PAPER TARGETS
by Patricia Watts
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Pages: 324 pages
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
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Everyone knew that Roanne never got angry—until the night she killed her ex-husband and herself.
Roanne, a nice, suburban lady in her sixties who works at a Hallmark shop and volunteers at the Food Bank in Round Rock, Texas, calls her lifelong friend, Connie, confesses to murder, then puts the gun to her own head. Connie, spurred by Roanne’s last words about a lifetime of unspoken rage, sets aside her work as a cozy mystery writer and cupcake shop owner to confront the men who have stolen her dignity while she remained silent, including a bully brother, a rapist, and an ex-spouse.
On a journey to reclaim her inner power and to make peace with the loss of her treasured friend, Connie’s mission is to avoid the same tragic path as Roanne, but she takes along a gun, just in case.
With pathos and humor, Paper Targets, by Patricia Watts, calls us to speak our own narratives, even when it is uncomfortable or risky, and shows us the magnificence of a friendship that transcends time.
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“And now I guess you’re what, NRA Barbie? It scares me that you may have a false sense of confidence. Do you even know how to handle a gun?
First, this was not the story I was expecting. Initially, I was kind of anticipating a girly-type story. That’s not what this story is about at all. Second, the cover image is the type of art style that makes you look at it for a long time coming up with your own meanings behind the intended art statement. Plus, the cover art is very Andy Warhol.
The story inside these pages is well-written and thankfully, this is not a girly story. At first, getting into the vibe of the story was a challenge because the book is presented with past background and goes to the present and vice versa. It was not before long that I started picking up on the past chapters connecting to the present story. Those interwoven connections are what keep the story flowing unhindered.
Paper Targets revolves around two best friends who went through everything together only to be separated by death. In the death of a best friend the living friend finds her strength.
Suicide and murder are two tough subjects for anyone to write about. Equally, to those two topics is how women have been treated and are treated to this day by men. Patricia Watts handles these topics with grace and dignity. Things do stack up in our lives, just as they did for her characters of Connie and Roanne. It’s how you handle all those things amassing against you that define you and possibly define others in your life. That’s the essence of Paper Targets one who could not take it anymore and one finding a way through the pain of dealing with all those stacks that she herself had been dealt.
Older women will appreciate this book immensely. Women and girls who have been generally silenced over their lives will deeply appreciate the story within the pages of Paper Targets as well. Maybe, maybe it will help them find their own power to confront their pasts and their futures.
Patricia Watts worked as a journalist for more than 20 years for newspapers in Texas, Hawaii, and Alaska. Following her news career, she tried her skill as a paralegal and then spent ten years investigating discrimination cases for the Alaska Human Rights Commission. Her novels include: Ghost Light and The Big Empty, crime mysteries co-written with Alaska author Stan Jones; The Frayer, suspense noir; and Watchdogs, a steamy thriller. Her home base is San Diego. She earned her B.A. in journalism at Humboldt State in California. She is the mother of a son and daughter and has eight grandchildren.
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GIVEAWAY!
TWO WINNERS:
First Prize:
Autographed copies of Paper Targets, The Frayer, and The Big Empty
Second Prize: Copy of Paper Targets
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/5/22.)
FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY,
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7/26/22 |
Excerpt |
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7/26/22 |
BONUS Promo |
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7/27/22 |
Review |
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7/28/22 |
Character Interviews |
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7/28/22 |
BONUS Promo |
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7/29/22 |
Review |
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7/30/22 |
Playlist |
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7/30/22 |
Bonus Review |
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7/31/22 |
Author Video |
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8/1/22 |
Review |
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8/2/22 |
Notable Quotables |
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8/3/22 |
Review |
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8/4/22 |
Review |
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Forgotten Winds 
I had the same thought – at first glance and then after reading – two very different ideas.
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So thankful I was not the only one who thought this as well…
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Great review. I’m definitely checking this book out to read.
“It’s how you handle all those things amassing against you that define you and possibly define others in your life.” Terrific point and I agree wholeheartedly.
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Thank you, Maryann.
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Thanks for the review, Christena!
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You’re welcome, Patricia!
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This sounds like an important book for women of all ages to read since the poor treatment of women persists. Thanks for a great review.
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Yes, yes! You’re welcome!
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