WATERMELON TATTOO
by
Tony Burnett
Psychological Thriller / Suspense
Publisher: Watertower Press
Date of Publication: February 14, 2023
Number of Pages: 300 pages
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Naïve but charismatic farm girl, Jacquelyn Benderman, has her life perfectly planned until her town blames her for the accidental death of the local high school's star running back. Feeling like a pariah, she flees to Austin, Texas where her luck seems to change. Her rapid rise to stardom as a blues diva is derailed when an anonymous stalker begins systematically murdering her associates, leaving the police to suspect her.
As Y2K approaches, she wrestles with the guilt of falling for her roommate, a Romanian folk singer who survives as a call-girl, while the show band she sings with rehearses for a national tour.
Can she protect her new lover from danger? Will the world end at midnight? Is there no hiding place when everyone knows who you are?
PRAISE FOR WATERMELON TATTOO:
“Burnett has created an unconventional and magnetic character who makes a memorable first impression.” --Kirkus Reviews
“Bodies, wrecked and loved, Wiccan handfasting, sex work, guns, watermelons, and music—lots of music—light up this thrilling nail-biter.” --Lesley Bannatyne, author of Unaccustomed
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I'm going to preface this review by saying that this book definitely won't be for everyone. It comes with a LOT of trigger warnings. There are plenty of things in this book that some readers are not going to like. There's sex, drugs, alcohol, Wiccan activities, and portrayals of some people with unconventional lives. The story splits between two best friends: Jaqui and Langley. They go their separate ways pretty early on, but time is divided with each as they engage in relationships and live in two separate areas. Jaqui is the primary focus. She is the wheel around which the story turns.
Jaqui wants to be a singer. She plans to enter a talent show as a singer and hones her abilities by singing at the local church of the Texas town she lives in. Later, she moves away and pursues her music career, stumbling into new opportunities as things in her life fall apart. She has quite a few traumatizing and scary experiences. She makes new friends and gets a couple lovers, including an eventual roommate. This is an LGBTQ relationship.
This book is definitely a ride. It's wild, it's unconventional, and it's very...I kind of want to say seedy. When you think of musical underbellies and people having a rough time of things, THIS is what I imagine their lives would kind of be like. This is the vibe I get from those scenarios and challenges. I wouldn't call this a noir novel, but it certainly shares some thematic elements with the genre. It's kind of cynical, there's a lot of moral ambiguity, and there is some crazy stuff going on.
I wasn't always crazy about the portrayal of women in this novel - or at least not of some of the thoughts about the women had by some of the surrounding cast. I guess that's also just kind of life though. There are people who don't place high values on some women and just see them in certain ways. This book definitely feels like it's full of caricatures that gravitate around the notions of the classic mantra: sex, drugs, & rock n' roll.
As a caricature with noir elements, this book will certainly find its audience. However, I do think it will be a niche group of readers. This book isn't for the average reader. It's a bit too harsh and rough around the edges, which is where it just comfortably seems to exist. It thrives in its resting on the edge. It hits with a hard, crazy opening, then mellows out to set up the story, before jumping in hard again with wild events. If that's your kind of book, I definitely recommend it. If the edgy components seem to be too much for you based on this review - then it will absolutely be too edgy for your comfort. Be sure to check ALL the content warnings before trying it out. I give Watermelon Tattoo a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯ and a half stars. It's not my favorite book of this year so far, but I definitely see it being an entertaining experience for many other readers.
One thing I really did like was the music headlined chapters which were all titled after songs. I love when books incorporate and center around music. I actually would've liked to have had more music in this book with it as a bigger focus without some of the sidesteps with Langley and Katrine. They were important and I see how it all connects, I just had the most enjoyment from the musical components and dialogue involving it. I think I'd have loved this more if it maintained a smoky Jazz club vibe than a noir-esque one.
Award-winning poet and songwriter Tony Burnett is the Executive Director of Kallisto Gaia Press. He served as President of the Writers’ League of Texas from 2013 to 2017. His poetry, short fiction, and environmentally focused nonfiction appear in over 70 publications. His previous books include the story collection, Southern Gentlemen and a full-length poetry collection, The Reckless Hope of Scoundrels. He resides in rural central Texas with his trophy wife and several rescue dogs who pay him no mind unless hungry. His hobbies include poking wasp nests with short sticks and wandering aimlessly about. He hopes you enjoy meeting his imaginary friends.
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This is a great review, and I agree that for the same reasons the book wasn't your favorite, it just might be for someone else. Love that you used the word "seedy." Gives a perfect depiction of the tone. I look forward to reading the book.
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