First published 2000
Sergeant Eustis Clay is a small-time con artist stuck in a southern army camp during the Korean War. Along with his hulking friend Master Sergeant Maxwell Slaughter, Eustis spends his days concocting schemes, avoiding trouble, and keeping Maxwell well-fed. When a brainy Yalie recruit arrives, Eustis sees a chance to hit the big time. But as the camp closes and Maxwell's health fails, Eustis is left to fend for himself, his indestructible spirit the only thing he can count on.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, war, military-fiction
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Paperback · BANTAM BOOKS
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness