What do you think?
Rate this book
Barrett Fuller's Secret
Barrett Fuller’s privileged life is about to change radically … or else.Barrett Fuller is a world-famous and very wealthy children’s author who writes under a pseudonym because he’s a self-absorbed womanizer and drug-user. His life changes when he receives an extortion letter, challenging him to live up to the morals he currently espouses in his books. He is presented with a series of tasks to complete or face having his identity revealed to the public, resulting in the ruin of his financial empire.Richard Fuller, Barrett’s nephew, has a secret too, and it’s one no kid should bear. He knows why his father left the family and he’s never told his mother.When the extortionist challenges Barrett to spend time with his nephew, their respective secrets move towards a collision that will change their lives forever.
- GenresFiction
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
105 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 10, 2013
Hey, Everyone! Please check out my interview with Toronto novelist Scott Carter as we discuss his latest novel, Barrett Fuller's Secret (Dundurn Books, 2013), which hits bookshelves today. Read an excerpt from the novel on my TTQ Blog now. http://thetorontoquarterly.blogspot.c...
November 29, 2013
I won this book from Goodreads, and I'm glad I did, because it's not a book I'd likely pick up from a bookstore. The book had me captivated from beginning to end.
My only complaints, if they can even be called that, deal with the writing, and not the storyline. I despise the saying "could care less", because it implies you could, in fact, care less about something. It is a pet peeve of mine for that saying to be used incorrectly - "couldn't care less"' so it irked me to consciously pick it up at least three times while reading this book. However, the story itself made up for my dislike of clichéd, and incorrectly used, phrases.
My only complaints, if they can even be called that, deal with the writing, and not the storyline. I despise the saying "could care less", because it implies you could, in fact, care less about something. It is a pet peeve of mine for that saying to be used incorrectly - "couldn't care less"' so it irked me to consciously pick it up at least three times while reading this book. However, the story itself made up for my dislike of clichéd, and incorrectly used, phrases.
April 18, 2017
I literally stumbled on this book because it was on an end cap at the library and I figured why the heck not because I felt like I wanted something different.
Glad I picked it up, this one a unique story (at least for me), and the writing style was smooth and free flowing making it an easy adventure for my eyes to follow. (as opposed to writing styles that tend to be jarring.)
The characters were believable (the kid may have been too emotionally aware/understanding for his age, but that is okay) and the story was good with enough surprises and moments to remember.
Maybe I didnt, love love the ending, but it was a great way to wrap it all up and left feeling good.
Glad I picked it up, this one a unique story (at least for me), and the writing style was smooth and free flowing making it an easy adventure for my eyes to follow. (as opposed to writing styles that tend to be jarring.)
The characters were believable (the kid may have been too emotionally aware/understanding for his age, but that is okay) and the story was good with enough surprises and moments to remember.
Maybe I didnt, love love the ending, but it was a great way to wrap it all up and left feeling good.
August 10, 2013
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
When I read Scott Carter’s first novel, BLIND LUCK, I fell in love with his masterful plotting and fantastic dialogue, but I didn’t think I’d be sucked in quite as fully again, because gone is that pleasant surprise one experiences when discovering a favorite author for the first time.
BARRETT FULLER’S SECRET is a vastly different experience than Carter's debut novel, and I've added brilliant characterization to the things I love about his writing. At first I was more than intrigued by the premise behind this book. In “real life” when authors use pen names or aliases, it’s usually to hide “unsavory” content from folks they know. It’s all about keeping our real world reputation squeaky clean. Porn authors, for example, often use pen names because for most people, finding out your child’s teacher or your doctor wrote something that forced you into a cold shower would result in some shit-losing. This book’s protagonist, bestselling children’s author, Barrett Fuller, is the opposite of the typical author. He uses a pen name to hide the fact that his personal life is unsavory. If anyone knew who he really was, they’d never buy a single book, no matter how well-written. Kind of a sad statement on the reality that readers too often judge books by the author, rather than the writing, but it is what it is.
I knew from the first pages that this would be a fun ride. The character is instantly an asshole and I do love assholes. They have so much potential. The reader is fully drawn in (if you aren’t already) when an anonymous extortionist catches on to Barrett’s secret, and threatens to ruin everything. The “opportunities” Barrett is given to redeem himself begin easily enough. He’s asked to do things like donate money to charity and attend sensitivity training. Then the demands, and their consequences, become more serious. For example, his blackmailer knows that he slept with an underage girl, and warns that if he does not do what is asked to make amends for the crime, the girl will come forward and he faces criminal charges. Later, the demands made by Barrett’s blackmailer force him to look at his life and what he’s made of it. This is pretty tough, considering Barrett has committed all the sins; sex, booze, drugs, deceit and more. I won’t give more detail because I’d be giving away the juicy bits. I’ll just say that Carter doesn’t shy away from making this character unlikeable, but most impressive is that I was engaged and guessing until the “big reveal” of the blackmailer. Also impressive is how Carter wrings every ounce of gut-wrenching tension and heartbreak from the reveal that could possibly be wrung without making it feel hokey.
Now that I’m done rambling, I suppose you’ve guessed I highly recommend reading this book, but if you read BLIND LUCK, don’t expect the same experience. While Carter’s easy voice and style are definitely there, where BLIND LUCK was written with smooth prose that lulled you gently along, BARRETT FULLER’S SECRET is gritty, jolting, and the most fun I’ve had reading a novel in a while.
When I read Scott Carter’s first novel, BLIND LUCK, I fell in love with his masterful plotting and fantastic dialogue, but I didn’t think I’d be sucked in quite as fully again, because gone is that pleasant surprise one experiences when discovering a favorite author for the first time.
BARRETT FULLER’S SECRET is a vastly different experience than Carter's debut novel, and I've added brilliant characterization to the things I love about his writing. At first I was more than intrigued by the premise behind this book. In “real life” when authors use pen names or aliases, it’s usually to hide “unsavory” content from folks they know. It’s all about keeping our real world reputation squeaky clean. Porn authors, for example, often use pen names because for most people, finding out your child’s teacher or your doctor wrote something that forced you into a cold shower would result in some shit-losing. This book’s protagonist, bestselling children’s author, Barrett Fuller, is the opposite of the typical author. He uses a pen name to hide the fact that his personal life is unsavory. If anyone knew who he really was, they’d never buy a single book, no matter how well-written. Kind of a sad statement on the reality that readers too often judge books by the author, rather than the writing, but it is what it is.
I knew from the first pages that this would be a fun ride. The character is instantly an asshole and I do love assholes. They have so much potential. The reader is fully drawn in (if you aren’t already) when an anonymous extortionist catches on to Barrett’s secret, and threatens to ruin everything. The “opportunities” Barrett is given to redeem himself begin easily enough. He’s asked to do things like donate money to charity and attend sensitivity training. Then the demands, and their consequences, become more serious. For example, his blackmailer knows that he slept with an underage girl, and warns that if he does not do what is asked to make amends for the crime, the girl will come forward and he faces criminal charges. Later, the demands made by Barrett’s blackmailer force him to look at his life and what he’s made of it. This is pretty tough, considering Barrett has committed all the sins; sex, booze, drugs, deceit and more. I won’t give more detail because I’d be giving away the juicy bits. I’ll just say that Carter doesn’t shy away from making this character unlikeable, but most impressive is that I was engaged and guessing until the “big reveal” of the blackmailer. Also impressive is how Carter wrings every ounce of gut-wrenching tension and heartbreak from the reveal that could possibly be wrung without making it feel hokey.
Now that I’m done rambling, I suppose you’ve guessed I highly recommend reading this book, but if you read BLIND LUCK, don’t expect the same experience. While Carter’s easy voice and style are definitely there, where BLIND LUCK was written with smooth prose that lulled you gently along, BARRETT FULLER’S SECRET is gritty, jolting, and the most fun I’ve had reading a novel in a while.
October 11, 2013
I loved this book--- it was fun, quirky with a splash of suspense. And of course, I loved the choice of the main character's first name!
December 6, 2013
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This was a fantastic novel. It kept me up long into the night. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This was a fantastic novel. It kept me up long into the night. I look forward to reading more from this author.
November 30, 2013
Very enjoyable read. Some suspense, humour and likeable characters.
February 6, 2017
Great read - kept me interested through out!
Read
January 8, 2014While it was a pleasant enough novel, I was ultimately a little disappointed. The unveiling of the perpetrator didn't really make sense as the character was drawing on knowledge that would not have been available. The author is very fond of descriptions such as this: 'His bedroom was larger than most apartments' or 'His watch cost more than most people earn in a year'.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews