A single call from his Czech girlfriend catapults Trevor into a serious crisis. Desperate to get his mojo back, he blazes down Highway 99 in a rented Dodge Neon.
But soon his journey to California is fraught with peril, and all he has for protection are a semi-automatic pistol, his trusty plastic visor and a flea-ridden cat. As the drugs and the heartbreak kick in, the question is no longer whether Trevor will get over his girlfriend's infidelity, but whether he'll get out alive.
A fast-paced and hilarious contemporary odyssey, The Drive has all the adventure and surrealism of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - but overlaid with heartfelt yearning and hope.
The Drive was selected as an editor's pick at both Waterstones and Litro, and was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2014. The announcement broadcast can be viewed here. It went on to win the Book of the Year People's Prize, the second time Tyler has received that honour. The book can be purchased direct from Myriad Editions or ordered through your local bookstore (ISBN 978-1-908434-31-9). It is also available on Amazon.
The Drive Reviews & Quotes
'A road novel like no other I've read. Trevor's journey into the American Northwest, and his own subconscious, is wild, magical, dark and crazy.'
- Matthew Francis
'I haven't been as excited about reading a new writer since I read DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little.'
- Jasper Rees, Wales Book of the Year judge
'Keevil is such an accomplished and confident stylist - inventive, engaging, casually hilarious - he never loses the reader for a second. When he wants to, Keevil can set his charm to stun...From postmodern doubt to full-on emotional commitment, not least in terms of literary miles on the clock, Keevil's second novel is quite a trip.'
- New Welsh Review
'If you’re up for a coming-of-age-finding-yourself tale with a heavy dose of booze, weed, endless stretches of road and a smidge of magic, give The Drive a read. I thought it was better than Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and that’s saying something!' (Go to review)
- The London Diaries
'Keevil’s prose is blisteringly honest and, despite the novels length, spare. This is an epic journey by anyone’s standards but the short chapters, snappy dialogue and pure and simple crazy situations keep you firmly gripped to the back seat.' (Go to review)
- We Love This Book
The Drive is an impressive novel. The writing is perfectly judged, allowing the story to reveal itself and its purpose gradually, much in the same way that Trevor experiences it. It has humour and heart, and is ultimately hopeful...my horizons have been well and truly expanded. (Go to review)
- Overloaded Bookshelf
His journey into the American West is hilarious, his journey into himself revelatory, and you’ll be glad to have gone along with him for the ride. Probably more glad than his cat. Yes, I said “cat”. Enjoy. (Go to review)
- Nye Wright, Waterstones Blog
The heightened cartoon touch drives the action along at a snappy pace and the humour and vim with which each scene is setup helps illuminate this half-innocent, half-demented take on the world. (Go to review)
- Litro
Along the way, he survives scrapes with mescal-swilling bikers and cannibalistic chefs, gets high on peyote and inadvertently shoots a bald eagle...the narrative is packed with with so many quirky diversions and oddballs that, by the end, you're happy to have joined him for the ride. (Go to review)
- The Financial Times
The Drive is a novel with amazing flow and great structure. It is fresh, entertaining and deep all at the same time. Every bend in the book brings a surprise, and every character has an irreplaceable place in it; everything works like clockwork under Keevil’s pen, and his attention to detail is unbelievable. (Go to review)
- Tripfiction