HASHTAG Paperback – May 26, 2015

The picaresque novel (Spanish: "picaresca," from "pícaro," for "rogue" or "rascal") is a genre of prose fiction which depicts the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society.#Hashtag, the second novel by Eryk Pruit is a fine piece of writing. It’s funny, at times touching, and the author’s words are often crafted with an economy and style that’s electric.The Novel is divided into what might be considered three interrelated novellas that are gently woven together with a naturalness akin to knotted french bread- you swallow the whole thing and only later reflect that it was in three parts.‘Odie’ in book one is a determined criminal, not particularly mean, who marches forward with the relentlessness of a june bug wading through kerosene. ‘Debuty Rains’ in the second part has a hapless ego that is bound to get him in trouble. And ‘Melinda’ in the concluding chapters has an internal engine that drives her outrageous behavior, an engine that can only fuel itself if surrounded by enough of the bad-ass that only a ‘corrupt society’ can provide.The danger of the picaresque novel is that it’s entertainment is often provided by amusing but ultimately two dimensional characters. Pruitt is able to give his characters life, and ultimately make us care about them, because he has a keen understanding of psychology. To wit: one of his characters, recently out after 14 years in the slammer reflects, ‘while I was in that cage I learned a person frets more over why they don’t do rather than what they actually do.’Take his advice and read this book.

What a ride "Hashtag" is. Pulp crime fiction straight from the dirty south. Eryk Pruitt crafts an intricate web of chaotic threads and everywhere these threads meet you'll find violence, deceit, double crosses and maybe if you're lucky, a warm, attractive body. It's a scattergun blast of noir fiction and one hell of a dark corner slow dance with your favorite gal (or guy).From page one I was hooked, itching to get back to turning pages. Escorted back through the town limits of Lake Castor, Virginia, and it was like I never left. Things here operate on a different frequency, with just as many unwritten rules as actual laws. It can be a dangerous town if you are not attuned, if you don't respect the elder hierarchy.What propels this read is the fantastic cavalcade of flesh and blood characters. They feel like real people, with tangible problems and authentic desires. And while you are wanting the best outcome for these characters you've become attached to, you are also aching for the messy, disastrous collision.And it's all delivered in a prose sharp as a homemade shiv while smooth as any casket aged whiskey. Mr. Pruitt really knows how to turn a phrase, and by the last page you'll be intoxicated by his words. There will always be room for a shot of Eryk Pruitt on my kindle.Hashtag is a novel that'll make you feel a bit dirty while reading it. You'll feel even dirtier when you realize how much you're enjoying it and rooting for the worst.

Just finished Hashtag by Eryk Pruitt, and what a brilliant crime novel it is. Hashtag is the story of three individuals. Their stories are told individually but overlap and interact in time and geography. Odie Shanks works at a pizza joint and dreams of going to Hollywood. The truth is, Odie just wants to be noticed for something, and his story affords him much opportunity--being kidnapped, running with an ex-con as he roams the country settling old scores, and armed robbery. But will he get the attention he craves? Deputy Roy Rains struggles with the intricacies of small-town politics and keeping in the good graces of the citizens of Lake Castor. When Rains sets out to cover up an embarrassing crime--the kidnapping of a young pizza clerk, his course is set on a dark path indeed. And then there is Melinda Kendall. All of these characters were great fun to read about, but suffice it to say that Eryk Pruitt saved the best for last. Melinda's story is gritty, violent, compelling, and just plain fun. As her crime spree spreads, she winds up with something she never wanted--attention. If you love fast-paced crime stories with great characters and that are well-plotted, give Hashtag a look. This one was just a pure joy to read. Can't wait to see what Pruitt has in the works for his next outing.

This was a unique depiction of some very flawed characters. It centered on three people but had a funny, gritty, different cast of characters in addition to the three principles. I enjoyed this book very much and will read anything Eryk Pruitt writes in the future.

After reading Dirtbags earlier this year I was left with one question. Who is this Eryk Pruitt and when will his next book come out. Okay, so that's actually two questions, but bear with me. To answer the first, he is an author on the cusp of greatness with the world of noir by the short hairs. Best part of that is he just keeps getting better. Nothing against the first book, but I can really see his style and craft coming into its own with Hashtag.I love the way he takes a handful of seemingly unconnected characters, throws them into incredible situations and by the end of it all thrusts them headlong into each others hot mess. His grasp for dialogue is spot on and his keen eye for the darker side of human nature ain't too shabby to boot. A must read.

An easy five star read if only it had been more concise.The concept of three novellas with a loose connection becoming a novel fell short for me.The writing and the characters all had Pruitt's trademark fizz,crackle and pop.It was the layout of the book that was the Achilles heel here.

Great fun

Good read. Good price.