Seven novels featuring power duos

Drew Buxton is a writer and social worker from Texas.

His debut story collection So Much Heart is now available from With an X Books.

His script Bassy Gets Loose won Best Short Script at both the Independent Horror Movie Awards and the Peephole Filmfest.

Buxton's work has been featured in The Drift, Joyland, Electric Literature, Ninth Letter, and Vice among other publications.

At Electric Lit he tagged seven "great books about duos—odd couple books; buddy books, if you will." One title on the list:

Biloxi by Mary Miller

As Louis enters old age, his life crumbles around him. His father dies, his wife leaves him, and his financial situation becomes unstable. He goes to great lengths to avoid running into people he knows and generally prefers to be alone in his house, watching reality TV. A literal wrong turn somehow leads to him taking in Layla, an overweight mutt of indeterminate age. A bond slowly forms between man and dog, and Louis’ outlook on life begins to brighten. Written in the first person, Miller perfectly taps into the voice of an old curmudgeon and takes advantage of all the comedic potential that comes with that. In lesser hands, this story could’ve easily been sappy, but with Miller, it is touching but at the same time gritty and raw.

Read about another entry on the list.

The Page 69 Test: Biloxi.

--Marshal Zeringue