I know I've moaned on about this before, but why are American novels so much more interesting and well written than British ones? Maybe it's because American writers aren't afraid to tackle big subjects, without losing sight of the minutiae of life. Think Updike, Roth, Franzen, Foster Wallace. Who have we got to compare? Amis once, perhaps. But Yellow Dog was pants.
Now Mark Costello needs to be added to the US list of big-hitters. The secret world of Presidential bodyguards, online gaming, insurance, conspiracy theories and invitation-only lingerie boutiques are just some of the subjects thrown into the air in Big If, Costello's second novel.
Watch the hands...
It's intelligent, beautifully written, laugh-out loud funny and genuinely gripping. You'll never look at the dudes who stare at people's hands in the same way again.
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