Claire Boland’s daughter is one of the victims. She’s racked with guilt over what she might have done differently as a parent. Her marriage is buckling under the weight of the tragedy. And yet there’s one person who seems to understand the magnitude of her grief—her neighbor, Mike Kovacs.
Tandem is a gripping dark comedy about two lives that intersect in the most awful way possible. Andy Mozina’s exquisite novel details the absurd lengths we go to in order to avoid uncomfortable truths. (And to cover up murder—although that’s such a strong word, isn’t it?) It’s a mesmerizing book about the weight of guilt and the longing for justice—and the crazy things we do for love.
One of Electric Literature’s 15 Must-Read Small Press Books for Fall 2023!
A NewPages Editor’s Choice!
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Liz –
This book made me think of things from my own past and how I got lucky and never had to face the reality of my own possibly inappropriate reactions to those events. Would I have done the right thing or followed the tortuous path that Mike did, widening the path of destruction my choices lead me down? To accept the consequences of my actions or to rationalize my way out of it? After reading this book, I hope I never have to find out.
Liz –
STLoad –
The main character, Mike, makes a big mistake one night after having a bit too much to drink. The rest of the story is about how he deals with it.
But it is really about what we, the reader, would have done about it, and how we feel about Mike. You can’t help but want to judge him, however, the story is so wonderfully crafted that you struggle to decide what you think of him.
I felt I was on a knife’s edge throughout the entire book, not knowing how it was going to turn out. Mozina does a masterful job of keeping this balance in a compelling, engaging, and relatable story.
STLoad –
short fiction lover –
Andy Mozina has long proven to offer quirky characters and extraordinary writing in his fiction, and in TANDEM he offers those assets yet more: a hook that’ll grab your attention, a premise that’ll keep you thinking, and tension galore. TANDEM will have you asking not only what will happen next but also what is right and what is wrong–and, most rivetingly: What would *you* do if you were in a situation like this?
short fiction lover –
Will Fitzgerald –
What would you do if you accidentally killed a young couple and thought you could get away with it?
Andy Mozina tells this story, and you really get into the mind and heart of the protagonist, as well as Claire, the mother of one of the two people killed.
I found this to be a fascinating book that I think about often.
Will Fitzgerald –
Tom Bobbe –
Get ready for a wild ride! View the world through the eyes of Mike Kovac as he negotiates the fallout from a tragedy that he unfortunately caused. What would you have done? Exciting, funny at times, and a clever story. Mike is very relatable, but that may be the shocking part. The book moves at a good pace and is very well-written. It’s a page turner. Enjoy!
Tom Bobbe –
Diking77 –
The number weaves its way through the entire novel via duplicity, deceit, tragedy, survival, preservation, cars, human fragility and desire.
Diking77 –
Connie K –
I purchased this as an audiobook. My husband and I listened to it together and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was riveting, and we found the decisions Mike makes so shocking as to elicit audible gasps and groans from us. We’re a fan of noir films of the forties and fifties, and we found this to be a great modern day noir tale. We never saw the ending coming. Mike is a character that will stay with me a long time!
Connie K –
Sandra Iler Kirkland –
Mike Kovacs didn’t mean to get drunk. It had been a rough slog lately; a divorce that left his son barely speaking to him and tensions at work. But today had been a great day. He had gotten good news at work that meant his career was ready for a boost and he and his friends wanted to celebrate. When he left the bar, he noticed that he was not really at his best for driving but his home was near so he decided to drive home. On the way, he thought about the state park and how he might meet someone at a lakeside bonfire so decided to go there. That was his big mistake.
As he enters the park, out of the fog come two people on a tandem bike. Mike hits them and when he gets out of his car, he realizes that they both are dead. Two young people, a young guy and a girl are gone forever. Shocked but defensive, Mike clears up the scene and drives his damaged car home. In the weeks that followed, he continues to hide his crime, buying a second car like his damaged one and eventually buying parts to fix the car himself. He discovers that the young girl was a neighborhood girl, just home after her first year of college. His family knows hers and his son and the girl had shared rides and outings. Mike is wracked with guilt but doesn’t want to confess and lose his comfortable life. He convinces himself that the best outcome would be to live his life henceforth helping others and being the best person he can. But life doesn’t work that way. He becomes entangled in a relationship that defies logic.
Andy Mozina has written a book that explores morality. We all think we know what we would do in various situations but when they occur we are often surprised at what we actually do. Can one ever put right a wrong so deep? Is confession always the best route? Readers will put themselves in Mike’s shoes and may find him understandable or despicable but he will provide a basis for much contemplation. This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.
Sandra Iler Kirkland –