In the Company of Liars

I've always wanted to read a book by Mr. Ellis and I'm glad that I started with this novel. I was captured by just reading the book jacket. I thought his idea of writing the book in reverse order was creative. I was in a "rut" and have been looking for something different and this was what I had been looking for. Just when you think you know what happened, you get another twist. Definitely worth the read. While reading this book, the theme that kept coming back to mind is do you know who you can REALLY trust? This book is definitely ownership worthy.

If you are like me, you enjoy mysteries that challenge the little grey cells (as Hercule Poirot was so fond of saying). Having heard that David Ellis had written his latest novel in reverse chronological order, I felt like a worthy challenge had arrived. While many books use flashbacks, this one goes in reverse chronology (and uses flashbacks). So you have to be nimble-minded. If you are like me, you will continually make assumptions about what's going on that are wrong. One of the pleasures of this book is that the reverse chronology makes for many more plot complications . . . which, for me, kept the story fresher and more unexpected. So how do you review a book written in reverse chronology . . . very carefully! I suspect that the most I can do is to describe some of the key characters . . . rather than give you a sense of the plot. You'll just have to unravel the plot on your own. Beware of any reviews that give you plot details . . . they are, by definition, spoilers! Allison Pagone is a best-selling novelist of detective stories who is also a lawyer who formerly worked as a public defender. She is recently divorced from her ex-husband, Mat, who is a political lobbyist in their state's capitol. They have a daughter, Jessica, who a college student working part-time for another lobbyist, Sam Dillon, who is a friend of Allison's and Mat's. Since this is a mystery, you have representatives of law and order (deputy investigator Jodie Griggs, detective Joe Czerwonka, special agents Jane McCoy, Owen Harrick and Irv Sheils from the bureau, county attorney Elliot Raycroft and the prosecutor, Roger Ogren) and those who defend the innocent (attorneys Paul Riley and Ron McGaffrey). Naturally, there are journalists (such as Larry Evans) and various mysterious people outside of the Pagones' lives (such as Doctor Neil Lomas, a brilliant drug researcher, and Ram Haroon, a suspicious exchange student). These characters spice up the story much more than you would expect. One of the pleasures of reading the book is that Mr. Ellis does a nice job of both misdirection . . . and giving you clues to overcome the misdirection. So if two things don't make sense together, assume that there are other shoes to drop in the past. Some will grade this book down because it takes 100 pages or so before you begin to see the beauty of the story. Be patient if you are not thrilled while you first read the book . . . it will get a lot better before you get to the beginning (or the end, if you prefer). This book will most appeal to those who have enjoyed plays like Sleuth. I envy you for having this wonderful reading experience ahead of you. I hope that Mr. Ellis will provide us with another of these gems soon.

I initially had some doubts about IN THE COMPANY OF LIARS, David Ellis's new novel. The element that (momentarily) brought me up short was the revelation that the narrative is in chronological reverse. This method, though unusual, is not unknown, nor is it limited to novels. The problem is that it is occasionally employed as a trick of form to distract from the substance of the piece. An example of this is Coldplay's video for "The Scientist," where the method is utilized as a stalking horse to keep the viewer awake during the song. But it turns out there was no reason for me to worry. Ellis has demonstrated in previous works such as LINE OF VISION and LIFE SENTENCE that he need only rely on his prodigious reserve of talent to carry the day. The same holds true here. The use of the chronological reverse with respect to IN THE COMPANY OF LIARS is a plot device that functions as a bit of lagniappe to the primary strength of the narrative rather than having to carry the day. It also, incidentally, presents a dilemma for reviewers faced with the task of providing a sufficient summary of the plot without giving everything away. Let us try. Allison Pagone is accused of murdering her former lover, Sam Dillon, a lobbyist whose company is the subject of a Federal investigation. The evidence against Pagone is damning, and she has done the prosecution the favor of behaving like a guilty party as well. When she is found to have committed suicide, with the weapon that murdered Dillon on the premises, the conclusion is that she has saved the prosecution's time and some taxpayer dollars. But, but...well, that is only the beginning. And the beginning raises a bunch of questions, including whether Pagone actually did the deed. If she didn't do it, who did? And what is the connection between a murder committed by a jilted lover and the attack upon and capture of a Middle Eastern terrorist? These intriguing questions are more than enough, on their own, to keep you up all night reading this novel. Yet the star here is Ellis, who leads the reader through a minefield of potential distractions with nary a misstep. And that's while walking backward, no less. IN THE COMPANY OF LIARS is an intriguing, suspenseful, funhouse of a book, with surprises jumping out at you from above, below and sideways. You'll never forget this book, or Ellis, after you've finished reading. Highly recommended. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This novel opens with three different story lines. FBI Agent Jane McCoy holding a gun on a well-known doctor, a Marine squad attacking a convoy in the Middle East to capture a well known terrorist, and mintutes after the death of mystery writer Allison Pagone. Allison was on trial and about to be convicted for the murder of her alleged lover. Just what ties all of these plots together? To say anymore would ruin the masterful job that Mr. Ellis has done in writing this novel in chronological reverse. He succeeds in crafting a tale with narrative breadth and emotional scope seldom encountered in mystery fiction. The novel proceeds to a flawless slam bang conclusion - or should I say beginning? The result is a deeply satisfying novel that transcends general limitations and lingers in the mind long after the book ends.