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PRODUCT
Broiler
Product Description:
Price:
$14.99
Detailed description:
The troubles of two desperate families—one white, one Mexican American—converge in the ruthless underworld of an Arkansas chicken processing plant in this new thriller from the award-winning author of Don’t Know Tough.
Gabriela Menchaca and Edwin Saucedo are hardworking, undocumented employees at the Detmer Foods chicken plant in Springdale, Arkansas, just a stone’s throw from the trailer park where they’ve lived together for seven years. While dealing with personal tragedies of their own, the young couple endures the brutal, dehumanizing conditions at the plant in exchange for barebones pay.
When the plant manager, Luke Jackson, fires Edwin to set an example for the rest of the workers—and to show the higherups that he’s ready for a major promotion—Edwin is determined to get revenge on Luke and his wife, Mimi, a new mother who stays at home with her six-month-old son. Edwin’s impulsive action sets in motion a devastating chain of events that illuminates the deeply entrenched power dynamics between those who revel at the top and those who toil at the bottom.
From the nationally bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of Don’t Know Tough and Ozark Dogs comes another edge-of-your-seat noir thriller that exposes the dark, bloody heart of life on the margins in the American South and the bleak underside of a bygone American Dream.
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Product group:
Categories: Best Books of 2024 So Far
Product name:
Broiler
Price:
$14.99
Jule –
I recommend this book to women & anyone else who loves crime novels. I like his character development, the way the story starts slow then bursts into flame. I started this yesterday afternoon and stopped only to get some sleep. Finished today. I hope he has lots more stories to tell. His other 2 books are excellent as well. Keep going, Eli!
Mark Goodwich –
**Five Star Review for “Broiler” by Eli Cranor**
Cranor’s narrative skillfully delves into the complexities of small-town life, exploring themes of loyalty, betrayal, and redemption with an authenticity that resonates deeply.
The pacing is impeccable, balancing moments of intense action with reflective passages that provide insight into the characters’ motivations and fears. The dialogue is sharp and realistic, further immersing you in the world Cranor has created. The plot twists are well-crafted and surprising, keeping you on the edge of your seat.
“Broiler” is more than just a thriller; it’s a profound exploration of the human spirit. Eli Cranor has crafted a novel that is not only a page-turner but also a thought-provoking read that stays with you long after you’ve finished.
Trent Reinsmith –
Eli Cranor won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author for his 2022 book, “Don’t Know Tough.” In 2023, Cranor followed that with “Ozark Dogs.” Both works featured a small cast of characters involved in, let’s call it, the gritty side of life. “Broiler” is along those same lines, but with his latest release, Cranor steps a bit outside that world and adds the more comfortable but no less cruel world of an executive at a chicken processing plant to the mix. Hence the title, “Broiler,” and the cover image of a feather.
“Broiler” follows two couples on opposite sides of the processing plant hierarchy. On one side are Edwin and Gabriela, who work long shifts on the line. On the other side are Luke, who manages the plant, and his wife, Mimi.
Edwin and Gabriela are undocumented laborers who spend their days shifting between their trailer and the plant in their barely-making-it Dodge Neon. At the plant, the two work dangerous but repetitive jobs in hazardous conditions. They are forced to wear diapers because the broilers never stop coming down the line, and the supervisors rarely allow the workers to take bathroom breaks. The two have worked at the plant for seven years, but there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, as Gabriela has been scrupulously budgeting their money to get them out of the trailer park.
Meanwhile, Luke and Mimi live comfortably with their newborn son in the mansion they built before Luke was promoted to plant manager. Both Jacksons have late-model vehicles. She drives a Toyota 4Runner, and he owns a “hundred-thousand-dollar Ford.” While Mimi is suffering through postpartum depression, Luke is doing everything he can to get a promotion that will take him out of the plant and into the corporate offices.
Things go awry for both couples when Luke fires Edwin for being late on the day of an important, to Luke, inspection at the plant. The abrupt dismissal and a quickly grabbed bag set the novel’s action, a kidnapping, in motion.
This is also the point where Cranor does an excellent job of developing the characters and showing how alike Luke and Edwin are and the similarities between Gabriela and Mimi. It’s this action that drives the rest of the novel.
Luke and Edwin are the type of screw-ups who don’t, or can’t see that they are screw-ups. They’re men of conviction, but they cannot or will not process why they have those convictions, nor do they take the time to think about how their actions affect those around them, especially the women they profess to love and respect.
Mimi and Gabriele are left to clean up the messes their significant others create. However, Mimi and Gabriele are smart enough to see when things have reached a point of no return. When the situation reaches that point, the two women must think about how to extract themselves from the bleak situation Luke and Edwin created.
Cranor has taken a big step with “Broiler,” one his previous works hinted at. He looks at contemporary problems in today’s society in a way that most books that fall under the “crime” or “noir” heading do not. Cranor’s examination of the modern workforce, class, and the societal issues created under capitalism are some driving forces behind “Broiler.” Cranor also tackles relationships, masculinity, and force of will to make the novel a more full and fulfilling read.
With “Broiler,” Cranor is still working in the Southern noir/crime genre, but he is expanding his view, making this a powerful work.
Bonnie Brody –
Eli Cranor has written a powerful and disturbing novel about the horrid conditions facing workers in a broiler chicken plant. Many of the workers are undocumented Mexicans. They are not allowed bathroom breaks during their 10 hour shifts so many of them come to work wearing adult diapers. The plant is kept at 40 degrees fahrenheit to prevent the spread of bacteria and the workers have to bundle up in order to retain their body warmth.
Gabby and Edwin are a couple who met in highschool and have been working at the Detmer Chicken Plant for seven years. Gabby’s hands and knuckles are deformed from the repetitive work she does. Edwin is angry and has tried, on occasion, to report the factory’s abuses to the appropriate people. It has been to no avail.
Originally, Gabby and Edwin had a dream that would release them from their jobs of virtual servitude. However, things happen in life and what started with hope, turned to tragedy.
The plant’s manager. Luke Jackson, will do anything he possibly can to get a promotion. Whether his choices are detrimental to the workers or not, does not matter to him. What matters to him is that his plant can pass inspection and he can get a promotion.
Mimi Jackson, Luke’s wife, is the mother of 6 month old Tuck. She is finding motherhood difficult and Tuck screams a lot. He has reflux and appears to be a colicky baby. She reaches out to other mothers whose husband work at the plant, hoping to start a support group.
This novel is very well-written and has many twists and turns. The characterizations are excellent and I felt like I got to know each protagonist very well. This narrative reminded me a bit of Upton Sinclair’s iconic work ‘The Jungle”. Both point to the hideous condition of those who labor in meat packing plants. Read it and weep.
Jim Hacking –
Eli Cranor is back with his third novel and it is a scorcher. Broiler takes place in Northwest Arkansas and tells the amazing tale of some very well-developed characters who work at a Tyson-esque chicken factory. When I heard the premise, I thought it might be a little bit dry. But Eli develops each character very well so you feel like you know them and understand their motivation. The book has a foreboding tone from the jump and you just keep waiting for bad stuff to happen. This is my favorite of Cranor’s three books. It reminds me of some of the great crime stories where regular people find themselves doing bad things – like A Simple Plan, No Country for Old Men and Razorblade Tears. I loved this book.
Zack –
I don’t know what I was expecting but it was worth a read. Sometimes no one wears the white hat like the old cowboy movies, so you don’t who is the bad guy. In life there are shades of gray which leaves you feeling indifferent.