Wheel Man

by Gene Triplett

In the winter of 1990, Oklahomas economy is still recovering from the crash of the states oil boom and the failure of many a family farm. Despite the burst bubble, illicit drug trafficking is thriving, and cocaine is king. Amidst the rubble is Ringera down-and-out racecar star whos desperate for a comeback after a four-year stretch in prison for transporting marijuana. When Ringers old drug-dealing friend, Darryl-Jack Chaney, offers him an iffy second chance in the form of a small town bank job, Ringer accepts the risk as getaway driver, figuring why not? Hes got nowhere to go but up. Instead of making a payday, though, Ringer ends up double-crossed by his pal, who leaves him for dead and absconds not only with the cash but Ringers wife Julie, too.Ringer survives the murderous betrayal and sets out on a different kind of comeback. No longer does he seek the glamour of racecar driving. Instead, hes out for bloody revenge. Ringer embarks on a rampage of guns, deadly car chases, and a showdown only one man will survive, proving its never good to cross a man with nothing left to lose.

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2016

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book recently in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

This was a great thriller and is one of the best that I have read this year. I hope to read more books by this author. Recommended.

[Matthew Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollicking, dangerous crime novel by Gene Triplett. Those of you who know Gene already know he's a great editor and a fantastic writer. While I've read hundreds of his articles, this was the first time I've read any of his fiction. And I loved it! In the book, Ringer's a former NASCAR driver who takes a fall for a friend and ends up doing four years in jail. Once he gets out, the only work he can find is of the slightly illegal variety, and he ends up pulling a bank heist with the same friend before everything goes wrong. Ringer must try to keep ahead of multiple groups of bad guys on his tail while attempting to reunite with his wife. The story, set in 1990 Oklahoma, brings the area to life with vivid descriptions. The characters are also well-drawn, from amoral to kind-hearted to everywhere in between. The story is in places brutal, but fans of hard-boiled crime will find a new hero - with a bit of a crooked halo - in Ringer and "Wheel Man."

[Elaine Mayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I liked this book enough to add Mr. Gone, another book by this author, to my want-to-read stack. His writing is sometimes purple prose and there were minor editing problems with the book. An intriguing plot with interesting characters and no sagging in the middle.