The Spark and the Drive

When 17-year-old Justin is given the chance to apprentice with the best car mechanic in the east, he learns much more than how to rebuild an engine. Narrator Quincy Dunn-Baker colors his performance with an earnestness that is meant to reflect Justin's na•ve eagerness to emulate his mentor, both on and off the job. Dunn-Baker is not convincing as a teenager, and listeners must remind themselves that Justin is still quite young. In addition, Baker's delivery takes on a rolling cadence that doesn't fit the pace of this coming-of-age story or the daily rhythms of work in the garage. He does, however, give each character a clear and consistent voice and infuses the dialogue with a satisfying level of emotion. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

May 19, 2014
It’s 1985, and unpopular 17-year-old Justin Bailey lands an internship at Out of the Hole, a garage specializing in muscle cars in Waterbury, Conn. There, he’s surrounded by a cast of gearheads and rubs elbows with Nick Campbell, the shop’s owner and mechanical guru, who takes Justin under his wing. Working for Nick full-time after graduating high school, Justin entwines himself in his boss’s life, befriending him, learning about the loss of Nick’s toddler, and eventually having an affair with his wife, Mary Ann. Meanwhile, Justin and Nick take to drag racing an ultra-rare Corvette left at the shop after it’s owner, a Miami drug dealer, is murdered. Money and lies pile up, and it isn’t long before Nick confesses secrets to his protégé that force Justin to question their relationship. A tale of growing up—Harrison’s debut novel crackles with life, immersing the reader in the world of muscle cars while weaving a complex narrative that oscillates between the familiar and the unusual. A smart, insightful read.