantly having or thinking about sex, to the point where it’s overwhelming despite not being overly graphic. Bradley’s novel will primarily appeal to escapist readers looking for a splashy, sexy action story. (June)