The Truth

In Palin’s second novel, Keith Mabbut is a corporate hack-writer with literary ambitions. When a lucrative opportunity to write about legendary activist Hamish Melville presents itself, Mabbut leaps at the opportunity. With his personal life falling apart, he finds inspiration in Melville. But the book he’s written flies in the face of what his publisher wants and that creates all sorts of problems for Mabbut, his family, and Melville. Narrator Alex Jennings deftly delivers a variety of foreign accents and captures Mabbut’s initial frustration and general disposition. Jennings also renders Mabbut’s evolution and transformation, providing a clear contrast between the man Mabbut was and is by novel’s end. The narrator also lends consistent, unique voices to secondary characters. And, best of all, Jennings manages to, at times, channel Palin, capturing the author’s wry delivery and excellent timing. A Thomas Dunne hardcover. (Aug.)