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A Temporary Thing
I didn't start out to be a criminal. I just sorta fell into it. When Lyle Villines learns his daughter has leukemia, he searches for a way to pay the huge medical bills that come with the condition. In desperation, he takes a well-paying, under-the-table job driving a delivery van. He doesn't know what the cargo is, but the pay is enough to make him ignore that for the sake of his child.Lyle questions his decision when he's hijacked on the interstate and left alive only so he can deliver a message to his employer. Turns out the load wasn't exactly legal. Nor was it insured, meaning he will have to pay for the loss by taking on a new job--cooking meth. Not only does it pay better, his boss says, it keeps him off the road. When Lyle objects, he's given a simple choice. He can either take the opportunity, or his family will suffer. Faced with no other option, the only thing to do is follow orders... and hope he can get out alive.
164 pages, Paperback
Published July 24, 2018
1 person is currently reading
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About the author
Gil Miller
25 books8 followersGil had a normal upbringing, which means his parents aren't to blame for him going into crime (fiction). Instead, he blames a steady diet of movies, shows, and books, from Miami Vice and Scarface in the '80s to Breaking Bad and Justified in the '00s. To cap it all off, he discovered authors such as Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Don Winslow, and the late, great Elmore Leonard. Gil is a member of the Northwest Arkansas Writers Workshop, whose members sometimes wonder where he gets his inspiration. He makes his home outside Fayetteville, where he is at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 18, 2017
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't really had expectations when started this book. It felt like Breaking Bad pretty quickly. Lyle is a nice main character who can make you understand what he feels and why he makes certain choices. I found the story to be pretty predictable and the end felt rushed for me. I did read this story within a day, so it got me hooked and it was a nice, short read.
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
Pros
Final sentence: The title of this book totally snapped in place with the final sentence. That was such a strong part of this book that left me fulfilled and pleased with this final sentence. I totally believe first sentences and last sentences can be pretty important for a book. This book finished with a great one!
Fast paced: The story starts right away and keeps going at a nice fast pace. There is never a dull moment and it feels like Lyle is actually telling you about this time in his life. For me the book could even use more length, I'd love to read more, that's a good thing!
Reflective character: Like I said above, Lyle can make you understand what he feels and why he makes certain choices. He is great at reflecting on his own behavior and other people's behavior. Sometimes he's maybe a bit naive and impulsive in the way he does things, but the strong thing is that he knows this about himself and is not afraid to say so.
Cons
Spoken language: The story is written as a spoken language. It's like Lyle is talking; instead of nothing, it says "nothin". I get that this is probably the way Lyle pronounces his words and I totally understand that it should add to the story and maybe was a choice of the author, but it distracted me. Every time a word was written in spoken language I was thinking it over and I looked up different words on the Internet, because English is not my native language. So I kept wondering; "Is this how you spell this word?" And then I would look it up and got distracted.
Rushed story: I felt this book could use more pages. At some point in the story it felt rushed. Things go so fast that you can't adapt to the new situation. The story was enjoyable and I'm sure that a couple of chapters extra would still make this a nice and quick read. I love the fast paced way the story is written, but at some point, after 50% things started to feel rushed.
Abrupt ending: The book ends very abrupt for me. I don't want to spoil anything so I can't say too much, but the ending deserved more, except for the nice final sentence.
A nice crime story for fans of Breaking Bad. A great reflective and caring character. A fast paced story that will not be dull for a moment. And if you like crime, you should give this short story a try!
I didn't really had expectations when started this book. It felt like Breaking Bad pretty quickly. Lyle is a nice main character who can make you understand what he feels and why he makes certain choices. I found the story to be pretty predictable and the end felt rushed for me. I did read this story within a day, so it got me hooked and it was a nice, short read.
This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog
Pros
Final sentence: The title of this book totally snapped in place with the final sentence. That was such a strong part of this book that left me fulfilled and pleased with this final sentence. I totally believe first sentences and last sentences can be pretty important for a book. This book finished with a great one!
Fast paced: The story starts right away and keeps going at a nice fast pace. There is never a dull moment and it feels like Lyle is actually telling you about this time in his life. For me the book could even use more length, I'd love to read more, that's a good thing!
Reflective character: Like I said above, Lyle can make you understand what he feels and why he makes certain choices. He is great at reflecting on his own behavior and other people's behavior. Sometimes he's maybe a bit naive and impulsive in the way he does things, but the strong thing is that he knows this about himself and is not afraid to say so.
Cons
Spoken language: The story is written as a spoken language. It's like Lyle is talking; instead of nothing, it says "nothin". I get that this is probably the way Lyle pronounces his words and I totally understand that it should add to the story and maybe was a choice of the author, but it distracted me. Every time a word was written in spoken language I was thinking it over and I looked up different words on the Internet, because English is not my native language. So I kept wondering; "Is this how you spell this word?" And then I would look it up and got distracted.
Rushed story: I felt this book could use more pages. At some point in the story it felt rushed. Things go so fast that you can't adapt to the new situation. The story was enjoyable and I'm sure that a couple of chapters extra would still make this a nice and quick read. I love the fast paced way the story is written, but at some point, after 50% things started to feel rushed.
Abrupt ending: The book ends very abrupt for me. I don't want to spoil anything so I can't say too much, but the ending deserved more, except for the nice final sentence.
A nice crime story for fans of Breaking Bad. A great reflective and caring character. A fast paced story that will not be dull for a moment. And if you like crime, you should give this short story a try!
January 3, 2017
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I rarely read stories where the main characters are involved in the drug trade, but in this case the story was very well written and the reader could easily feel sympathy for the reasons behind what the main character encountered. Another element that I was surprised by is the author's use of vernacular language. This could have easily become a parody of rural characters, but instead added to the authenticity of the story. The setting was very realistic, and the intelligence of the characters quickly became evident. If you are looking for a true-to-life story of how families do what is necessary to survive, this series is spot on.
January 26, 2017
I did not for one second believe that I would enjoy this book. But the voice of the main character is so relatable, and his situation is so believable. What lengths would you go to in order to help a loved one with their medical bills? He is faced with some tough choices, but in reality, he has no choice. Bills must be paid. And he must do whatever it takes or risk losing the one he loves most. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
Read
February 17, 2023I will admit that this is not the type of book I would normally pick up, but I'm so glad I did. Lyle is an every day husband and father who simply gets caught up in something he isn't prepared for. You'll sympathize, you'll empathize, and you'll think of his family as your own.
June 5, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
""Sometimes you do what you got to do ...""
Lyle is an ordinary man, divorced from Pattie but still in close contact with his children, working as a forklift truck driver, nothing extraordinary. Then he gets a phone call from his ex-wife - his young daughter has leukaemia. When the treatment bills mount into the much-more-than-half-a-million dollars, he's offered a way to make extra money. He's suspicious, uncertain, but "you do what you got to for your kids."
I'm sure every parent can relate to his desperation Lyle felt. I know I do, especially since I've been in his position of having a little girl with childhood cancer and the gruelling regime of chemotherapy and hope. But I was lucky: her treatment bills, enormous though they must have been, were all taken care of by the National Health System. Even so, it left us in debt. How terrible then to not only have to go through the trauma of the illness but also face those ever mounting financial costs and the absolute necessity for extra cash, not just a few pounds but a small fortune.
So Lyle gladly accepts the chance to make extra money and closes his eyes to what is really going on.
Written as an account left by Lyle himself, his story is sensitively and well constructed leading us, with slowly building tensions, through to the possibly unexpected ending. Narrator Tommy G. Hendrick is completely believable as Lyle, his pleasant slow delivery with it's unsophisticated (southern?) accent perfectly mirroring the picture drawn of the man doing what he can and then going beyond that, for love of his child. I soon forgot that this was simply a story and listened as if to a new friend reliving his past. There is action here, but slow moving, mostly. Instead, it is the character of the man and the choices he makes which hold the listener throughout.
This book is an unexpected gem. I was freely gifted, A Temporary Thing, by the rights holder via Audiobook Boom and when I received it had no real idea what to expect. I have now noted both author and narrator as voices to look out for in the future and would very much like to read a sequel to this story, so reluctant am I to say goodbye to Lyle and his family and friends.
Highly recommended
""Sometimes you do what you got to do ...""
Lyle is an ordinary man, divorced from Pattie but still in close contact with his children, working as a forklift truck driver, nothing extraordinary. Then he gets a phone call from his ex-wife - his young daughter has leukaemia. When the treatment bills mount into the much-more-than-half-a-million dollars, he's offered a way to make extra money. He's suspicious, uncertain, but "you do what you got to for your kids."
I'm sure every parent can relate to his desperation Lyle felt. I know I do, especially since I've been in his position of having a little girl with childhood cancer and the gruelling regime of chemotherapy and hope. But I was lucky: her treatment bills, enormous though they must have been, were all taken care of by the National Health System. Even so, it left us in debt. How terrible then to not only have to go through the trauma of the illness but also face those ever mounting financial costs and the absolute necessity for extra cash, not just a few pounds but a small fortune.
So Lyle gladly accepts the chance to make extra money and closes his eyes to what is really going on.
Written as an account left by Lyle himself, his story is sensitively and well constructed leading us, with slowly building tensions, through to the possibly unexpected ending. Narrator Tommy G. Hendrick is completely believable as Lyle, his pleasant slow delivery with it's unsophisticated (southern?) accent perfectly mirroring the picture drawn of the man doing what he can and then going beyond that, for love of his child. I soon forgot that this was simply a story and listened as if to a new friend reliving his past. There is action here, but slow moving, mostly. Instead, it is the character of the man and the choices he makes which hold the listener throughout.
This book is an unexpected gem. I was freely gifted, A Temporary Thing, by the rights holder via Audiobook Boom and when I received it had no real idea what to expect. I have now noted both author and narrator as voices to look out for in the future and would very much like to read a sequel to this story, so reluctant am I to say goodbye to Lyle and his family and friends.
Highly recommended
February 19, 2016
The main character in this novel completely fascinated me. Miller's voice is unique and interesting, and the world he fabricated felt so real to me. It was like I was listening to a friend tell me his life's story... and I was riveted. The setting became another character for me, as real and vibrant as anyone in the book. This story has an emotional trigger followed by an action-packed plot, and I couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews