The Big Crush

by David J. Schow

Hot pursuit, run-and-gun action, and a romantic obsession at the center of it all.

WHAT IF you reached out on the internet to that long-ago crush you had in high school…and she turned out to be a contract assassin with you on her hit list?

WHAT IF you viewed these outrageous events through the lens of cinema, making real life and reel life collide and turning your own narrative into a Hollywood free-for-all?

WHAT IF you tumbled into an underworld where no one is who they say they are…where no one can be trusted…and everyone is out for blood from someone else?

Especially you.

Could fearing for your life be the ultimate aphrodisiac?

THE BIG CRUSH is a contemporary urban thriller. A modern Los Angeles noir. Black ops. Murder for hire. And a love story about people invisible to the citizens of the ordinary, waking world.

360 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2019

About the author

David J. Schow is an American author of horror novels, short stories, and screenplays, associated with the "splatterpunk" movement of the late '80s and early '90s. Most recently he has moved into the crime genre.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A DVD reviewer who moons over a high school crush who barely noticed him. A crack team of assassins at war with each other. Double crosses and fate-filled internet searches. A snarky attitude carries the first section of the book, but then....

[Karl]

This hardcover is Limited: 1000 signed numbered hardcover copies, this copy is marked PC of 1000 produced. This copy is signed by David J. Schow.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic prose with literary undertones, The Big Crush goes above and beyond the pop fiction thriller to deliver a smart, almost thesis stylised action packed tale of revenge and idealism infused with a relatable nostalgia that harks the reader back in time and makes you wonder ‘what if?’; be careful of hitting those key strokes. Loved it.

[deep]

PW Starred: Schow (Upgunned) keeps the banter light and the gunplay heavy in this furiously paced spree of a thriller. The trouble begins when L.A. DVD inspector Dave Vollmand, whose job is “to technically vet the DVDs you rent, buy or download,” impulsively looks up his old high school crush, Daisy Villareal, through an online locator site and arranges to meet her. Bad news: it turns out that Daisy is an assassin for hire with numerous kills to her credit. Worse news: Daisy is being targeted by Rolf Dettrick, an important player in a professional hit organization, who owes Daisy serious payback for betraying him. Dave and Daisy are soon on the run from Rolf and a goon squad that has dibs on both for past indiscretions that gradually come to light. Schow presents alternating chapters from the viewpoint of characters with a variety of different aliases, then torques the plot with so many outrageous twists that they cease to be unbelievable. His mordant reflections on the hazards of social media and on how sharply reality deviates from the action portrayed in movies based on stories like this one give this novel’s wild events surprising gravity. (Feb.)

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Every computer in the world should have a button marked Take It Back. A convenient time-travel option that permits the withdrawal of bad choices, or the elimination of the wrong keystroke for the fumble-fingered. Take It Back. Be careful what you wish for."*

Everyone has that story about the guy or gal they lusted after back in the day, who for whatever reason, didn't turn into a dream date. Maybe the courage to ask them out was never summoned or maybe it was a case of unrequited infatuation. The thing is, the person often tends to become the subject of "what could have been" dreaming or rainy day internet stalking. On dark days, sometimes both. THE BIG CRUSH is the story of a missed high school love connection that turns out to be way more than David bargained for. His quest for a second chance with Daisy, his high school dream girl, sends him running for his life, revealing his secrets, and burning down his whole world.

THE BIG CRUSH is full of beautiful writing and complex characters. The story mixes nostalgia for lost love with a thrill ride full of gun-toting assassins with a pinch of the supernatural. The author gets into the heads of many of the characters, but he never lets the reader forget the story is David's, by using his first person point of view, while relegating the others to third person.

I love the idea of second chances and revisiting the past. The action sequences make for a fun read and David's ruminations about his life, love, and German Shepard give the book heart.

THE BIG CRUSH is the third installment of an unofficial trilogy set in Los Angeles. The city and a few crossover characters tie the stories together, but each provides a standalone experience.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the opportunity to experience this novel in advance of its release.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great tale! Had the feel of an Ellroy novel. Highly recommended. And best thing is this book is part of a trilogy so there’s more Schow to discover.