"Thought-provoking novel"
In Glen Oaks, New York, retired racing car champ
Tucker "Menace" Quaid comes to town to try to revive the
flailing track. He accepted the invitation of the town
leaders because he feels guilty that ten years ago his
driving caused the death of a local rival Danny Donovan.
Danny's teenage son Ron hates Tucker and slashes the
visitor's vehicle. The police arrest Ron for the
vandalism, but his mom Beth and his Uncle Linc Grayson
intercede. When Tucker learns who the teen is he wants to
let him go because he blames himself for the lad's
troubles. Shockingly, neither Beth nor Linc accuse him of
negligence. Tucker's presence leads to Ron spinning further out of
control. Adding to his woes is that his mother and his
father's killer are falling in love. The members of the
Outlaws, a former gang of disenfranchised teens in the
early 1980s, are divided with what Tucker did to one of
them and the support he receives from their former leader
Linc and his sister Beth. This contemporary romance provides the audience with a
strong psychological look at the surviving five members of
the Outlaws, Ron, and Tucker. Each one of these seven
characters carries tons of baggage with their ability to
cope and adapt varying. That makes for a deep read, but
the complexity of so much mental stress is difficult to
follow. Readers will trust in Kathryn Shay to provide a
thought-provoking novel that focuses on how nurturing makes
the adult complete. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 28, 2003
SummaryAs teenagers, they were called the Outlaws and they kept
the police of Glen Oaks on their toes. Though the tight-
knit group has left their checkered pasts behind, time has
not been kind to the six friends. Beth Donovan is now a
widow raising a teenage son alone. Linc and Margo are
living proof that sometimes love is not enough. And Joe
has hurt Annie as badly as a man can hurt a woman...
But now, the man blamed for Beth's husband's death is back
in town. Three-time Winston Cup champ Tucker Quaid has
come to try to revive Glen Oaks' flagging racing scene.
His very presence sends Beth's already troubled son into a
downward spiral. With her friends rallying around her, old
grievances—and passions—flare. Just when they
thought their crazy days were over, the Outlaws are about
to discover that no one can predict what lies around the
next turn on the track...
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