Ten years after winning the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, my debut book is on the road again—with great thanks to Level Best Books and specifically Shawn Reilly Simmons and Deborah Well for their encouragement, attention, and patience.
Here’s the cover blurb for the new edition:
Del’s a small-time crook with a moral conscience—robbing convenience stores for tuition and academic expenses. Brash and sassy Louise goes from being a holdup victim to Del’s lover and accomplice. Hitching their meager fortunes together, they set out in search of a fresh start, an honest life, and a chance to build a family. Fueled by road-trip energy and rom-com vibes, their journey takes them cross-country—with pit stops into every brand of suspense: a real-estate scam in Southern California, a screwball heist in Napa Valley, a hold-up in a Vegas wedding chapel, and a wintry detour into North Dakota noir before a sharp turn toward Louise’s home state of North Carolina. But is home where the heart is—or just another brand of heartache threatening their happily-ever-after?
I’m grateful to be adding some new blurbs from great authors alongside Donna Andrews’ original praise:
“Art Taylor writes the kind of short fiction that lingers with readers long after they’ve finished the book, and On the Road with Del and Louise is no exception. The perfect mixture of gripping suspense, compelling characterization, and more twists and turns than a mountain road, Taylor’s novel-in-stories featuring a duo of quasi-criminals is as successful in taking readers on a scenic trip across the United States as it is in taking them on a trip through many different subgenres of crime fiction. Filled with adventure and heart, On the Road with Del and Louise is a thrilling road trip readers will enjoy to the very last mile.” — Ashley-Ruth Bernier, author of The Bush Tea Murder
“I love reading Art Taylor’s work. His vivid characters, captivating plots, lyrical writing, and willingness to play with structure result in stories you’ll find hard to put down and even harder to forget. His writing not only entertains, it inspires.”—Barb Goffman, winner of the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Macavity, and Ellery Queen Readers Award
“Art Taylor uses his mastery of the short story to create On the Road with Del & Louise, a novel-in-stories. Though each story stands alone, when read together the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts in this compelling must-read novel.” — Michael Bracken, Edgar and Shamus Award-nominated author
“Warm yet unsentimental, down-to-earth and pragmatic without being cynical—Art Taylor’s characters, like his voice, are a breath of fresh air. Don’t miss the chance to go on the road with Del and Louise.” — Donna Andrews, Agatha Award-Winning Author of the Meg Langslow Mysteries
And here’s a sampling of the reviews from the original edition—still cherishing all the kind words:
“Sweet, endearing, charming, quirky, a delightful romp.” — Tara Campbell, Washington Independent Review of Books
“The heart and soul of the book is about family and our desire to find our own place in this world, surrounded by those we love and who love us in return.” — Kristopher Zgorski, BOLO Books
“Because the story is so grounded in imperfect humanity and told so convincingly, we share Del and Louise’s bumpy ride, rooting for them every mile of the way.” — Victoria Weisfeld, Crime Fiction Lover
Last but hardly least, you can order the new edition in paperback and for your Kindle—and likely more places soon too!