If scandalous headlines, trashy motels, and life on the road seem captivating to you, M.L. Rio’s newest novel Hot Wax might appease some of your cravings. In this bloody, tragic, nostalgia-driven tale, Rio displays the underside of stardom and the result of unacknowledged aspirations.
Hox Wax’s narrative is split into two alternating timelines exploring different periods of Suzanne Delgado’s life; reminiscent of a record, these timelines are labelled as “Side A” and “Side B.” Side A explores Suzanne’s story at age 10, as she goes on tour with her father in the summer of ’89. Her absentee father, Gil Delgado, is an amateur rock artist looking to make himself into a giant. With his band, “Gil and the Kills,” he travels across the United States performing at venues to promote their music and turn their group into the next big thing. Suzanne has a passion for music but doesn’t possess the same artistic skills as her father; instead, she hangs behind during shows to assist the band however she can. From performance to performance, Suzanne snaps pictures on her Polaroid to capture her memories of the tour on film, but she realizes that the life of a musician isn’t as glamorous as it appears through the lens. As the band gets closer to glory, their separate personalities, desires, and egos cause things to spiral toward a disastrous conclusion.
On Side B, Suzanne is in her 30s, still affected by the mysterious events of the tour. Now she’s married and living an unstable, purposeless life where she feels little sense of identity. Then Gil passes, leaving Suzanne his decked-out Ranchero and old band paraphernalia. For the second time, she embarks on a road trip, wanting to escape the unhappy life she’s known while searching for answers about who she is and where she belongs. Along the way, she meets two happy-go-lucky younger adults, who represent what she’s missing from her life. Simon and Phoebe are a young couple traveling across the nation in their RV, Lifeboat, coasting on a minimalist and bohemian lifestyle. As she connects with them, and with a part of herself lost through her childhood, Suzanne pieces together who she is and how to heal from the wounds inflicted across her years. Meanwhile, her past is trailing closely, working vigorously to drag her back to the life she wants to forget; Suzanne’s husband wants to bring her home in a final attempt to have the picturesque and traditional lifestyle he feels entitled to.
The band’s narrative is similar to other familiar tour storylines, but Rio’s look at the effects of this lifestyle from the perspective of a child makes the book so much more valuable. Each character introduced across the novel is made more memorable and interesting as we get to know them through the impressions of 10-year-old Suzanne. The adult version of Suzanne’s character, too, provides a unique counterpart to her father’s life. There are various direct parallels between Gil’s influence and her personal trajectory in adulthood that reflect areas of dysfunction in each one’s life. For instance, Gil’s girlfriend Gracie works as a band manager and consistently expresses her understanding of Gil’s devotion to his craft. Contrastingly, Suzanne has found herself in a marriage she regrets because she hasn’t found someone who understands her vision or goals.
The pages of Rio’s Hot Wax drip with the blood of rock and roll. Through vivid scenes, including a young girl finding her love for songs in a mall record store and long drives listening to the car radio, she demonstrates how we attach ourselves to music and the ways specific sounds follow us throughout our lives. She immerses readers in the mysticism of each of the band’s performances and simultaneously foreshadows their downfall. The novel is thrilling and offbeat. M.L. Rio evokes the spirit of the ’80s and writes a beautiful confession of admiration for life and rock and roll.
You can order M.L. Rio’s Hot Wax here.
Hot Wax
M.L. Rio
Simon & Schuster
September 9, 2025
400 pages
Brendan Smith is a student at Drexel University, double majoring in English and Law with a concentration in Writing. When Brendan isn’t reading or working on his writing, he enjoys watching horror movies, exploring new coffeeshops, and listening to music.