by Steve Toltz
First published 2015
Liam juggles two failing careers as both writer and police officer when his best friend Aldo provides unexpected inspiration. Aldo stumbles from one criminal venture to another, each scheme ending in spectacular failure. His disasters multiply as he desperately tries to win back Stella, his ex-wife and the love of his life. Liam watches these mounting catastrophes and sees material for his next book. He begins documenting Aldo's misadventures, turning his friend's real suffering into fictional gold. But as Liam mines Aldo's pain for artistic purposes, their friendship faces new strains. The line between loyalty and exploitation blurs as Liam must choose between his art and his oldest relationship. This dark comedy explores what friends owe each other when creativity and desperation collide.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
320 pages · Kindle Edition · Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness