Brut

by Sam Tallent

A propulsive, electrifying novel about a hitman who is forced to take an impossible job, by the rising literary sensation and comedian Sam Tallent, author of Running The Light

Robert Beaujolais forfeited the last years of his youth to the Marines, watching his friends die. Beaujolais survived, but civilian life made him regret it. Compared to the truth of war, peace fit him like a casket. At least he was in love, even if he was the only one who could admit it. They were together - until they weren't.

Then, out of nothing, the architects of the world offer Beaujolais a job in the blood business. They prefer to call it arbitration, but Beauj knows murder - killing is his calling - and as an arbiter, Beauj is the ultimate judge.

But when Beaujolais botches a simple hit in San Francisco, his shadowy employers manifest to remind him that he is, in fact, capable of dying. Beauj is given a kill or be erased. The destination is Paris; the target is Europe's last remaining godfather, the Archangel of Florence.

A blistering tale of love and violence, Brut is the story of a man measuring the circumference of his soul in bulletholes. Is his or any other life worth saving? Only the arbiter can decide.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

Known for whip-quick wit and rollicking improvisations, Sam Tallent is one of the sharpest, most original rising talents in comedy today. For the last 10 years, he has performed at least 45 weekends annually across America, Canada and France. Called "the absurd voice of a surreal generation" by the Denver Post, Sam is beloved by fans of contemporary comedy. He was a New Face at the 2019 Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, he won his battle on Comedy Central's Roast Battle, hosted the Denver episode of VICELAND's Flophouse and appeared on the Chris Gerhard Show to impress a girl. His critically acclaimed debut novel Running the Light - heralded as the “definitive novel about stand up comedy” (Marc Maron, WTF) - was published by Too Big to Fail Press in 2020 and his short fiction has been published on VICE.com and in BIRDY magazine. He lives in Colorado with his wife and his dog.