Boom Road by Shawn Lawlor

A Fiction Review by James M Fisher

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Sep 18, 2024

Two things attracted me to this book and made me want to read it and review it for The Seaboard Review: firstly, the title, as the actual settlement of Boom Road is close to Miramichi, where I live, and secondly, it was published by Galleon Books, an NB publisher with a great track record of releasing good novels.1

Taking place in the early 80s (long before Yours Truly moved here), Boom Road is a story composed primarily of a group of friends who grew up together and now work at Sutherland’s mill. Jackie O’Connor is the main protagonist, a recently widowed man who is well-respected both at the mill and in the community. His best friend is Donny McGivney, married to Jackie’s first cousin Claire. Jackie loves his dog, Ruby, the Montreal Expos, beer, skating, or paddling on the Northwest Miramichi River, depending on the season. While he can drive, he prefers not to, using the Miramichi River as his road to work and the neighbours.

Jackie also has a side gig delivering bootleg alcohol for “Mean” Mike Emery via the river. Jackie never accepts cash but is paid in kind. Mean Mike also has a meaner sidekick, Kenny Somers, who is his muscle for collecting debts.

The first 60 pages of the book are instrumental in introducing the reader to all the main characters, who, aside from Mike and Kenny, are very likable, as most folks on the Miramichi are. They work hard, like to relax and are community-minded. The story soon takes a turn when Donny becomes deathly sick after a night on the river poaching salmon. He calls in sick to work daily and when Jackie goes to visit him, he confesses that Claire has left him and that he has won the lottery, to the tune of $500,000. As she has just left him, Claire doesn’t know about the winnings. Donny is unsure what to do.

"You lads didn't tell anyone I won the money, did ya?”
“Course not. What do you take us for?"
Just with me and Claire splittin', I want to get that sorted before I collect the money.
"I never took my cousin to be some gold digger... unless you know something I don't.”
“Never said that but a lot has changed in the last week. I don’t want her to leave me but this is all confusin'."
Jackie shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"Donny, you two have been together since we were kids. Don't you want her to stay? Maybe telling her isn't such a bad thing if that's a surefire way of making her stay with ya.”
"Dunno. Did a lot of thinkin'. If she didn't want me when I was poor, maybe to hell with her."
Jackie sighed loudly, removing his ball cap to irritably claw his head.
"Yer puttin' me in an awkward spot, Donny. I can't be lyin’ to her for too long.”
"I know, I know. Look, I got an appointment with one of the lawyers in town tomorrow. I'm going to sort this out before it goes too far down the road.”

Half a million dollars in 1982 is a lot of money, worth over 1.4 million in today’s dollars. Can Jackie keep a secret from his cousin? Will Claire come back? (Donny wants her to.) Will the money change their lives and prove to be more of a curse than a blessing?

“Boom Road is tension-filled and even palpably evil at times. My heart raced as I approached the climax of the story.”

Dark days are ahead for Jackie, Donny and the happy group of co-workers at the mill. Of course, Mean Mike and Kenny get wind of the windfall and are looking to get their hands on it. The remainder of Boom Road is tension-filled and even palpably evil at times. My heart raced as I approached the climax of the story. While the ending was a little too tidy, Boom Road is a great debut from this Miramichi-born writer. With digs at Richard Hatfield and his ill-fated Bricklin2 car, the NDP and the local radio station and its stop-what-you-are-doing-and-listen noon-hour readings of the obituaries, Mr. Lawlor has made his novel a smile-inducing read as well. But you don’t have to be from here to enjoy Boom Road.

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About the Author

Shawn Lawlor is originally from Miramichi, New Brunswick, and currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his wonderful family.

About the Reviewer

James M. Fisher is the Editor-in-Chief of The Seaboard Review. He lives in Miramichi New Brunswick with his wife Diane, their Tabby cat Eddie and Buster the Border Collie. James works as an MRI Technologist at the Miramichi Hospital.