As children, Sam McElroy, Holly Karlan, and Jimmer Cuddy were inseparable. Growing up on the same block, the trio became best friends. All three seemed on the cusp of bright futures with unlimited possibilities. But the indelible bond between them unraveled, and their personalities changed dramatically after a tragic incident during their teen years. Forced to keep a secret that changes who they are and who they are to become, the friends travel down unintentional paths in their lives, riddled with guilt and shame. They are weakened emotionally by the tragic event of the past and conflicted about how to ultimately avenge it. The Upshot is a story about unbending friendship, the heartbreaking and indefinable love between damaged souls, and the consequences of loyalty and fate. In his debut novel, Brad Spencer evokes a hard-edged Elmore Leonard-style in his writing to produce a riveting, harrowing, and ultra-lean thriller complete with explosive action, a wickedly evil villain, and troubled but endearing heroes.