Once again, S.A. Cosby has completely blown me away—his masterful writing and his ability to seamlessly weave together contemporary issues and topics into an engaging, entertaining, but also heartfelt story, is what makes Razorblade Tears, such an incredible book. Blacktop Wasteland was by far my favourite book of 2020 (you can read my review here) and ever since I closed its pages last summer, I have been impatiently waiting for his latest release, which, I have to say, I loved even more.
Set in the American South, Razorblade Tears follows Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee Jenkins, ex-cons with little else in common, as they seek to uncover the truth behind the death of their brutally murdered sons: Isiah Randolph and Derek Wilkins. Isiah and Derek were a gay, mixed-race couple, happily married to each other and raising a beautiful little girl, until they were both shot dead—left utterly unrecognizable. Although Ike and Buddy Lee struggled to accept their sons’ marriage and sexuality while they were alive, they try to push aside their judgements, both of their sons and of each other, and band together to seek vengeance for their boys.

To put it simply, I loved this book. Cosby has a way with words that just hooks you in right from the very beginning. He creates these heartbreaking scenarios and complex characters that you become fully invested in. Ike and Buddy Lee are both incredibly flawed: one is racist, and both are homophobic and judgemental, but as they both grow to understand their sons and each other, the reader can’t help but grow to love them both.

Cosby has delivered an incredibly captivating and immersive American noir crime thriller. Razorblade Tears is so much more than just a thriller. It is powerful, action-packed, raw, dark and gritty, and incredibly violent, while also addressing the important topics of sexuality, race, class, familial bonds and father-son relationships—and it all mends together beautifully.

I highly recommend both of Cosby’s books; please, please, please read them. They are incredible.

Razorblade Tears publishes on July 6, 2021, so get your pre-orders in or mark that date in your calendar, because I can guarantee that you will not want to miss this one.

Thank you so much to Claire McLaughlin from Flatiron Books for sending me a finished copy of Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby and for asking me to take part in the blog tour this month!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

Last year I read Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby and it ended up being on of my favorite books of the year. So of course when I was asked to be part of the tour for his second book, Razorblade Tears, I didn’t even hesitate…this was a highly anticipated read and let me tell you, this book is just as good, if not better! And will definitely be a favorite for this year!

I don’t know what it is about this author’s writing that just pulls me in but once again I found myself completely engaged from start to finish. Even though I listened to the book, I was still captivated by the characters and everything they are going through. Yes, this is another crime fiction story, but it is so much more than that. This is a story with so much heart…it is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The journey that Buddy Lee and Ike take, not only physically but emotionally as well, packs quite the emotional punch.

This book is dark, gritty and full of action. At times, it is a pure adrenaline run, and at other times, you feel the suspense and tension dripping off the pages as you are not sure what is going to happen next. The author does not shy away from violence, yet nothing is gratuitous or unwarranted. Every violent action happens for a reason. And it’s to this end that makes his writing so powerful. It’s that perfect mix of dark and tender.

The characters that S.A. Cosby creates are so dynamic. You find yourself really coming to care for them, despite the fact that they are both ex-cons. Both Ike and Buddy Lee are deeply flawed and have their own prejudices, yet while on their search for justice, they also end up exploring their own biases and regrets.

This book is one that will stay with me for a long time. It’s got so much to unpack and one that I know I will be rereading at some point because it is just that good. I highly recommend picking up this one…you won’t regret it!

S.A. Cosby’s high octane crime thriller Blacktop Wasteland was one of my favorite reads of 2020, and as high as my expectations were for his follow up novel, Razorblade Tears, I was pretty sure there was no way he could top Blacktop Wasteland. I was dead wrong though because Razorblade Tears is one of the most powerful and provocative books I’ve ever read. It’s a story about loss and grief, revenge and justice, and it’s also a story about regret and about learning from the mistakes of your past.

Set in Virginia, the story follows ex-cons Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee Jenkins. On the surface it would appear these two men have nothing in common aside from their criminal pasts. Ike is a Black man who used to run with a gang, while Buddy is, as he refers to himself, redneck, white trash. What these two men do have in common though is their sons, a married gay couple, both of whom were brutally murdered. What they also have in common is that both men let their homophobia prevent them from having loving relationships with their boys and now they’re filled with regret because they can no longer make things right between them.

Most of the book focuses on Ike and Buddy Lee’s quest to bring their sons’ killers to justice and their road to justice is paved with violence, blood and gore as well as coarse language as Ike and Buddy Lee encounter some pretty rough crowds. To put it mildly, it’s an intense read that isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s also a fast-paced adrenaline rush that I devoured in a day because I just had to know who was responsible for the murders and whether or not Ike and Buddy Lee would bring them down.

Razorblade Tears, as its name implies, is also a story that is filled with pain, grief and raw emotion and it’s this angle that really took this book to the next level for me. These two fathers know they made terrible mistakes when it came to their sons and how they refused to just love them and accept them for who they were. Both Ike and Buddy Lee desperately wish they could go back and do things differently. I enjoyed reading their journey, both as they became unlikely friends bonding over this tragedy and as they both try to learn from their mistakes and become better men. This personal journey of growth made for such an interesting contrast with the gritty violence of their revenge quest.

With Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears, S.A. Cosby has proven he’s a force to be reckoned with in the crime thriller genre. I highly recommend both books if you’re looking for a powerful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

S.A. Cosby does it again! Blacktop Wasteland, Cosby’s first novel, is an absolute gem and a favorite of mine from last year. His sophomore book, Razorblade Tears, is another winner! A gay couple is murdered and their fathers come together to determine who killed them. Cosby hits on a lot of themes, like homophobia, bigotry, racism, redemption and acceptance to name a few.

“People like Isiah and Derek and your mama didn’t deserve to die the way they did. And the people that killed them don’t deserve to live. I can’t speak for Buddy Lee, but that’s what keeps me going,” Ike said. “Revenge?” Tangerine asked. Ike smiled ruefully. “No, hate. Folks like to talk about revenge like it’s a righteous thing but it’s just hate in a nicer suit,” Ike said.”

Cosby writes rural noir better than anyone. His language is the perfect mix of gritty and tender. You cannot help but feel every single word on the page.

“Grayson raised his garage door. The heat was a living thing that reached out and touched him with a suffocating caress. An oily haze gave the neighborhood a sepia tone, like he was trapped in an old photograph.”

Cosby does not shy away from violence, but it is not gratuitous or unwarranted. Every punch, every bullet, every death happens for a reason. This line is poetry. Macabre, but poetry nonetheless.

“When he hit the ground, his large and small intestines began to unspool like a ribbon of saltwater taffy soaked in merlot.”

I highly recommend this novel and it is absolutely one of my favorites of the year. It is a BOTM pick for July, so if you are still undecided pick this one!!

Thank you @flatironbooks and @netgalley for the advanced digital copy for review!

What a ride! S.A. Cosby has such an amazing way of telling a story! Just like Blacktop Wasteland, you can feel yourself in this story!

One black man, one white man... Both with a common purpose, to find out who murdered their sons. But there is an additional layer, their sons are gay and married to each other, and they have a child. Now these two men, these two grandfathers are hell bent on revenge. They come together, even though they don't like or understand each other, because the grief is just too much to bear. Their grief feels like razorblade tears. Think about that imagery for a minute. This is what S.A. Cosby does, fills your head with a book so descriptive, that you can't put it down. So descriptive, that you find yourself in the moment with them. So descriptive, that you can FEEL the grief and the need for revenge. There is so much more to this book, and all I can say is buy it and read it!!
5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Flatiron Books and S. A. Cosby for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

JUNE GEMS

These titles are two of my favorite of the year and each will sit with me long after this year is over. One is crime fiction at its finest, filled with social themes that don't beat you over the head but work with the non-stop plot to sink into your bones. The other is flat out one of the finest memoirs I've ever read.

Razorblade Tears, by S.A. CosbyA kickass plot filled with potential pitfalls, extraordinarily well carried out to avoid all of them. That's really all you need to know about Shawn Cosby's latest. I've read Cosby's other work (My Darkest Prayer and Blacktop Wasteland) and enjoyed both. Even more enjoyable is seeing a really good writer hone his craft before your eyes. Each outing is stronger than the last and I can't wait to see what follows Razorblade Tears, because it knocked my socks off.

Two fathers avenge the deaths of their sons. That's a good enough story. But add to that the fact that the sons were a mixed race couple with a daughter. Both had difficult relationships with their fathers who, surprise!, had some issues with their sexuality. One Black, one white, Ike and Buddy Lee have only checkered pasts, their sons, and a need for justice in common. When the police investigation goes cold, justice turns to personal revenge.

This story will translate beautifully to film. On the surface a fun, high-octane buddy story with two characters that feed off each other wonderfully. At its heart a well-painted picture of grief, regret, and social failings that lie so directly in the center of our society that they can separate families. If I had to find a quibble with this book, it's just a personal one -- my own weariness of the "family in peril" plotline. Yet Cosby also handles that well enough that I had to put my prejudice away.

Title: RazorBlade Tears
Author: S. A. Cosby
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Genre: Thriller

Thank you Flatiron books for the #gifted finished copy and early digital @netgalley copy. Blacktop Wasteland was one of my favorite reads last summer, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review RazorBlade Tears.

There is absolutely no sophomore slump going on here. Dare I say I loved RazorBlade Tears even more than Blacktop Wasteland!

“Tears ran from his eyes and stung his cheeks. Tears for his son. Tears for his wife. Tears for the little girl they had to raise. Tears for who they were and what they lost. Each drop felt like it was slicing his face open like a razorblades.”

The beginning ofRazorBlade Tears will tear at your heartstrings, but that won’t be the end of it. The author doesn’t hold back any punches and weaves a story filled with strong themes of bigotry and homophobia. This book is so mysterious and thrilling and will have you flipping the pages and on the edge of your seat one minute, laughing at Buddy Lee the next, and then just downright angry at the way the world sometimes. This book feels frighteningly realistic at times.

Ike Randolph has been out of prison for fifteen years, but has a Black man he’s come to be afraid of the cops. When they come knocking at his door the last thing he expects is to be told his son Isiah and his white husband Derek have been murdered. Ike never really fully excepted his son’s lifestyle and now it’s too late.

Derek’s father, Buddy Lee, was ashamed at him for being gay. Derek was ashamed of his father’s criminal record. They didn’t have the best relationship, but Buddy Lee still wants to know who killed his son.

When the case runs cold for the police, the two ex-cons band together in their desperate desire for revenge. Was this a hate crime? Or something more?

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ”It’s about letting people be who they are. And being who you are shouldn’t be a goddamn death sentence.” ⬅️ This sentence was everything for me. In this book Ike and Buddy Lee fumbled around with their feelings and guilt but really learned and figured things out.

RazorBlade Tears will be released on July 6th and I highly recommend this one!

Well...that was incredible. I've been waiting impatiently to get my hands on S.A. Cosby's upcoming thriller Razorblade Tears for awhile now, so thank you @flatiron_books for my review copy. I wasn't sure what to expect after reading Blacktop Wasteland last year, as the synopsis for this book felt very different to what you may expect to come from this author. I read this book is two sittings—up until late last night and then woke up before 6 AM so I can finish, it's THAT good!

The story is centered around Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee Jenkins—two men who have just gone through the trauma of burying their sons Isiah and Derek. Isiah and Derek were married, with a young daughter of their own, but were brutally murdered. With no leads, Buddy Lee and Ike decide to team up and investigate together. Without going into anymore details, the duo has to overcome their bigotry and homophobia in order to really commit to finding justice for their sons, while also coming to terms with their past as ex-cons. Can they find their sons' murderer without making matters worse?

I really loved how S.A. Cosby was able to interweave multiple themes and story arcs while completely being loyal to the main mystery behind Isiah and Derek's killer. Seeing the evolution of acceptance and respect through the eyes of some of the characters, while also seeing the pain and regret, really got me choked up. It was really powerful to see moments like that in this book. Don't worry bookstafam, this book has plenty of action packed moments that you've come to expect after reading Blacktop Wasteland, so you'll definitely be able to see the similarities with the two books. I don't want to give more of the story away, but this book really doesn't hold anything back. To say that I'm impressed with Razorblade Tears is an understatement. I can't wait to see what S.A. Cosby has up his sleeve next.

This book was everything I wanted and nothing I thought it would be. He is a masterful storyteller, and I loved the whole Sons of Anarchy part woven in (it's my favorite show). How he's able to combine current issues within the framework of a story without sounding preachy is amazing. The characters were so well written and I flew through this book.

I had such mixed feelings about this book. Two southern ex-cons, one black and one white, have only one thing in common: they both rejected their gay sons who had come together in marriage and fatherhood. It was only after both young men are murdered that they realize their homophobia had prevented them from showing how much they loved their boys - and hate their unidentified killers. Since the police are unable to make headway on the case, they join forces to find whoever is responsible and take them out.

It's a well-written and fast-paced story about two interesting male characters separated by historic racial animus but united in grief and a determination for revenge.

Which is where the mixed feelings come in. While the two men come to terms with the harm they did with their toxic masculinity (and seem to have a change of heart that is as profound as it is abrupt), they are also driven by the same idea of manhood to devote themselves to all-out warfare against their enemies. Most of the action is drenched in masculinity and, while there's some self-awareness, I got the feeling readers were supposed to cheer on their manly feats of violent bravado. That felt like an unresolved contradiction to me, and an imbalance between excellent character development and action scenes that border on cartoonish.

So good, but not without a fairly fundamental flaw in my book.

I’m a fan of Cosby’s work, so I was really excited to read this book. This is a story about fathers and sons. It’s all about redemption and forgiveness. I loved these aspects of the book! There were times when the blood/violent descriptions were a little much for me. While I understood the rage and sympathized, it was hard to read in places. I’m really looking forward to Cosby’s next book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4024197206

I’ve got another contender for my favorite book of 2021! With thanks to @flatiron_books for the ARC.

BLACKTOP WASTELAND, S.A. Cosby’s 2020 release was a favorite for last year, so I had high hopes for this one. In fact, I called it my most anticipated release in our @booktalketc Summer Bonanza episode. And I’m so happy to say I somehow liked RAZORBLADE TEARS even more than Blacktop!

Ike and Buddy Lee are not friends. It’s unlikely that their paths would have ever crossed, if not for their sons. The boys got married, had a wonderful life together, and adopted a daughter… and it all came to a screeching halt when someone murdered them. For what reason, Ike and Buddy Lee don’t know, but they make it their life’s mission to find out. So begins one of the more propulsive and cinematic books I’ve ever read!

What Cosby does so well is get you to really understand and care about his characters. Both men are flawed and prejudiced in their own way, but through their quest for the truth they explore their own biases and regrets. Things get pretty brutal and hard to read at times- but if you’re like me you’ll be all in. It was a book where I could see the action unfold in my mind as I was reading.

It’s worth mentioning that the two men did not agree with their sons’ relationship, at least initially, and there’s homophobic language used. I thought it made sense within the context of the story, but you might seek out an own voices review for their opinion.

If you like stories of revenge, fatherhood and family, generational trauma, parents struggling to accept queer children until it's too late, and/or southern grit lit, I think this will be for you. I hope this review has done this book justice!

PS- If you are able to get this on audio- I highly recommend it! The narrator (Adam Lazarre-White @realadamlw) does a wonderful job.

OMG, S.A. Cosby has done it again!!!! He’s back and it’s just as good if not better than the first. This book packs a gritty, thrilling powerful punch from page 1. If you ever wind up rooting for the guys causing all the havoc and leaving a string of dead bodies in the wake, it’s probably a Crosby novel. A surprising eye watering end really packed a powerful punch. Loved everything about this 5 star book that everyone needs to read!!

A Black father and a white father have to come together after both of their sons are murdered. Both fathers weren't accepting of the relationship their sons had with each other, let alone the marriage. Now they want to find out who killed their sons, and they'll do anything to get revenge.

I loved Blacktop Wasteland, so I was super excited for S.A. Cosby's new release! S.A. Cosby once again delivered a one of a kind story. This one was way more graphic, and I will say it did have more trigger warnings to be aware of (tw: homophobia, transphobia, graphic violence, hate crimes, racial prejudice). If you're sensitive to any of these things, I probably would skip this one.

This book covered such a vast range of topics with absolutely no filters. It was also very fast-paced and action packed, I couldn't put it down! I liked all the characters in the book and how diverse they were. I was surprised that I ended up liking the relationship that Ike and Buddy Lee had.

If you loved Blacktop Wasteland, I think you'll enjoy this one too, because it has the same vibes while telling a completely different story. Once again, I can totally picture this as a movie, and I hope it gets an adaptation. If you're looking for a crime thriller to read this summer, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

I loved the premise for Razorblade Tears, with aging parents attempting to redeem themselves by going after their sons’ killers.

Cosby’s writing style is engaging, witty, and fast-paced.

But I didn’t like this one nearly as much as his previous book, Blacktop Wasteland.

I felt this story lacked any sort of arc. The characters remain stagnant, standing firmly in their homophobia, racism, and sexism throughout, constantly repeating the same remarks to the point where, rather than move me, it grated on me.

Every character here is homophobic, and every white character is racist. The men are all extremely sexist, and the women way too tolerant of that sexism. I needed a little balance or, at least, some growth.

I also had some issues with the plot. Broadly speaking, I couldn’t buy into the reasoning behind the murdered men’s choices. Also, I thought it highly unlikely that two 27-year-old homosexual men coming from suppressive, intolerant families would already be happily settled with a three-year-old daughter birthed by a surrogate. The fathers were portrayed as quite old, so I was thinking close to seventy, but then I found out they were only in their late fifties.

In the end, the story felt too heavy-handed, an in-your-face kind of sledgehammer of racism and homophobia, with an underlying, casual sexism. Still, the writing itself is undeniably entrancing.

Razorblade Tears, SA Cosby's second book is about two ex-cons and seeking revenge for the deaths of their sons who are married and gay. Buddy Lee Jenkins and Ike Randolph faced their past of their relationships of their sons. Lots of raw action and hardcore. Ike tries too hard to be on the right side of the law by restricting his anger and providing his family. Buddy Lee suffering with anger after being dumped by his wife for a wealthy politician.

Thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this Digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions

S.A. Cosby made a splash in 2020 with Blacktop Wasteland, which deservedly earned praise from readers and reviewers alike, as well as racked up an impressive array of award nominations and wins. Back with follow-up novel Razorblade Tears, Cosby proves the accolades were not only well-deserved, but that he has yet another gear he can shift into. Ike and Buddy Lee have two things in common: they’re both ex-cons and both had strained relationships with their adult sons, a married gay couple who were brutally murdered in a case police have yet to solve. The two grieving fathers learn as much about themselves as they do each other when they join forces to find out who killed their sons, and to make them pay. Cosby has quickly demonstrated he’s a master of delving into the psyche of flawed men struggling to do better. The emotional stakes couldn’t be higher for Ike and Buddy Lee, and combined with the realities they are forced to confront regarding their own prejudices about race and sexual orientation, it makes for a story that lands as both a thriller as well as a story of grief, vengeance, and redemption.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of S.A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland last year. When I opened that book, I had no idea the wild ride that I was in for! Hands down, it was the absolute best cinematic crime novel of 2020. I have been waiting since I finished the last page to see what Cosby has in store for readers next. I was ready to beg for an ARC of Razorblade Tears but luckily Flatiron Books didn’t make me do that. I am here to tell you that this book does not disappoint! Cosby once again delivers flawed characters struggling with their past and present identities. The action is dark, often brutal, and there are one-liners that had me laughing with surprise.

Ex-cons Ike and Buddy Lee wouldn’t have much in common besides time spent behind bars except that their sons, Isiah and Derek, were married. Both men struggled with their son’s sexuality and never got around to acceptance. Now, Isiah and Derek are dead - brutally murdered. Ike has spent the fifteen years since his prison release building his own business and providing for his family. He has to believe the police will find out the truth behind the murder.
Buddy Lee hasn’t made much of his life - his wife left him for a wealthy judge with political hopes and he drinks away most of his money in his single-wide. He’s accepted that police aren’t going to get far; there are few leads and fewer people willing to talk.

When Isiah’s and Derek’s headstones are vandalized, Ike can no longer leave justice to the police. Ike and Buddy Lee are on a mission to find who killed their sons and make them pay. Together they meet with friends of their sons and shady characters from their own pasts, each a step closer to final retribution.

These two are the most flawed and unlikely heroes in a crime novel and I adored every single second with them!! I loved the frank discussion of race between two authentic characters and I could feel the deep regret each held for not supporting their sons in life. My heart ached for them both as they went on the war path and expressed their hurt in the only way they knew how; a way of taking care of Isiah and Derek in death to show how much they were loved, all of the words unspoken while they were still alive.

There are seriously no words to express the raw emotion, truths, and hypocrisies on these pages. It’s dark, violent, and full of heart. The plot is suspenseful and several points are brilliantly woven together for a stunning ending.

Biker clubs, corruption, wood chippers, and redemption fill the pages of Razorblade Tears. I highly recommend this novel to readers who appreciate contemporary crime/mystery/suspense/country noir.

Huge thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Razorblade Tears is scheduled for release on July 6, 2021.

Author S.A. Cosby delivers a powerful sermon in Razorblade Tears - a message of fire and brimstone delivered in his distinctive, crystal clear voice. A promise of justice to the weary, the wronged, the misunderstood. And he delivers it through brilliant characterization of the proverbial odd couple . . . a black father and a white father, both ex-cons whose sons found love and happiness with each other only to have it taken away by gay-bashing killers who blasted their faces into oblivion, leaving them lying in a pool of their own blood on the street like yesterday's trash. Both fathers, who had abolished and severed all ties with their sons when the boys came out of the closet, are drowning in painful tears of regret, guilt, shame, self-hatred, and a world of what-ifs. Hindsight is 20/20. It's too late to make amends with their sons - they're lying in the cold, hard ground, and their case has been shelved as a "cold case". But Ike and Buddy Lee weren't born yesterday. They're seasoned old timers who've been around the block a time or two . . . a prison block where the weak fold and the tough reign supreme and yet, both survived. Left with a mountain of regret and a burning rage for justice for their boys, Ike and Buddy Lee dry their river of razorblade tears and team up to dole out some old timey southern justice. The story that unfolds is graphic, explosive, cinematic story-telling at its finest.

I'll admit to being leery of starting Razorblade Tears . . . after all, there's no way it could come close to Cosby's masterpiece Blacktop Wasteland, right? Wrong. Cosby has outdone himself by doing what he does best - keeping it real. He doesn't mince words or spare feelings or worry about what's politically correct or who he might offend as he renders a graphic story of two fathers drowning in a river of grief and regret. Two fathers who claimed they were not prejudice while shaming their sons for their sexual orientation. Two fathers who severed all ties with their own sons - committing the ultimate betrayal of prejudice within family units. Two fathers with a hard lesson to learn - love is love. All the rest is packaging.

Razorblade Tears is crime fiction as raw, gutsy and hardcore as it comes . . . definitely not for the faint of heart. As a reader, I found myself wiping tears while cheering these two hellions on through the twisted, action packed plot to the explosive, cinematic conclusion. Images explode on pages soaked in blood, gore, guts, tears - a visual experience down the road to hell crying out for the big screen. But, if you read your way through the heartbreak and violence, you'll discover an undercurrent of hope for a brighter future, for redemption, be it on earth or beyond. A sermon delivered from the pulpit and pen of Author S.A. Cosby to all back-row church goers who refuse to see or hear or believe. A lesson to be learned that I pray will touch and open hearts before it's too late. The time to say I love you is always NOW. Amen.

Highly recommended for fans of hardcore crime fiction and great, heartfelt storytelling everywhere.

Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby
Rating: 4 stars

Two damaged fathers trying to reform come together to try and find out who killed there sons in a brazen shooting in downtown Richmond Virginia. The path they follow is violent, fought with race and often times difficult realities must be confronted to right wrongs.

Comments: A extremely fast paced crime novel of two fathers facing there own biases to find the killer of there once disproving family members. I hoped for more past from the two main characters, but the pages will turn with no wasted effort. Also read Blacktop Wasteland a marvelous crime novel.