Readers' Salon

As the final song comes to a crashing halt, the crowd’s applause is temporarily drowned out by a guitar’s distortion. The members of the Bukowski Brothers leave the stage, though some linger to talk to their fans, and others help themselves to a well-deserved beer. Unfortunately, what should be a fun night is ruined by a ritualistic murder.

Bukowski’s Broken Family Band is written by A.W. Glen, a local musician and fellow Winnipegger. In their debut novel, Glen introduces the Bukowski Brothers, a band that is taking the local indie scene by storm. The band consists of the Brzezinski twins Jaymie and Aaron, their sibling Rex, and their newest bandmate, Jo Connor. Together, these four misfits will fight side-by-side against fanatics, a deranged carbon copy, and a mysterious killer.

The core of the story takes place in Winnipeg, which begins with a pumpkin heist in Wolseley. The author takes time to describe the large trees that overlook the whole neighborhood. She mentions the various back lanes, which residents use as shortcuts. For those of us who call Winnipeg home, there are tons of details like these that are scattered throughout the book. Glen uses their firsthand knowledge of the city and uses the details to bring Winnipeg to life in the novel, which also gives the city a sense of wonderment that readers will appreciate. I loved it when the twins walked across the Provencher Bridge on a snowy night. You could hear their boots crunching over fresh snow while they argued amongst themselves. It felt familiar to the point that you could envision yourself walking alongside them. Later in the book, one of the Brzezinski siblings visits the Millennium library, and its collection is described as so vast, it seems almost endless. At one point, it’s mentioned as having six floors, which made me pause and wonder if it did. (Spoiler, it doesn’t.)
 
However, my favorite moment is when Aaron is walking through the Skywalk. Convinced that someone or something is following him, he tries to navigate the strange passageway to escape their would-be assailant. I could feel Aaron’s anxiety and fear as we followed the twists and turns of the Skywalk. The author described Aaron’s frantic escape as hurrying through a glass-encased maze with no clear way out. The more I read, the more I was completely disoriented. It left me wondering how did I get into this place and, more importantly, how do I get out?

Jaymie Brzezinski is the charismatic frontman of the band. He oozes confidence, which is both entertaining and infuriating. He is unable to take responsibility for any of his actions and seems to talk and then talks and talks some more – until the reader is forced to tune him out. Though Jaymie is tiresome, his character is well written. I appreciate the effort that Glen takes to write his endless dialogue. Aaron Brzezinski is Jaymie’s twin and the drummer of the band. Thanks to his anxiety he is constantly drumming. It doesn’t matter if it’s his legs or a table – he’s drumming a beat on something. If his struggle with anxiety wasn’t enough, he also suffers from panic attacks. It’s details like these that make him such an endearing character.  You see how much he struggles, and you want him to succeed. To make matters worse, Jaymie and Aaron are constantly bickering, even when they’re getting along. Imagine having to deal with someone like Jaymie while struggling with your mental health. It would be exhausting! Then there’s Rex Brzezinski, who, like every other bassist in the world, is largely unnoticed. (This is done intentionally.) The youngest of the three siblings, Rex does their best to endure Jaymie, support Aaron, hang out with friends, flirt with cuties, and still make themselves feel heard.

Last but certainly not least, there’s Jo Connor. The former guitarist of Ballet Llama, Jo is an integral part of the Bukowski Brothers. A veteran of the local music scene, she’s also the only member who’s ever toured. Unfortunately, when she’s not playing a show, Jo doesn’t have much going on. While she struggles in her personal life, it’s her passion for music that drives her character. Later in the story, she takes it upon herself to investigate the murders that are targeting people in the local scene. But who or what is behind it? It seems that neither musicians nor spectators are safe from harm. Luckily, Jo Connor is on the case.

The plot is anything but predictable. It seemed that every time I thought I knew where it was going, the author pulled the carpet from under my feet. When the Bukowski Brothers tour in Saskatchewan, it seems like it’s going fine until they’re scheduled to play at an artist’s retreat. The locals warn them to be on their guard because the people who live in that house are… different. Ever the optimist, Jaymie disregards the warnings and convinces his band that their fans need them. After all, it would be irresponsible not to play a show after promising they would play. What’s the worst thing that could happen?

Later, after the band returns to Winnipeg, Aaron goes missing. Soon, Jaymie realizes that it’s up to him and his bandmates to find out what’s happened to him. Has someone abducted Aaron? Is he the next victim of the mysterious killer?

As the story progresses, the body count continues to rise, and people begin to realize that no one is safe. Why aren’t the police able to catch them? Is the killer supernatural? Who will be their next victim?

If you’re looking for a fun read that involves rock & roll and murder, then look no further because this is the book for you. For more information, check out A.W. Glen on Instagram, Bluesky, or at their website https://awglen.com/. As always, check out your neighborhood library or local bookstore!

-Daniel