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The Payback
When Jada Williams is relentlessly pursued by the Debt Police, she is left with no choice but to take down her student loan company with the help of two mall coworkers—from the author of the “lethally witty” (The New York Times Book Review) The Survivalists.
Jada Williams is good at judging people by their looks. From across the mall, she can tell not only someone’s inseam and pants size, but exactly what style they need to transform their life. Too bad she’s no longer using this superpower as a wardrobe designer to Hollywood stars, but for minimum wage plus commission at the Glendale mall.
When Jada is fired yet again, she is forced to outrun the newly instated Debt Police who are out for blood. But Jada, like any great antihero, is not going to wait for the cops to come kick her around. With the help of two other debt-burdened mall coworkers, she hatches a plan for revenge. Together the three women plan a heist to erase their student loans forever and get back at the system that promised them everything and then tried to take it back.
The Payback is a razor-sharp and hilarious dissection of race and capitalism from one of the most original and exciting writers at work today.
Jada Williams is good at judging people by their looks. From across the mall, she can tell not only someone’s inseam and pants size, but exactly what style they need to transform their life. Too bad she’s no longer using this superpower as a wardrobe designer to Hollywood stars, but for minimum wage plus commission at the Glendale mall.
When Jada is fired yet again, she is forced to outrun the newly instated Debt Police who are out for blood. But Jada, like any great antihero, is not going to wait for the cops to come kick her around. With the help of two other debt-burdened mall coworkers, she hatches a plan for revenge. Together the three women plan a heist to erase their student loans forever and get back at the system that promised them everything and then tried to take it back.
The Payback is a razor-sharp and hilarious dissection of race and capitalism from one of the most original and exciting writers at work today.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 15, 2025
104 people are currently reading
17926 people want to read
About the author
Kashana Cauley
4 books230 followersKashana Cauley is the author of THE PAYBACK, which will be released by Atria/Simon & Schuster in Summer 2025, and THE SURVIVALISTS, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and named a best book of 2023 by many outlets, including Vogue, The Today Show, and the BBC. She is also a television writer (The Great North, Pod Save America on HBO, The Daily Show) and a former contributing opinion writer for The New York Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
July 5, 2025
“You haven’t been reading the news? Apparently not paying your loans back is criminal behavior, so they can treat you like shit, because nobody cares about criminals.”
This idea of a somewhat vigilante, somewhat legitimate debt police, on top of criminalizing falling behind on loan payments, is scarily plausible. US history certainly has a history of criminalizing and dehumanizing people for being poor, black or both.
The thing about being first-generation college was that no one we knew had any idea what the hell we were supposed to be doing there other than taking some classes and hoping they added up to a grand theory of our lives. So she’d spent six years paying a college to figure herself out, resulting in a number she owed that, due to its amount and the interest rate she’d got on it, would follow her around, like a puppy in search of attention, for the rest of her life.
Really fun and colorful writing, even if the story’s a bit dark. Some examples:
Audrey had the slim twitchiness I’d always associated with runners. An inner motor that kept them in constant motion, like a cockroach.
Even good-looking Black cops are the mouse that’s just taking a nap in the snake’s mouth.
We hugged in the awkward way two women hug when they’re trying not to fuck up their makeup. All tucked-back heads like surprised baby birds.
As cute and snarky as it is, even silly in the descriptions of the debt cops being weirdly new-age, super handsome, morally righteous, southwestern style, and turquoise-clad — the commentary on student loans and the debt market is dead serious.
I hated how the term was “lifetime of the loan,” like that fucking loan had just as much of a right to live as I did.
My student loan company was called Bobbie Mae and Willie Sue, like the two of them would lend you money and then immediately report to the sock hop to square-dance.
I’d looked up who had student debt in this country. Black women ranked number one. First, we screwed up by not coming from money. Then we demanded the same education as everyone else. But when we finished our studies, they paid us the least, leaving us with higher balances to carry forward. Forever. So of course we’d be most of the victims. The debt cops could make an example of us. We were at the bottom of the social hierarchy, and the pay scale, and so whatever happened to our faces could be one more thing nobody really cared about.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2024
The pacing in this book is so slow. About 43% in, I realized that nothing had really happened yet. Took another 5-10% before any action started. And action is a bit of an exaggeration.
Honestly, if this wasn't an ARC, I would have DNF'd before this point. Since it's an ARC, I pushed through.
I will sheepishly admit that I originally thought this book was a straight up comedy. It's a dark comedy, which would have made a difference in my approach had I realized this before starting to read the story.
The debt police are a bunch of astrology-lovers & gemstone-loving moon-healers who love to talk about the most ridiculous topics, while actively & brutally beating people up for not paying their student debt. The severe violence was only appalling to me. The cop uniforms get more & more turquoise as the story progresses, which is meant to be funny, but I couldn't get past all the terrible stuff.
Overall, the story was just really weird and, as mentioned above, incredibly slow-moving. The book could have been really good if tackled differently. The author was trying to show how Black women are vulnerable in a society that hates them. But this was overshadowed by the funny bits which felt inappropriate. I guess dark comedy just isn't for me.
I did enjoy the relationship between the three Black women co-workers & the evolution of their friendship. The interactions felt genuine.
Immediately after finishing the book, I gave it 2 stars. But the more I think about it, the more I think it deserves 3.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy. I am so grateful.
Honestly, if this wasn't an ARC, I would have DNF'd before this point. Since it's an ARC, I pushed through.
I will sheepishly admit that I originally thought this book was a straight up comedy. It's a dark comedy, which would have made a difference in my approach had I realized this before starting to read the story.
The debt police are a bunch of astrology-lovers & gemstone-loving moon-healers who love to talk about the most ridiculous topics, while actively & brutally beating people up for not paying their student debt. The severe violence was only appalling to me. The cop uniforms get more & more turquoise as the story progresses, which is meant to be funny, but I couldn't get past all the terrible stuff.
Overall, the story was just really weird and, as mentioned above, incredibly slow-moving. The book could have been really good if tackled differently. The author was trying to show how Black women are vulnerable in a society that hates them. But this was overshadowed by the funny bits which felt inappropriate. I guess dark comedy just isn't for me.
I did enjoy the relationship between the three Black women co-workers & the evolution of their friendship. The interactions felt genuine.
Immediately after finishing the book, I gave it 2 stars. But the more I think about it, the more I think it deserves 3.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy. I am so grateful.
August 6, 2025
Actual Rating: 3.25 stars
I would enjoy seeing this become a movie!! I think some of the author’s blaxploitation ambitions will come across better in that format.
Kashana Cauley’s second novel is a book all about debt—what wouldn’t EYE love about that?!?!? As someone who was raised Baptist, and now works in affordable housing finance, I’m interested in the moral function of debt in every sector of life. Cauley is particularly focused on student loans, but her book’s harrowing henchmen, the Debt Police, don’t discriminate. They will come after you for any sort of debt, including the inherited debts of your loved ones!!!
The Payback is set in 3 parts, and Part 1, The Mall, feels like a Caleb Hammer fever dream come true. We meet our characters, but don’t fully connect with them until Part 2, The Debt Police, when shit begins hitting the fan. I was so glad to see our besties join together in this section instead of letting the tragedy pull them apart. Too many heist books are filled with lone wolf geniuses who occasionally request favors from other lone wolf geniuses. The bonding while scheming angle is much more enjoyable, in my opinion!!
Cauley is incredibly smart at the scene level—this is another reason why I think this would be a fun film. She does a great job at capturing the precise moment when the heist is on, when each person says “I’m in.” She skillfully choreographs the moment-to-moment experiences of underpaid gig and retail work, jobs her characters are all too familiar with. I think these very dialed-in moments help some of the “bigger picture” musings go down smoothly.
In closing, I would recommend this—just don’t take as long with it as I did!! 😭 I think it can be enjoyed quickly, without much fuss or complaint. It’s not the book of (my) year, but it’s one I’m glad to have spent a week with. I’ll be looking forward to Cauley’s future work!
I would enjoy seeing this become a movie!! I think some of the author’s blaxploitation ambitions will come across better in that format.
Kashana Cauley’s second novel is a book all about debt—what wouldn’t EYE love about that?!?!? As someone who was raised Baptist, and now works in affordable housing finance, I’m interested in the moral function of debt in every sector of life. Cauley is particularly focused on student loans, but her book’s harrowing henchmen, the Debt Police, don’t discriminate. They will come after you for any sort of debt, including the inherited debts of your loved ones!!!
The Payback is set in 3 parts, and Part 1, The Mall, feels like a Caleb Hammer fever dream come true. We meet our characters, but don’t fully connect with them until Part 2, The Debt Police, when shit begins hitting the fan. I was so glad to see our besties join together in this section instead of letting the tragedy pull them apart. Too many heist books are filled with lone wolf geniuses who occasionally request favors from other lone wolf geniuses. The bonding while scheming angle is much more enjoyable, in my opinion!!
Cauley is incredibly smart at the scene level—this is another reason why I think this would be a fun film. She does a great job at capturing the precise moment when the heist is on, when each person says “I’m in.” She skillfully choreographs the moment-to-moment experiences of underpaid gig and retail work, jobs her characters are all too familiar with. I think these very dialed-in moments help some of the “bigger picture” musings go down smoothly.
In closing, I would recommend this—just don’t take as long with it as I did!! 😭 I think it can be enjoyed quickly, without much fuss or complaint. It’s not the book of (my) year, but it’s one I’m glad to have spent a week with. I’ll be looking forward to Cauley’s future work!
September 2, 2025
3.5 stars
Three black women in their thirties become vigilantes. Like back in the 1800's, we again have Debt Police - which are also a vigilante group that would rather severely beat you than arrest you. Your crime? Falling behind in your student debt payments. So these three women friends devise a plan to wipe out Student Debt - for everyone.
I found this story a bit slow in the beginning of this three part book. Part one was the introduction of the women. In part two we come to know the Debt Police and in part three the crime takes place along with the wrap up of the story. This is an easy read and although I can't remember the story stating what year it was, it read like it may have been in the very close and near future.
A funny book that mocks everyday life - which in itself is worth the read.
Three black women in their thirties become vigilantes. Like back in the 1800's, we again have Debt Police - which are also a vigilante group that would rather severely beat you than arrest you. Your crime? Falling behind in your student debt payments. So these three women friends devise a plan to wipe out Student Debt - for everyone.
I found this story a bit slow in the beginning of this three part book. Part one was the introduction of the women. In part two we come to know the Debt Police and in part three the crime takes place along with the wrap up of the story. This is an easy read and although I can't remember the story stating what year it was, it read like it may have been in the very close and near future.
A funny book that mocks everyday life - which in itself is worth the read.
2025
December 13, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
August 5, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
One of the most absurdly funny books l've read. What if student loan lenders sent out debt police to harm borrowers who are having trouble paying back their loans? The Payback explores this!
Jada and her 2 friends/coworkers are highly educated, as most Black women are, but all 3 have crippling student loans. They've each been targeted by the debt police in such violent ways. As a result, they come up with a plan for payback.
I had such a fun time reading this book! It was absurd in the best way and so funny. Jada is one of those characters that make you say 'girl what are you doing?!' But once the first violation from the debt police starts, I think her actions are validated.
If there ever comes a time where student loan debt police really come about, I wouldn't be surprised if this is how they would treat borrowers. Thank you to Atria Pub for the gifted book.
One of the most absurdly funny books l've read. What if student loan lenders sent out debt police to harm borrowers who are having trouble paying back their loans? The Payback explores this!
Jada and her 2 friends/coworkers are highly educated, as most Black women are, but all 3 have crippling student loans. They've each been targeted by the debt police in such violent ways. As a result, they come up with a plan for payback.
I had such a fun time reading this book! It was absurd in the best way and so funny. Jada is one of those characters that make you say 'girl what are you doing?!' But once the first violation from the debt police starts, I think her actions are validated.
If there ever comes a time where student loan debt police really come about, I wouldn't be surprised if this is how they would treat borrowers. Thank you to Atria Pub for the gifted book.
April 3, 2025
Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. While the premise is intriguing - three women band together to take down the system imprisoning them in a cycle of desperation, all while being chased by a sinister yet oddly familiar faction of law enforcement called The Debt Police - the execution came up short.
The main character is relatable albeit a bit incompletely fleshed out for my tastes, and the Debt Police are a fascinating manifestation of the current (rightful) progressive distaste of both police and student loans. The author boldly reminds the reader that the burden of a broken economic system is statistically borne by Black women, a group that is constantly asked to come to the rescue of others without ever being rescued in return.
Still, I found the prose lacking and much of the plot to be too unrealistic for even my flexible imagination to believe. It’s a light and quick read, but there isn’t much of substance here, in my opinion. It has the feel of a low budget action movie, which, to be fair, there is often an audience for. Truthfully, however, that audience is just not me.
The main character is relatable albeit a bit incompletely fleshed out for my tastes, and the Debt Police are a fascinating manifestation of the current (rightful) progressive distaste of both police and student loans. The author boldly reminds the reader that the burden of a broken economic system is statistically borne by Black women, a group that is constantly asked to come to the rescue of others without ever being rescued in return.
Still, I found the prose lacking and much of the plot to be too unrealistic for even my flexible imagination to believe. It’s a light and quick read, but there isn’t much of substance here, in my opinion. It has the feel of a low budget action movie, which, to be fair, there is often an audience for. Truthfully, however, that audience is just not me.
August 2, 2025
I mostly enjoyed this breezy vigilante tale about taking three retail workers taking out the student loan industry, quibbles about pacing aside, but what I really, really loved was Cauley’s voice. I’m excited to try her previous book and anything else that comes along.
July 7, 2025
The Payback by Kashana Cauley. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jada works in retail after an incident as a Hollywood costume designer got her fired. Now she’s fired again and outrunning the newly instated, Debt Police. She gets with two fellow mall workers, and debtors, to hatch a plan to erase student loans forever.
This story is a contemporary Office Space meets Robin Hood. I was hooked from the beginning when it starts in the mall. I always love a story that used retail as an environment. It’s a fast read, despite the minimal dialogue. It’s also a big satirical which makes it humorous as well.
“That was me, crime cheerleader, ready with my Pom-Pom’s and an illegal plan.”
The Payback comes out 7/15.
Jada works in retail after an incident as a Hollywood costume designer got her fired. Now she’s fired again and outrunning the newly instated, Debt Police. She gets with two fellow mall workers, and debtors, to hatch a plan to erase student loans forever.
This story is a contemporary Office Space meets Robin Hood. I was hooked from the beginning when it starts in the mall. I always love a story that used retail as an environment. It’s a fast read, despite the minimal dialogue. It’s also a big satirical which makes it humorous as well.
“That was me, crime cheerleader, ready with my Pom-Pom’s and an illegal plan.”
The Payback comes out 7/15.
January 28, 2025
This is a sharply amusing and fantastical quick read. It's set in a near future where falling behind on paying your student loans can be dangerous for your health and security. I liked how sparsely the author painted the world -- her MC isn't extremely curious about the world other than what is impacting her and her friends and that allows a vividly sketched world that isn't weighed down with a lot of distractions about what exactly the deal is with the weirdos in the debt police.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
I received an ARC from NetGalley.
August 11, 2025
3.5*
I really enjoy a vigilante situation and I enjoyed our trio throughout the story as the debt police become a larger part of the story
I really enjoy a vigilante situation and I enjoyed our trio throughout the story as the debt police become a larger part of the story
August 11, 2025
idk it’s just giving like netflix original that you put on in the background while u do chores bc the plot and characters are too mid to rly care about 😭😭😭
April 15, 2025
This book reads like a short story that takes a long time to
come to fruition, without leaving enough satisfaction behind.
Student loan debt has become a long held perpetual problem
made worse by the brutal methods of the “Debt Police,”
who are not exactly real…
And, if it’s possible to overdue the ‘Team Los Angeles,’ trope
masters, this is their truth.
I had too many emotions for Jada and her friends, leaving me
with across the board feelings of humor for the ‘debt police.’
Yet part of me is rooting for Jada.
come to fruition, without leaving enough satisfaction behind.
Student loan debt has become a long held perpetual problem
made worse by the brutal methods of the “Debt Police,”
who are not exactly real…
And, if it’s possible to overdue the ‘Team Los Angeles,’ trope
masters, this is their truth.
I had too many emotions for Jada and her friends, leaving me
with across the board feelings of humor for the ‘debt police.’
Yet part of me is rooting for Jada.
April 24, 2025
Probably 2.5. I just don’t think this was a book for me. It’s not at all what the summary hinted at; I expected satirical, fast-paced chaos. Instead it was just sort of blandly written and didn’t really go anywhere.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 6, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
In general I really enjoyed the premise of the book. It's a classic heist story with fun characters, so I knew that would hook me from the start. However, as the story went on it was harder and harder to really conceptualize the supporting characters. I loved Jada and her unique view of the world through the lens of a costume/fashion designer, but the other members of her heist squad just fell flat.
The book got major points from me in the way it explains the maddening cycle of poverty that predatory student loans can create in already disadvantaged groups, such as Black women. It left you cheering Jada and her team on to really "stick it to the man" in their parallel universe with debt police (something that felt pretty close to reality in this day and age).
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. I'd enjoy a movie or TV version of this story.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
In general I really enjoyed the premise of the book. It's a classic heist story with fun characters, so I knew that would hook me from the start. However, as the story went on it was harder and harder to really conceptualize the supporting characters. I loved Jada and her unique view of the world through the lens of a costume/fashion designer, but the other members of her heist squad just fell flat.
The book got major points from me in the way it explains the maddening cycle of poverty that predatory student loans can create in already disadvantaged groups, such as Black women. It left you cheering Jada and her team on to really "stick it to the man" in their parallel universe with debt police (something that felt pretty close to reality in this day and age).
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. I'd enjoy a movie or TV version of this story.
July 29, 2025
Ok, I did not get the hype of The Survivalists but this was a different story. All the humor and satire that I missed in the first one was all out in force in this and it was amazing. I ripped through it in a sitting and it was equal parts hilarious but also a horror show too close to home. Absolutely great story and brilliant writing. Just in time for student loan collections to start again IRL…..
September 8, 2025
3.5 stars.
Took a little long to get to the heist (for a book that's described as a heist), but a really unique and interesting take on the exploitative student loan industry.
Didn't love the epilogue.
Took a little long to get to the heist (for a book that's described as a heist), but a really unique and interesting take on the exploitative student loan industry.
Didn't love the epilogue.
August 14, 2025
An effortless read. Smart and fun.
July 22, 2025
A small jump into a future that feels like it could really happen. A fast and interesting story that has some fun characters and scary ideas.
May 9, 2025
I received an ARC courtesy of a Goodreads Giveaway and I DEVOURED this book in days. Kashana Cauley is such a detailed and descriptive writer, creating characters that I wanted to be friends with.
The Payback is about three women who work in retail, dreaming of more for themselves but caught in a vicious cycle of student loan debt. After finding themselves being attacked by the Debt Police, they decide to join forces to wipe out student debt once and for all.
This read was adventurous, witty, and reaffirms the importance of friendship to help us through the worst times.
The Payback is about three women who work in retail, dreaming of more for themselves but caught in a vicious cycle of student loan debt. After finding themselves being attacked by the Debt Police, they decide to join forces to wipe out student debt once and for all.
This read was adventurous, witty, and reaffirms the importance of friendship to help us through the worst times.
August 31, 2025
I didn't *dislike* this, but I don't think it fully delivered on my expectations, either.
The central conceit of the student loan industry's predation taking on physical form definitely fascinated me, especially when billed as a biting, darkly satirical approach. Unfortunately, the whole piece evoked Don't Look Up levels of heavy-handedness and caricature for me.
Cauley shines a floodlight on real issues in society, but at times, some of the delivery cheapens the impact. It's completely understandable that with such themes as police brutality, the system perpetuating and even compounding disenfranchisement of marginalized groups, and the Sisyphian nature of these *effing loans*, etc., Cauley would be loath for her point to be missed (or misconstrued). But the result of this is that anything worth taking away from the book is completely spelled out for the reader, in black and white, often in dialogue; the reader isn't left with much to sit and reflect on or with any hard questions to ask herself. Think: "In this essay, I will...", rather than a book that leverages fiction as a catalyst for thought.
While there were a few story elements that didn't totally land for me (the Debt Police's woo-woo nature is dismissively explained toward the end but still just does not make sense to me), Cauley has a real gift for characterization and building out a setting. With the exception of the odd "I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence"-esque one-liner, interactions between our protagonists are so vivid and organic; depictions of the three women communing in the living room together are some of the most enjoyable passages of the book.
EDIT: kept thinking about the woo woo debt police because it just didn’t make sense that this author would throw in some totally random detail — wondering if it’s perhaps commentary on the holistic wellness to alt right pipeline?
The Payback has good things to say - and you certainly will not miss them. If you prefer something that'll keep you thinking for days or will inspire you to spend some time considering and evaluating your worldview, this may not be the right one. If, however, you're looking for a quick read that will validate your frustration with the Student Loan Experience, this will be right up your alley.
The central conceit of the student loan industry's predation taking on physical form definitely fascinated me, especially when billed as a biting, darkly satirical approach. Unfortunately, the whole piece evoked Don't Look Up levels of heavy-handedness and caricature for me.
Cauley shines a floodlight on real issues in society, but at times, some of the delivery cheapens the impact. It's completely understandable that with such themes as police brutality, the system perpetuating and even compounding disenfranchisement of marginalized groups, and the Sisyphian nature of these *effing loans*, etc., Cauley would be loath for her point to be missed (or misconstrued). But the result of this is that anything worth taking away from the book is completely spelled out for the reader, in black and white, often in dialogue; the reader isn't left with much to sit and reflect on or with any hard questions to ask herself. Think: "In this essay, I will...", rather than a book that leverages fiction as a catalyst for thought.
While there were a few story elements that didn't totally land for me (the Debt Police's woo-woo nature is dismissively explained toward the end but still just does not make sense to me), Cauley has a real gift for characterization and building out a setting. With the exception of the odd "I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence"-esque one-liner, interactions between our protagonists are so vivid and organic; depictions of the three women communing in the living room together are some of the most enjoyable passages of the book.
EDIT: kept thinking about the woo woo debt police because it just didn’t make sense that this author would throw in some totally random detail — wondering if it’s perhaps commentary on the holistic wellness to alt right pipeline?
The Payback has good things to say - and you certainly will not miss them. If you prefer something that'll keep you thinking for days or will inspire you to spend some time considering and evaluating your worldview, this may not be the right one. If, however, you're looking for a quick read that will validate your frustration with the Student Loan Experience, this will be right up your alley.
July 16, 2025
Jada Williams was once a rising Hollywood costume designer, now reduced to folding jeans at Glendale Mall. Her crushing student debt never eases up no matter how hard she grinds away in a system that promises success but very rarely delivers. When impulsively she steals a customer's luxury watch and gets caught, Jada finds herself unemployed and in the sights of the Debt Police, a newly instated force that are out for repayment and blood. Along with two other co-workers, together they hatch a plan to rob the very institutions that have kept them chained.
I don't know guys. I really wanted to try something different so I thought that a dark comedy/heist novel set in the near future might give me what I wanted. I felt like The Payback was bold and genre blending, trying to join social commentary and a high-stakes heist, but the execution wasn't quite there. Jada is very relatable with her frustration with the crushing debt but dead end work ratio. And when she teams up with her co-workers, the one-liners and observations about race and capitalism are spot on and the satirical edge is perfect. My main problem was with the pacing and the cohesion. The first third of the book is a lot of setup and introspection but not a lot of action. Then it picks up but almost feels too rushed. Overall I would definitely still recommend The Payback even though it wasn't my favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kashana Cauley, and Atria Books for this ARC! Publication date is July 15th 2025.
I don't know guys. I really wanted to try something different so I thought that a dark comedy/heist novel set in the near future might give me what I wanted. I felt like The Payback was bold and genre blending, trying to join social commentary and a high-stakes heist, but the execution wasn't quite there. Jada is very relatable with her frustration with the crushing debt but dead end work ratio. And when she teams up with her co-workers, the one-liners and observations about race and capitalism are spot on and the satirical edge is perfect. My main problem was with the pacing and the cohesion. The first third of the book is a lot of setup and introspection but not a lot of action. Then it picks up but almost feels too rushed. Overall I would definitely still recommend The Payback even though it wasn't my favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kashana Cauley, and Atria Books for this ARC! Publication date is July 15th 2025.
August 27, 2025
This was a fast-paced, HILARIOUS, sticking it to the man, heist story and I enjoyed every second of it!! Kashana Cauley is a new to me author but I really loved her style and wit. The story follows a young Black woman in her thirties who works at the mall just to try to keep up with her school debts. When the government installs debt police that are bent on attacked and brutalizing people who fall behind on their debt, she takes things into her own hands and with two others plans a scheme to wipe out everyone's debt!! Great on audio and perfect for fans of the series Good girls. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This would make a fab movie and fun fact the events in the book are made into a film in the book's world.
CW: police brutality, use of a strong language throughout
CW: police brutality, use of a strong language throughout
August 3, 2025
Womp
This book was not what I expected at all. It was more satirical than I anticipated. There was so much rambling about Jada’s thoughts on fashion. It didn’t add to the storyline. It was hard to connect with her character. She made such bad decisions. When the debt police were introduced to the storyline, it became very silly. I just couldn’t believe this was how the story unfolded. The only bright spot was the suspense of whether their plan to erase their debt would work.
This book was not what I expected at all. It was more satirical than I anticipated. There was so much rambling about Jada’s thoughts on fashion. It didn’t add to the storyline. It was hard to connect with her character. She made such bad decisions. When the debt police were introduced to the storyline, it became very silly. I just couldn’t believe this was how the story unfolded. The only bright spot was the suspense of whether their plan to erase their debt would work.
July 24, 2025
Three young Black women, co-workers at a clothing store in the mall, collaborate to take down the student debt industry. There are lots of funny bits and sharp descriptions as the trio deals with low-paying jobs and the "debt police," who assault them and confiscate their belongings when they fall behind on payments. I enjoyed the descriptions of the characters, particularly narrator and fashionista Jada, who was fired from her last two jobs and gets by doing web cams for creepy guys who pay to watch her eat crunchy foods. Once the trio makes a plan to strike back, things venture into totally unrealistic territory, so that was a minus for me.
July 30, 2025
Jada Williams is who we need in this debt-ridden country, a hell of a character who comes up with the brilliant plan to hack into the system and erase everyones debts. Honestly, the debt police in this one scared me because that is hitting too close to home.
August 2, 2025
This book can't really figure out that it wants to be. The satire portions of it were good. However then there was everything else that I couldn't quite figure out why it was in there. It wasn't tight enough to be a good satire. 2.5 stars.
July 17, 2025
(rounded down from 3.25)
This was a fun little story but ultimately rings a bit shallow. I think it would have been better as a novella or extended short story.
This was a fun little story but ultimately rings a bit shallow. I think it would have been better as a novella or extended short story.
July 18, 2025
A good, near future heist book (even if it took quite a while for the actual heist to come into it, that just means it was built up well). Fun characters and solid writing.
Want to read
August 10, 202508.10.2025: per Sunday NY Times recommendation: "A Spicy Heist Story for the Student Loan Era." This one imagines a world where the Debt Police are real, and they’re into reiki...;
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