This novel is a great hybrid of coming-of-age and murder mystery, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the Texas setting - it felt so vividly realized, and I do not read a ton of books set in that part of the country.

This was a really well done novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the concept of this. It had a feel that worked in the realism and was engaged with the overall topics being told. Lucas Schaefer has a strong writing style and was glad I read this.

"The Slip" by Lucas Schaefer is an engaging story that would make a great limited TV series. Set in an Austin boxing gym, this novel offers a cinematic experience through a kaleidoscope of characters.

The story is told through multiple characters’ narratives, which make the pacing move and shift like a boxer's footwork. Each character has a unique voice but shares the same environment, often struggling with how they are perceived in relation to their identity, including aspects like race, ethnicity, age, gender, and sexual orientation. They grapple with feeling pigeonholed/want to give the slip to the conflict between who society thinks they are and who they want to be or how they aspire to navigate the world. The plot also features an intriguing mystery that keeps readers guessing.

Similar to the characters, the book defies easy categorization. I highly recommend this book! It is engaging, thought-provoking, and keeps you guessing from beginning to end. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing the ARC.