The Argus Deceit

Grossart’s accomplished nonlinear novel is equally entertaining and suspenseful. The tale follows Brody Quail, whose existence is extraordinarily fractured. Slices of his memory have been lost or altered, and portions of his life are on endless repeat. He soon learns there is something sinister behind these gaps in his consciousness. As a man lurking in the shadows begins to hunt him, Brody is guided through his mental hell by Constance, a woman who has been in the background of all of his memories. Grossart’s narrative keeps the reader guessing; he draws back layers of mystery tantalizingly slowly, leaving the reader to piece together the grand puzzle, with an immensely rewarding payoff. His precise attention to detail stabilizes the disjointed narrative. Recalling Rod Serling’s setups in The Twilight Zone, Grossart plays with time and memory in a highly inventive way. He combines thought-provoking questions about memory with nail-biting suspense, creating a unique novel that shows what can be achieved when one pushes the boundaries of speculative fiction. Agent: Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group. (May)