Third Wheel: A coming of age thriller by Richard R Becker

Third Wheel is a powerful coming-of-age thriller about belonging, betrayal, and breaking away. It is the story of a boy trying to find his identity by taking chances on random and fragile relationships forged in the pre-boomtown hours of Las Vegas, 1982.

Brady Wilks, a teenage transplant from the Midwest, navigates life and an improbable romantic interest in the dusty suburban outskirts of an infamous 24-hour desert town built by the Mob. Outcast as a newcomer, Brady forges a brotherly bond with an older teenage neighbor, Mick, and his friend, Brett. When Brett moves away, Mick invites a new kid into their pack, squeezing out the last remnants of their childhood in favor of cartel-supplied drugs and the deal of a lifetime. Estranged from his family at home, Brady goes along to get along until the stakes become too high and threaten the lives of those he cares about.

Desolate and gritty, Third Wheel is a triumphant debut novel, and Brady Wilks is remarkable as a transformative protagonist. Five-time award-winning author Richard R. Becker once again shares his unique insight into the human condition.