Exley

Fun twisty read by Brock Clarke, author of the excellent An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England.

Miller is a boy with a missing father trying to find his father, recounting the things that made his father happy, and the reasons his father might go away. Miller is sent to a Mental health professional for treatment about Miller's obsession. The mental health professional becomes obsessed with Miller's mother then with helping Miller. You quickly begin to doubt who is sane, who realises they are not acting sane, and where all the other interesting characters will fit in.

The story is set in a real town with a real book by a real author as part of the missing father's obsession. The real town is next to a real army base and the war in Iraq is one of several focal points for the story. The book skips around the worst parts of the real war to keep the story focused on what Miller thinks about life, also keeping the story from becoming too heavy.

If you are interested in writing styles, writing, and authors, read An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England. If you want to find out about Brock Clarke's books, start with An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England. Make Exley the next read if you enjoy the first.

One reviewer is quoted as saying Very funny, very weird. The first part of the book is mostly weird. You have to understand the weird to understand some of the humour. Exley can be tough to read long enough to enjoy the the characters and follow the story.