Third Wheel
by Richard R. Becker
September 10-13
Third Wheel is a powerful coming-of-age thriller about belonging, betrayal, and breaking away. It is the story of a boy trying to find his identity by taking chances on random and fragile relationships forged in the pre-boomtown hours of Las Vegas, 1982.
Brady Wilks, a teenage transplant from the Midwest, navigates life and an improbable romantic interest in the dusty suburban outskirts of the infamous 24-hour desert town built by the Mob. Outcast as a newcomer, Brady forges a brotherly bond with an older teenage neighbor, Mick, and his friend, Brett. When Brett moves away, Mick invites a new kid into their pack, squeezing out the last remnants of their childhood in favor of cartel-supplied drugs and the deal of a lifetime. Estranged from his family at home, Brady goes along to get along until the stakes and consequences become too high and threaten the lives of those he cares about.
Desolate and gritty, Third Wheel is a triumphant debut novel, and Brady Wilks is remarkable as a transformative protagonist. Five-time award-winning author Richard R. Becker once again shares his unique insight into the human condition.
Universal link for the book on Amazon
About the Author
Richard R. Becker is an award-winning, best-selling American author. His debut collection of literary fiction and psychological thrillers began as a project to write one story a week for 50 weeks. It broke into the top 100 literary short story collections on Amazon for three consecutive months. It also won first place in the ABR Book Excellence Awards, Spring 2022 BookFest Awards, 2023 Book Excellence Awards, and was a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards.
His debut novel Third Wheel was released in August 2023 to positive reviews. It broke into the top 100 thriller and suspense literary fiction novels on Amazon in October 2023. It won the Literary Titan Gold Book Award, a BookFest Fall 2023 Award, and was a finalist in the Global Book Awards.
Richard was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised by his grandparents after his father was killed in a car accident. They were poor and his grandmother suffered with cancer. These difficulties, along with Richard being afflicted with club feet, contributed to many early social and educational challenges.
Before his grandmother died, Richard was relocated to live with his mother and her new family in Burnsville, Minnesota, and later Las Vegas. Richard navigated these transitions and worked a variety of jobs (fast food, retail paint, muralist, stage foreman, and convenience store clerk among them) to earn an education. He attended Whittier College in California and then the University of Nevada, Reno. It was there that Richard transitioned from psychology and art to journalism, with an emphasis in advertising.
Richard graduated during an economic recession. With no openings related to his field, he started freelancing as a journalist and copywriter. He wrote hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, with his byline appearing in the Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, and publications for Simon & Schuster and Paramount Communications. He also scripted a documentary produced with PBS and contributed to five books related to marketing, public relations, and management.
His freelance career quickly led to the foundation of Copywrite, Ink., a 30-year-old strategic communications and writing services firm with publishing experience. While Richard serves as its president, he has concurrently held several senior management positions with other organizations. He also taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for 20 years.
In addition to his work, Richard serves as a city council-appointed volunteer commissioner on the Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. He has assisted more than 60 nonprofit and professional organizations as a consultant and board member. He has also been featured as a speaker for a variety of organizations, including Wizard World Comic Con, G2E World Gaming Expo, National Recreation and Park Association, Regis University, and U.S. Small Business Administration.
Aside from writing, Richard has a broad range of interests, including travel, hiking, parks, fitness, illustration, photography, and spending time with family. He is married and has two children.
