Corrosion

Jon Bassoff teaches high school in Colorado. He's also a novelist with eight published books, including The Disassembled Man, which is scheduled for a film adaptation starring Emile Hirsch. My first experience with Bassoff is his debut book, Corrosion, originally published in 2013. It now exists in both physical and digital versions through Down & Out Books. 

Corrosion is a powerful crime-fiction novel with comparisons to Cormac McCarth (No Country For Old Men). I can't say I've ever read a book quite like it. The story is set in a rural mountain town amidst disparity, depression, and poverty. The beginning of the book is from the viewpoint of Joseph Downs, a disfigured Iraq war vet who drifts into town and meets a whore named Lilith. Lonely and broke, Joseph finds acceptance in the arms of Lilith and will do anything to keep her. 

The middle of Bassoff's narrative switches the time-period and perspective. This portion is from the viewpoint of Benton Faulk, a young boy living in this small town seven years prior to Downs' arrival. His father is deranged and his mother is dying. Faulk escapes his miserable life by obsessing over a waitress named Constance while also fantasizing about becoming a war hero in Iraq. 

These two characters, and their experiences, eventually cross paths and the end result is a moving piece about loneliness and rejection. It's hard to describe any other portions of the book for fear of spoiling your enjoyment. That would be a terrible disservice to you. I highly recommend Corrosion, it's a solid first effort from an author that you should be reading. 

Get a copy HERE