The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

Henry Hayden, hedonist and best selling author – make that best selling and adored author, the toast of every book signing - has a problem.  Just a sec, he has more than A problem.  He lives on an anthill of problems, bringing pleasure, but also spoiling his picnic.

Nevertheless, his wife loves him for all his faults.  He loves her, as he should since she’s the silent author of all his best sellers, and therefore directly responsible for the celebrity status he so richly enjoys.

They live in a home worthy of an architectural magazine article.  He drives an eye-catching compliment to Italian luxury.  He’s swamped by fanfare in restaurants and grocery stores.

Oh, there is one more thing:  His mistress is carrying his child.  Something must be done about that.  An endless steam of possibilities roam Henry’s self-centered world.   Not that he entertains objections about any of them.

Sascha Arango, in his very first novel, creates that most interesting of characters, an ambitious, multi-faceted rogue, with an uncanny sense of self-preservation.  Exposure lurks around every corner and in his struggle to survive, Henry has to peer around all of them.

You ask yourself:  What would I do?  But, that’s not a fair question.  For most of us, moral objections loom large, so let’s put it to Henry:  What should he do?  Confess all to a loving wife?  Convince his mistress to have the abortion she does not want?  For Henry, whichever choice he makes, self-protection and preservation of lifestyle are the beacons that guide his way.

Yes, it’s quirky, so you may well ask:  Why did I pick up this book?  I like to be entertained. More and more I’ve turned to European authors, especially if they are male and German.  The finely etched characters stand out.  (The Collini Case:  http://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2014/09/the-colllini-case.html)  But also, so many European plots avoid the expected flow of the wide-river stories, and instead follow the personal tributaries, and rivulets that trickle in unexpected directions and lead to unexpected results.  Another thing I like is the cohesiveness.  Everything leads toward the character and the plot.  No irrelevant angst and dithering to fill fifteen pages with useless verbiage.  In a word, leanness.  Europeans write their mysteries sparsely.  No distracting fat, and the prosaic knife cuts almost unexpectedly straight to the bone.

The Truth and Other Lies is one such mystery.  As you read, you’ll constantly ask:  What happens next?  Good luck.  Think the laugh-out-loud bits make this a comedic novel?  Good luck with that one, too.

You’re going to pick this novel up and become so involved, so quickly that anybody who interrupts you is going to be met with a barrage of verbal gunfire.  Oh, yeah, it’s that kind of book.