Boxed In by Joseph DeMatteo

Wielding a vitriolic pen to summon a protagonist with a black cloud perpetually hanging over his head, Joseph DeMatteo’s Boxed In is a character-driven drama that unpacks the toxicity of men and modern life.

Ernie Eubanks is fed up with everything – he still lives with his mother, he lost his job as a salesman after thirty years, and every person he meets seems hellbent on irritating him. There aren’t enough cups of coffee or cheeseburgers in the world to chuck at all his problems, but he is about to learn that his bad behavior does have repercussions, and some people aren’t quick to forgive, or forget.

Ultimately, this is a story of bitterness and consequences – of the world bearing down on someone hard enough to make them snap. Ernie Eubanks is a deeply unlikeable character, but not unrecognizable; his behavior is extreme, yet his rage is driven by frustrations of the modern world, like so many current perpetrators of white male violence, making this novel a timely tale of ignorance and anger.

Unfortunately, the execution of this story could use some improvement. Ernie’s offensive behavior is so over the top that it will turn many readers off – seeming less of an exposé of a certain mindset and more like an expression of one. The timeline of the secondary investigation plotline is also unclear, giving readers too many hints and stealing some potential for suspense.

Overall, the aggressive tone of the storytelling is hard to get past, but the shocking events of the story may hold readers’ attention, as it offers a window into many of the tragedies we see in the news today.