QUALITY AUTOMOTIVE

In Burrell’s novel, a troubled young man struggles with the consequences of his decisions and embarks on a winding road to recovery.

Jaded but headstrong 22-year-old Alabamian David Clayton is about to begin two years of probation. His surly probation officer, Richard Mobley, seems sure that David will quickly relapse into drug abuse—and although David displays outward confidence, he inwardly believes that he’s headed toward more trouble. Fortunately, David finds comfort and support in a relationship with former high school classmate Sandra Crowder, which gives him the courage to push back against his past bad habits. His efforts lead him to a job at Quality Automotive, a rusty used-car lot on the side of the highway, where he meets an eclectic group of detailers and salespeople whom he grows to love. David’s future is looking bright, but people from his past—and the traps of his own mind—threaten to destroy his fragile progress. Burrell’s use of first-person narration deftly balances David’s interiority with his encounters with the surrounding world; the author also incorporates lively dialogue and humor into an otherwise bleak narrative. Readers learn, for instance, that the tough-as-nails employees at Quality Automotive also serve as church deacons (“Why not?” one of them says with a shrug). The language that David uses in his judgments doesn’t hold back, as evidenced by graphic descriptions and portrayals of certain characters. Overall, Burrell’s novel is highly appealing and engaging; David’s journey is far from easy, but as he celebrates the small victories in his life, readers will find it’s a trip well worth taking.

A well-crafted and fast-paced underdog story that’s unflinchingly real and notably affecting.