The daughter of a Northern California meth kingpin must decide whether to continue the family business after her father's death or begin a new life apart from the violent world in which she grew up.
Harley McKenna is possibly the most powerful, original female character we’ve had in decades, a borderline anti-hero with a heart of gold and compassion. Masterfully constructed, Barbed Wire Heart is an evocative work of darkness and redemption, hinting at times of Flannery O’Connor and Cormac McCarthy. An amazing debut novel. An exciting new voice in the world of books.
In infusing noir tradition with feminist resolve, Barbed Wire Hear pulls off something rare. Harley may be ridden with guilt and overcome by the feeling that she's incapable of being loved, but in her pursuit of a life of her own, she has only begun to fight.
Sharpe has fashioned a pulse-pounding thriller with a strong moral underpinning and a wrenching love interest, in which Harley’s contemporary activities are interspersed with her bloody backstory. Strong, graphic violence may limit the appeal of this masterfully written and constructed novel, but Harley McKenna is a striking protagonist and, with her powerful debut, Sharpe is definitely a name to watch.
