The Lying Tongue

It does go a bit over the top at the conclusion but it will hold your interest. One-half of the book takes place in England which was a disappointment but there are some lovey (and accurate) images of the changing moods of Venice that are tied to the water and fog. It is mystery with two unpredictable main characters and a good deal of homo-erotica.

Who has the right to tell a story? The person living it? The best writer/ biographer? This is one of the underlying themes in this brilliant novel about a young man who travels to Venice to write a novel. However, when he arrives in Venice to find out the job he has waiting for him is no longer available, he decides to take on another role entirely, that of a caretaker to an esteemed elderly writer. I simply can't reveal anymore without giving too much away. Suffice it to say, the writing is spectacular, you'll be in the edge of your seat from the very first word until the very last sentence; the charachter development is really thorough- the reader is simultaneously "rooting for" and despising the same characters at various stages of the book; and the plot is extremely well-thought out and the story told in an increasingly suspenseful fashion...you'll be hooked! I would group this novel in the same category as Donna Tartt's "The Secret History," and Marisha Pessl's "Special Topics In Calamity Physics," both also masterpieces and written by authors at the top of their game. All three deal with students, murders, truth, lying, greed, egoism, sexuality and coverings ones tracks, yet in the grander scheme, all are exceptionally written and must-reads! I HIGHLY recommend this novel and hope to read more of Mr. Wilson's works!

Andrew Wilson's debut novel, THE LYING TONGUE, is a compelling tale of narcissism, greed, ego, betrayal, ambition, homosexuality and sociopathy that grips readers immediately. The young, rather unreliable narrator, Adam Woods, is a university dropout who travels to Venice to take a post as an English tutor, only to find that his charge has been sent to America, thus leaving him without a job. But his not-to-be employers know of a man, a reclusive writer, who is looking for an amanuensis. Woods immediately applies for the position and gets it. Gordon Crace, Adam's employer, is a former teacher who wrote a "scandalous" novel years before that achieved both critical and popular success. THE DEBATING SOCIETY is the sad story of a scholarship student, at a lesser private school, who is tormented by his classmates' cruel bullying. The "fictionalized" instructor takes him under his wing, and the boy quickly becomes the teacher's pet. Then, when he is booted onto the debating team, he finds himself in the middle of the group who has been his harshest tormentors. The youngster tries to stay out of everyone's way and keeps his head down as secretary. One day, just before the scheduled debate, the boys are talking amongst themselves when one "puts forward a motion to debate, in secret, the merits of murdering their respectable classics master. The students pass the motion, thinking it all a hoot until one day [one of the boys] lures the teacher into a forest and bludgeons him to death." What seems to be a senseless murder is never solved, and the boys, including the killer, complete their schooling and go on with their lives, never looking back. What becomes clear, as the narrative unfolds, is that Gordon Crace overheard his students discussing the idea of murdering their teacher, and that bit of eavesdropping later became the inspiration for THE DEBATING SOCIETY. Strangely enough, no one made any connections between Crace's boys, the murdered teacher or the plot of his magnum opus --- at least not until Adam Woods stirs the pot by bringing strange secrets to the surface. Of the many questions Woods becomes obsessive about is Christopher Davidson, the young man who was in Crace's employ before Woods stepped in. From letters and other written material, Davidson was beguiled and mesmerized by his mentor. On Crace's advice he left university and moved in with the author, who encouraged his ambition. Ironically the two fell in love and stayed together until Davidson died. Why? How? Where? And was he the only one of the former students under Crace's tutelage? Another chapter opens when Lavinia Maddon, a successful biographer, enters the scene, repeatedly trying to contact Crace. She has plans to write his biography and is hoping for an interview. Crace "gets crazy" whenever something like this comes up. At this time, Woods is in a position to become the intermediary in any negotiations. Following his muse takes him down dark alleys of the mind --- his own

Andrew Wilson's "The Lying Tongue" is narrated by Adam Woods, a young man who leaves London for Venice after completing his art history degree. Adam is at loose ends after breaking up with his girlfriend and his plans for the future are vague. He soon becomes the housekeeper and companion of reclusive and wealthy Gordon Crace, an author who produced one bestselling novel and never wrote another. The elderly and eccentric Crace lives an isolated life in his gloomy and unkempt palazzo. When he moves in with Crace, Adam announces that he wants to write a novel in his spare time. However, Adam is constantly busy tending to his cranky employer's insatiable needs, and life in Venice soon proves to be more lonely and claustrophobic than pleasurable. Crace never leaves his house and he becomes anxious when Adam abandons him to shop or even take a walk. Wilson's detailed descriptions of the sights and sounds of Venice bring this unique city to life. With Adam, we take water taxis on its canals, eat in its restaurants, and stroll on its busy streets. Through his eyes, we see the paintings, altarpieces, and sculptures that attract connoisseurs of religious art. However, we also learn early on in the narrative, through the author's somewhat heavy-handed use of symbolism and foreshadowing, that amidst all of this beauty there is decadence and decay. "The Lying Tongue" is a psychological thriller in which vital information is withheld that, when revealed, completely alters our understanding of the characters and events in the story. After Adam learns some sinister secrets about Crace's past, the two men become entangled in a game of cat and mouse that threatens to turn deadly. One of the book's key questions is: To whom do we owe our loyalty? Should we look out for own interests at the expense of others, or should we adhere to a personal code of honor, even if it means sacrificing what we want? When Adam hatches a scheme that he believes will make his fortune, he is tempted to step over boundaries that he had narrowly avoided crossing in the past, and the reader is held in unbearable suspense wondering how it will all end. Although the conclusion is not particularly surprising, it is a fitting finale to this dark and clever tale of sadism, selfishness, treachery, and madness.

Here's a first novel that really jumps out of the pack. Andrew Wilson, author of BEAUTIFUL SHADOW, the acclaimed biography of Patricia Highsmith, has now written a work of fiction that does much more than simply compare favorably to his idol. THE LYING TONGUE is a tale of insidious evil and murder that stands on its own merits. Wilson has a gift for straightforward, matter-of-fact suspense, and this story of an ambitious young writer and the legendary novelist he seeks to exploit builds in quiet intensity to a chilling finale. I don't know what Wilson plans to write next, but I'll definitely be reading it. Bravo!

I only read about this novel last Friday. The cover photograph caught my eye. Then I read what the book was about and that the author is the acclaimed biographer of Patricia Highsmith - a favorite. I knew I had to read it. I rushed out and found a copy and devoured it over the weekend. Recently graduated from University, would be novelist Adam Woods can't believe his good fortune in landing a position as personal assistant to the reclusive writer Gordon Crace. Crace is an enigmatic figure. Forty years ago he published a phenomenally popular novel of murder at a boys school called "The Debating Society" before retreating into seclusion. An intensely private man, Crace wants nothing more than to be left alone with only the skeletons in his closet for company. However, one rarely gets what one wants - or deserves. Sensing an opportunity to exploit Crace and the mystery of his self-imposed isolation, Woods sets out to discover all he can about the man's past. As you can well imagine, what he finds isn't pretty. Andrew Wilson has done Ms. Highsmith proud. His is truly a novel of suspence, equal parts "The Aspern Papers" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley." I could only put it down reluctantly. Rarely have I found a work of fiction as compelling. His writing is graceful and fluid. There isn't a word or phrase out of place. Each idea, character and situation is presented clearly and succinctly. My only regret is that I read it too fast.