LIBERTY JUSTICE

An Oklahoma teenager and her drug-addicted mother find themselves on the run from cops and a sadistic hit man in McKay’s thriller.

Liberty Justice’s days are filled with misery and heartbreak. The 13-year-old girl cares for her mom, JJ, who spends much of her time in a heroin haze. The two live in a run-down mobile home and barely have money for groceries, and none of JJ’s past boyfriends have been much help over the years; some of them were even abusive. One day, a drug dealer shoves his way through their front door, claiming that JJ has stolen from him. He seems intent on killing them both, so they fight back, resulting in his death. Liberty—who’s convinced that police will put her in foster care even if they believe the death was accidental—and JJ hop into their van and speed away. But it’s not only the cops they have to worry about; soon, someone else sics an assassin on them. The hit man’s name is Jon Grinder; his kills leave no trace, and he’s notorious for his brutal, torturous ways. As he hunts the mother and daughter, they use what little cash they have to stay alive and keep ahead of the authorities. Most of their friends and family members aren’t willing or able to help; however, some of them are dealers, and if JJ doesn’t give in to her heroin cravings, she’ll soon be facing serious withdrawal. Liberty is smart and resilient enough to get herself and her mother far—but how far must one go to escape a hellbent professional killer?

Over the course of this crime novel, McKay, the author of Tree of Souls (2020), develops his characters exceedingly well. Liberty, in particular, is a superlative hero; she doesn’t suffer bullies gladly, and she refuses to give up on her mom. Indeed, her relationship with her mother is the novel’s highlight, and it offers a realistically somber portrayal of the effects of a debilitating addiction on a family. JJ is also sympathetic; in between highs, she proves to be a capable, protective parent. Grinder is revealed to have history with JJ and a desire for revenge; he’s just one of a cast of grim souls who are prone to violence and betrayal. Fortunately, Detective Clay Baxter, the cop chasing Liberty and JJ, provides a glimmer of hope; he finds a way to communicate with the teen, and they manage to find common ground, as he also once lived with an addict mother. McKay’s unadorned prose helps the novel keep up a narrative pace that, like its main characters, rarely slows down. Still, quieter moments shine; in one such scene, Grinder chillingly weighs the pros and cons of killing a random couple when they’re about to discover the body of a person he killed. The suspense ramps up in the final act, as Liberty, JJ, and others inevitably clash, and a few twists and a surprise villain are revealed before a stellar ending.

A brisk and affecting chase narrative with dynamic, well-developed characters.