Say Uncle: 2a Novel

When little Scott Reily's parents die in a car crash, the care of the infant boy is entrusted to his mother's brother, Michael, a rising advertising executive who happens to be single--and gay. The first half of Quinn's debut novel is told in the third person and concerns Michael's struggle to retain custody of Scott over the objections of most of the boy's family. Chief among the complainants is Scott's paternal grandfather, a former U.S. senator who forces a courtroom showdown that ironically highlights the family's erratic behavior and wins Michael custody rights. After this, the narrative reins are taken over by an adult Scott, who tells of his Auntie Mame -style upbringing by Michael: ``Everything that happened was somehow larger than life--out of control.'' Unfortunately, Quinn has neither the cleverness nor the wit of a Patrick Dennis. His attempts at campy dialogue are affected, and some of his characters are cartoonish stereotypes of gays. To his credit, however, the author has a flair for plot twists that just won't quit. In another courtroom drama that ensues when Scott and Michael fight for control of the boy's estate, the judge makes a comment that might describe this novel: ``It was like leafing through the scripts from Dynasty .'' Film rights optioned by Propaganda Films; author tour . (Aug.)