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Unreliable: A Novel
Riotous and riveting, this is the story of a charming college professor who most definitely did not but maybe did kill his ex-wife. Or someone else. Or no one. Irby plays with the thriller trope in unimaginably clever ways.
Edwin Stith, a failed novelist and college writing instructor in upstate New York, is returning home for the weekend to Richmond, Virginia, to celebrate his mother's wedding to a much younger man. Edwin has a peculiar relationship with the truth. He is a liar who is brutally honest. He may or may not be sleeping with his students, he may or may not be getting fired, and he may or may not have killed his ex-wife, a lover, and his brand-new stepsister.
Stith's dysfunctional homecoming leads him deep into a morass of long-gestating secrets and dangers, of old-flames still burning strong and new passions ready to consume everything he holds dear. But family dysfunction is only eclipsed by Edwin's own, leading to profound suspense and utter hilarity. Lee Irby has crafted a sizzling modern classic of dark urges, lies, and secrets that harks back to the unsettling obsessions of Edgar Allan Poe with a masterful ending that will have you thinking for days."
Edwin Stith, a failed novelist and college writing instructor in upstate New York, is returning home for the weekend to Richmond, Virginia, to celebrate his mother's wedding to a much younger man. Edwin has a peculiar relationship with the truth. He is a liar who is brutally honest. He may or may not be sleeping with his students, he may or may not be getting fired, and he may or may not have killed his ex-wife, a lover, and his brand-new stepsister.
Stith's dysfunctional homecoming leads him deep into a morass of long-gestating secrets and dangers, of old-flames still burning strong and new passions ready to consume everything he holds dear. But family dysfunction is only eclipsed by Edwin's own, leading to profound suspense and utter hilarity. Lee Irby has crafted a sizzling modern classic of dark urges, lies, and secrets that harks back to the unsettling obsessions of Edgar Allan Poe with a masterful ending that will have you thinking for days."
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2017
19 people are currently reading
972 people want to read
About the author
Lee Irby
8 books40 followersI started writing fiction at the age of 14 and have not stopped since, forty continuous years of living a life devoted to the art of the novel. I'm a also a member of the Screen Actor's Guild. And I play a lot of basketball.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 3, 2017
This is a wild and crazy story, told by an unreliable narrator, as the title warns the reader. Edwin Stith is a professor at a college in Ithaca, NY, who drives down to Richmond, VA, for his mother's second wedding. The reader is privy to his dark thoughts, which are often about women he may or may not have murdered, including his ex-wife--though we are advised not to believe anything he says.
Edwin claims he may lose his position at the college because he has been carrying on an affair with a college student, who frequently sends him texts with photos of her sexual activities. While in Richmond, he decides to end it with her and she resolves to come down to talk to him.
In the meantime, Edwin is dealing with his rather wacky, soon-to-be step-family. And he begins seeing an old high school girlfriend, who seems to have some problems of her own.
What to believe, what to believe. This story keeps the reader guessing right up to the end--which I, for one, never saw coming.
Edwin claims he may lose his position at the college because he has been carrying on an affair with a college student, who frequently sends him texts with photos of her sexual activities. While in Richmond, he decides to end it with her and she resolves to come down to talk to him.
In the meantime, Edwin is dealing with his rather wacky, soon-to-be step-family. And he begins seeing an old high school girlfriend, who seems to have some problems of her own.
What to believe, what to believe. This story keeps the reader guessing right up to the end--which I, for one, never saw coming.
May 26, 2017
3.5 stars - Thank you to Turning Pages and Doubleday for providing this book for a truthful review.
If a person was ever unsure of what an unreliable author was, in this book you have just met the Master. The ability to say one thing and make you believe another, or lead you in one direction, that is completely wrong, and you in all gullibility follow right along. Usually an unreliable author is more protective of his waywardness or deceit, often not revealing the real truth until the end, Irby tells you not to believe him right in his first few sentences - that he intends to mislead you.
This is the story of a disgraceful professor, Edwin, headed home to attend the second wedding of his mother. That is about all that is truthful in this book.
In the beginning I enjoyed the game - what to believe and what not to believe - and once brought back to light, do I change my mind on what I believe? However as the book went on it became a bit frustrating for me - the blatant unreliability. I needed something solid in the book and was not finding anything other than the fact I did not like Edwin and could not believe anything he said or said he did. I needed a constant to hang on to and it wasn't there. As another reader said "Edwin was a total mixture of truth and lies, at the very end we still don't know which of his thoughts were actually truth and which were actually lies. I think the biggest lies were lies to himself."
If a person was ever unsure of what an unreliable author was, in this book you have just met the Master. The ability to say one thing and make you believe another, or lead you in one direction, that is completely wrong, and you in all gullibility follow right along. Usually an unreliable author is more protective of his waywardness or deceit, often not revealing the real truth until the end, Irby tells you not to believe him right in his first few sentences - that he intends to mislead you.
This is the story of a disgraceful professor, Edwin, headed home to attend the second wedding of his mother. That is about all that is truthful in this book.
In the beginning I enjoyed the game - what to believe and what not to believe - and once brought back to light, do I change my mind on what I believe? However as the book went on it became a bit frustrating for me - the blatant unreliability. I needed something solid in the book and was not finding anything other than the fact I did not like Edwin and could not believe anything he said or said he did. I needed a constant to hang on to and it wasn't there. As another reader said "Edwin was a total mixture of truth and lies, at the very end we still don't know which of his thoughts were actually truth and which were actually lies. I think the biggest lies were lies to himself."
January 17, 2025
Irby's latest swan song will resonate for quite some time. His no holds barred prose is a kamikazee shot one part vitriol, one part comedy, and garnished with mystique.
This book to literary pundits should be in the same vane as Kanye West's Dark Twisted Fantasy to hip hop junkies. Unreliable takes the self-published Van, douses it in descriptive gasoline and violently throws a dramatic Molotov cocktail of reality just to watch it all explode into something beautiful dripping in fear and loathing.
The allusions to Poe's work should be closely examined. As if Poe's often cryptic writing had the ability to predict future events (ala Richard Parker), Irby's latest should be put under the dusty and cobwebbed magnifying glass.
The reference to the book's title is finally introduced on page 222. "You're unreliable. In an endearing way."
Bonus points awarded for sampling Bright Eyes, The Replacements, and "The Only Band That Matters."
I am wicked proud of my cool professor and his vigilant ending. Let us celebrate our Independence Day.
A+
This book to literary pundits should be in the same vane as Kanye West's Dark Twisted Fantasy to hip hop junkies. Unreliable takes the self-published Van, douses it in descriptive gasoline and violently throws a dramatic Molotov cocktail of reality just to watch it all explode into something beautiful dripping in fear and loathing.
The allusions to Poe's work should be closely examined. As if Poe's often cryptic writing had the ability to predict future events (ala Richard Parker), Irby's latest should be put under the dusty and cobwebbed magnifying glass.
The reference to the book's title is finally introduced on page 222. "You're unreliable. In an endearing way."
Bonus points awarded for sampling Bright Eyes, The Replacements, and "The Only Band That Matters."
I am wicked proud of my cool professor and his vigilant ending. Let us celebrate our Independence Day.
A+
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
The central premise at the heart of Lee Irby's Unreliable is a fascinating one, and led me to believe that this would be one of the few crime thrillers I would actually like, a genre I usually find intolerably formulaic; namely, a failed mystery author and current college professor announces to us on page one that he recently killed his ex-wife, but then immediately follows that up with the confession that he might actually be kidding, promising a metafictional meditation on the act of genre writing and the nature of unreliable narrators, a taut psychological thriller in which we never know whether this guy is messing with us or not until the very end. Unfortunately, though, Irby pulls a pretty big switcheroo as the book continues; for the more we read, the more we realize that this "did he or didn't he kill her" shtick is simply a cheap gimmick designed to draw readers in, but that the story itself is nothing more than a character-based literary dramedy about a deeply flawed middle-aged son visiting his family and old hometown, and all the wacky foibles that happen within such a milieu, having nothing to do with murder whatsoever.
That unto itself is not necessarily a terrible thing -- once you get past the premise, the rest reads much like a smart and witty Richard Russo or Michael Chabon tale, benefiting from its deep look at the town of Richmond, Virginia right at a point when it is internally debating the future of the Dixiecrat-era Confederate statues still dotting the city -- but when you were expecting a serious and dramatic crime thriller that doubles as a Postmodernist statement on the act of writing crime thrillers, as its dust jacket unambiguously promises ("Irby plays with the thriller trope in unimaginably clever ways"), the bait-and-switch on display here can't help but to be a big disappointment, not the fault of the author but a problem clearly resting on the shoulders of the Doubleday marketing staff. Now that you know the situation, you'll be able to approach this book with the right mindset and enjoy it a lot more than I did; but do yourself a favor and shed any assumptions you might have about this being an actual crime novel.
Out of 10: 6.0, but 8.0 if you ignore the dust jacket
The central premise at the heart of Lee Irby's Unreliable is a fascinating one, and led me to believe that this would be one of the few crime thrillers I would actually like, a genre I usually find intolerably formulaic; namely, a failed mystery author and current college professor announces to us on page one that he recently killed his ex-wife, but then immediately follows that up with the confession that he might actually be kidding, promising a metafictional meditation on the act of genre writing and the nature of unreliable narrators, a taut psychological thriller in which we never know whether this guy is messing with us or not until the very end. Unfortunately, though, Irby pulls a pretty big switcheroo as the book continues; for the more we read, the more we realize that this "did he or didn't he kill her" shtick is simply a cheap gimmick designed to draw readers in, but that the story itself is nothing more than a character-based literary dramedy about a deeply flawed middle-aged son visiting his family and old hometown, and all the wacky foibles that happen within such a milieu, having nothing to do with murder whatsoever.
That unto itself is not necessarily a terrible thing -- once you get past the premise, the rest reads much like a smart and witty Richard Russo or Michael Chabon tale, benefiting from its deep look at the town of Richmond, Virginia right at a point when it is internally debating the future of the Dixiecrat-era Confederate statues still dotting the city -- but when you were expecting a serious and dramatic crime thriller that doubles as a Postmodernist statement on the act of writing crime thrillers, as its dust jacket unambiguously promises ("Irby plays with the thriller trope in unimaginably clever ways"), the bait-and-switch on display here can't help but to be a big disappointment, not the fault of the author but a problem clearly resting on the shoulders of the Doubleday marketing staff. Now that you know the situation, you'll be able to approach this book with the right mindset and enjoy it a lot more than I did; but do yourself a favor and shed any assumptions you might have about this being an actual crime novel.
Out of 10: 6.0, but 8.0 if you ignore the dust jacket
May 9, 2017
So fun I couldn't put it down!
On the surface, Eddie is a college English professor/inspiring writer who travels back home to Richmond, Virginia for his mom's wedding. He hints that a crime will be revealed--either it's happened or he's planning it to happen (or both--more than one crime?). There is some mystery surrounding a student with whom he had an amorous relationship, and maybe some drama from an ex-wife.
Although the description says this "plays with the thriller trope," this doesn't feel like a thriller.
There is definitely suspense, but this feels more like a screwball quest (evade the cops and be there for his mom on her big day) with indignities and set-backs being thrown at him along the way.
I love this description from Library Journal (credit Lindsay Morton): "In a first-person narrative that is at times coy, discursive, pompous, and frenetic, Eddie drags readers through two jam-packed days in the aftermath of a crime that has driven him over the edge."
His adventures include run-ins with an old high school girlfriend plus her angry brother and his posse, and getting pulled along on side missions by his soon-to-be step sister and brother. How bad is this crime that he is guilty of? Is he just making it up because he likes to imagine what would happen if he were in a novel (being the writer that he is)? He shifts between warning the reader not to trust him, and spinning himself in a sympathetic light (he is a son who cares about his mother). Yet he keeps insisting there was a crime and something's going to go down. He is definitely intriguing and entertaining, and capable of smart, wry observations, but ultimately unreliable.
On the surface, Eddie is a college English professor/inspiring writer who travels back home to Richmond, Virginia for his mom's wedding. He hints that a crime will be revealed--either it's happened or he's planning it to happen (or both--more than one crime?). There is some mystery surrounding a student with whom he had an amorous relationship, and maybe some drama from an ex-wife.
Although the description says this "plays with the thriller trope," this doesn't feel like a thriller.
There is definitely suspense, but this feels more like a screwball quest (evade the cops and be there for his mom on her big day) with indignities and set-backs being thrown at him along the way.
I love this description from Library Journal (credit Lindsay Morton): "In a first-person narrative that is at times coy, discursive, pompous, and frenetic, Eddie drags readers through two jam-packed days in the aftermath of a crime that has driven him over the edge."
His adventures include run-ins with an old high school girlfriend plus her angry brother and his posse, and getting pulled along on side missions by his soon-to-be step sister and brother. How bad is this crime that he is guilty of? Is he just making it up because he likes to imagine what would happen if he were in a novel (being the writer that he is)? He shifts between warning the reader not to trust him, and spinning himself in a sympathetic light (he is a son who cares about his mother). Yet he keeps insisting there was a crime and something's going to go down. He is definitely intriguing and entertaining, and capable of smart, wry observations, but ultimately unreliable.
January 6, 2017
This is an awesome mystery novel packed with likable, well-developed characters and a premise that is sometimes eery, and at other times, totally normal. That's the best thing about this book: as a reader, it's hard to put your finger on really anything. The main character, Edwin, is wildly intriguing and complex. It could be that Edwin is a normal guy who ends up in bad situations. As the story pans out, the reader gets the sense that Edwin probably isn't a bad guy and we might feel bad for him. Or is he a bad guy? Hard to tell. Just when you think you understand what's happening, there's a shocking twist that will leave you thinking over and over what you just read. The setting of the novel does a great job at establishing the mood, while the writing is witty, and maybe even funny, during times of uncertainty. And it works. It definitely works.
May 8, 2017
I read Unreliable after seeing it advertised & lauded on Goodreads. From the beginning, I did not much like it and almost gave up on it at least 3 times in the first 100 pages. The plethora of glowing reviews and back cover blurbs convinced me to hang in, though. I wish I hadn't.
There is not a single likable or sympathetic character in the book. None of the red herrings or plot twists are satisfactorily resolved. And the "shocking surprise ending" just isn't.
I can offer one compliment. Irby boldly proclaims that the 1st-person narrator, protagonist Eddie Stith, is unreliable. Throughout the book, failed novelist Stith protests too much that he is not a bad writer. If Irby's goal was to write a book that was convincingly written by a bad writer, he succeeded spectacularly.
There is not a single likable or sympathetic character in the book. None of the red herrings or plot twists are satisfactorily resolved. And the "shocking surprise ending" just isn't.
I can offer one compliment. Irby boldly proclaims that the 1st-person narrator, protagonist Eddie Stith, is unreliable. Throughout the book, failed novelist Stith protests too much that he is not a bad writer. If Irby's goal was to write a book that was convincingly written by a bad writer, he succeeded spectacularly.
January 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this!! It was such a great mystery novel! I immediately started asking questions and trying to figure out what went on, but I couldn't always guess it because, Edwin, the main character is really complex, yet interesting. The whole book seems to mirror pretty close to human emotions and good and bad qualities, which keeps a reader's interest from the beginning to end.
January 6, 2017
I read the draft, during a busy time, and the book drew me right in. Witty and lyrical wrting. Wonderful characters. Some of whom I wanted to meet in person.
August 4, 2018
This is a smart, fun read. Since I dabble in the area of fiction between humor and horror, this novel appealed to me innately. A professor down on his luck (believe me, I understand!), is drawn into several simultaneous trials: his mother is remarrying, a student with whom he had an affair is following him, a former girlfriend in his hometown is marrying against her will, there's weapons trafficking going on in his childhood home. What more could go wrong?
Not only Poe, as the cover suggests, but several writers influence this highly literate tale of things gone wrong. Irby may have produced the most unreliable narrator ever. From the beginning Edwin Stith tells you directly not to believe what he's writing. Even at the end the truth isn't clear, but the power of description along the way is compelling. There were parts where I wanted to stand up and applaud (hard to do when reading on a plane) because the scenes were so well drawn. There's a lot of fun and a lot of seriousness wrapped up here together and it's unclear what is really going on. In other words, it's a lot like real life.
I blogged about this book as well (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), since although it doesn't deal with religion, it does touch on many ethical issues and it's just plain enjoyable to read.
Not only Poe, as the cover suggests, but several writers influence this highly literate tale of things gone wrong. Irby may have produced the most unreliable narrator ever. From the beginning Edwin Stith tells you directly not to believe what he's writing. Even at the end the truth isn't clear, but the power of description along the way is compelling. There were parts where I wanted to stand up and applaud (hard to do when reading on a plane) because the scenes were so well drawn. There's a lot of fun and a lot of seriousness wrapped up here together and it's unclear what is really going on. In other words, it's a lot like real life.
I blogged about this book as well (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), since although it doesn't deal with religion, it does touch on many ethical issues and it's just plain enjoyable to read.
September 11, 2017
A claustrophobic story that puts you entirely in the head of an early middle aged college professor as he arrives from Ithaca to Richmond, Virginia for his mother's re-marriage to a much younger man with dubious connections and two insufferable college age children. Eddie Stith is the very model of the inappropriate college professor who may or may not have been having an affair with one of his students. He may or may not have murdered someone, perhaps his ex-wife, or perhaps her new lover. Eddie is coy about what is and what is not true, and maybe he does not know himself. Eddie, and everyone in the story with the exception of his long suffering mother, is unreliable and self deluded. Running through the narrative are references to Edgar Allen Poe and Richmond's Confederate past and current standing of its Confederate statues. Delusion seems to be running through the entire book, including his mother's blindness to her fiance's shortcomings. It all adds up to an overly long Hitchcockian Psycho-drama. But still, often amusing and with many clever turns of phrase.
December 13, 2016
I received an advance copy of this book and I didn't think I had time to read it. I read the first few chapters and I was intrigued - did the narrator do it - or not? His backstory was fascinating. I found myself thinking about the book during the day and when I was on a flight for work (where I was supposed to be doing other things) I found myself reaching for the book. Of course I did not put the book down - and I will not spoil the ending, but I will say that it was worth not getting any work done! The ending was both satisfying and intriguing. I like the historically setting, I got some of the Poe references, but it is a contemporary novel and I could see myself in some of the characters.
March 23, 2017
I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of Unreliable and was pleasantly riveted and kept in suspense from the beginning. The way the main character's trains of thought are written is almost too realistic, you can completely understand how his brain would work that way.
At first it reminded me of a James Patterson book but not long after getting through the first chapter did I realize that this goes beyond his style of stories. It focuses more on the characters' emotional states and has a less obvious, yet omnipresent, sense of suspense. I can't wait to buy an official copy and if you want a different type of mystery book I highly suggest you buy it as well when it is published in April!
At first it reminded me of a James Patterson book but not long after getting through the first chapter did I realize that this goes beyond his style of stories. It focuses more on the characters' emotional states and has a less obvious, yet omnipresent, sense of suspense. I can't wait to buy an official copy and if you want a different type of mystery book I highly suggest you buy it as well when it is published in April!
April 20, 2017
Clever and unique, Unreliable isn't your typical 'who done it' thriller, but rather a 'did what' Yes, definitely a great, big mystery of did what???
I highly recommend this unusual read. I wasn't trying to guess throughout the story as the author veers the reader away from the big reveal with a storyline that unfolds as we get to know our protagonist and narrator.
The ending...didn't see that coming! Bravo!
I won this book in a giveaway from Penguin Random House LLC prior to its lay-down date. All ratings and reviews are my own.
I highly recommend this unusual read. I wasn't trying to guess throughout the story as the author veers the reader away from the big reveal with a storyline that unfolds as we get to know our protagonist and narrator.
The ending...didn't see that coming! Bravo!
I won this book in a giveaway from Penguin Random House LLC prior to its lay-down date. All ratings and reviews are my own.
February 23, 2017
Well written, good plot, which is slowly and well developed. Characters are believable, as is the storyline which slowly builds and comes to a reasonable conclusion. I loved everything about this book from the beginning to the end. If you like mystery and suspense, this book is for you. I can't wait to read more books from this author. Highly recommended!
** I want to thank the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this fine book. **
** I want to thank the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this fine book. **
June 5, 2017
Thank you to Double Day Turning Pages group for an advanced copy of this novel. One of my fellow GR friends described this book as a "wild ride" and I would have to agree! This is not my usual go to genre, but it was a page turner. The first part was really good and it did fall toward end. I would give 3.5 stars.
March 16, 2017
I throughly enjoyed this book but must confess, I was confused when it ended. No need for a spoiler alert as I won't reveal why, but I suspect it was the author's intention that readers have questions left unanswered. This is a demanding readers' gem with many passages drawing a wry smile or little chuckle at the writer's turn of phrase. One never knows where the story will lead to next as there are more twists and turns than at a Cirque de Soliel performance. Hope Mr Irby continues to do more novels like this.
May 28, 2017
Oh, Eddie! You ARE unreliable...and unpredictable, aren't you? Still, I quickly fell for your charming personality. (Maybe it was the trucker hat. I'm fond of hats, too.) Loved the Edgar Allen Poe comparisons! I was a major fan of Poe in high school, sitting at attention in English class, both fascinated and horrified. Edward Stith could be a modern day Poe, mixed in with Nabokov's Humbert Humbert. He could also be a kinder version of Ted Bundy. Or...maybe Eddie has a vivid imagination and is researching the novel he longs to write. I mean, c'mon. Eddie is so considerate and such a dutiful son. He's an everyday hero, coming to the rescue of all the miscreants that have wormed their way into his life. And that sense of humor! So witty. Besides, Stith is a college professor and everyone knows that college professors are trustworthy and reliable.
Unreliable was a delicious read, filled with marvelous mayhem. Loved it!
*Thanks to Doubleday and Keep Turning Pages Goodreads group. I won a copy through the group giveaway. Opinions are my own. No arm twists involved.
Unreliable was a delicious read, filled with marvelous mayhem. Loved it!
*Thanks to Doubleday and Keep Turning Pages Goodreads group. I won a copy through the group giveaway. Opinions are my own. No arm twists involved.
January 6, 2017
This book did not cut it for me. Curiosity is the only thing that kept me reading. I did not like any of the characters.
October 28, 2019
I started to read this book at 10 pm on 10/27/19. By 10: 30 I was just looking for dialogue. I made it to page 100 in the hard cover book. Horrible. The protagonist is a rambling egomaniac. I have nothing positive to say about this book. In the future I will not be reading anything written by Lee Irby.
May 27, 2017
Wanted this book to be more than what it was - when it seemed it was getting good, it failed over and over. Too much weirdness happening in a 24 hour period and the last 20 pages seemed to be written in haste (intentional? hard to say).
February 19, 2017
Lee Irby might be the Carl Hiaasen of Virginia in that this novel has the same goofy, quirky characters that usually show up in Hiaasen's take on Florida. A college professor on his way home to Richmond to attend his mother's wedding is dealing with some issues. He may or may not have committed a murder, is definitely a serial liar and is in deep with a young student who seems to have issues of her own. Once he gets home his few days become a blur of dealing with his new family- to -be from the screwed up kids to his new weapons collecting step dad. It has been a while since Eddie has graced the fair city of Richmond and as he runs into old flames, old issues flare up. It is a roller coaster of did he or didn't he murder and/or create mayhem or did he just want to very badly. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
September 12, 2017
Note: I reviewed this for
Creative Loafing Tampa
, but I paid for the book.
Lee Irby's latest book deserves a lot more attention than it's getting. Irby's Unreliable tells the story of a murder from a murderer's point of view — or does it?
It's hard to tell. The author's writing produces a cagey, charming narrator — but readers don't know whether or not they can trust him.
In fiction writing, the purity of the relationship between reader and narrator is sacrosanct: Writers should never break the reader's trust in the narrator. And writers have fun playing with this, especially of late, when the unreliable narrator has fallen into fashion, perhaps in part due to Gone Girl's popularity.
Irby's book isn't a contemporary crime novel, though — not even a little bit. It's actual Literature, the kind that should have a capital "L" that also manages to be witty, engaging and utterly engrossing. In it, in Irby's own words, he's challenging "the genre — the Gone Girl type unreliable mystery, the unreliable narrator as a device."
Irby says the explosion of unreliable narrator-based stories have strayed from those created by the master of the device: Edgar Allen Poe.
Read the rest here.
Lee Irby's latest book deserves a lot more attention than it's getting. Irby's Unreliable tells the story of a murder from a murderer's point of view — or does it?
It's hard to tell. The author's writing produces a cagey, charming narrator — but readers don't know whether or not they can trust him.
In fiction writing, the purity of the relationship between reader and narrator is sacrosanct: Writers should never break the reader's trust in the narrator. And writers have fun playing with this, especially of late, when the unreliable narrator has fallen into fashion, perhaps in part due to Gone Girl's popularity.
Irby's book isn't a contemporary crime novel, though — not even a little bit. It's actual Literature, the kind that should have a capital "L" that also manages to be witty, engaging and utterly engrossing. In it, in Irby's own words, he's challenging "the genre — the Gone Girl type unreliable mystery, the unreliable narrator as a device."
Irby says the explosion of unreliable narrator-based stories have strayed from those created by the master of the device: Edgar Allen Poe.
Read the rest here.
September 27, 2017
I disliked everything about this book. I wanted to put it down as soon as I started, but I unfortunately powered through. I think ... that this is an author writing about an author who may or may not have killed someone, and may or not be lying or telling the truth at any point in the novel; hence the title, Unreliable. The narrator is a cocky, sure of himself professor who may or may not be sleeping with a student (the same he may or may not have killed), recently divorced and attending his mother's wedding. His attitude irritated me from the beginning because he's basically treating the reader as if he's playing a trick on you while also quoting Nabokov and Poe in what seems to be an attempt to impress you with his literary knowledge? The entire thing seems like an attempt to write similarly to historical authors' styles, but in reality is just a rambling and annoying story about a guy who's trying to gain everyone's favour while letting the reader in on the fact that he's actually just an asshole.
May 2, 2017
A wonderfully creepy and suspenseful book! It kept me turning the pages, because I had to know what came next. It's also hilarious! Lovely combination. Edwin is a wonderful, fully-developed, and complex character, and you can never really figure out what is true about him, and if anything he says is true....the book is playful, in a delightful way. It's a book that's not afraid to play with narrative, with ideas, with it all; it's a book that takes chances, and turns things around, and that makes it engaging and un-put-down-able. I absolutely loved this book, and the way it kept me riveted, and guessing.
May 1, 2017
This book is great. Twisted Plot crazy storyline. Kept me guessing until the end! I won my copy of Unreliable from First Reads.
June 7, 2017
This book lives up to its title! Listen to our interview with Lee on The NOT Boring Book Show here: http://bit.ly/LeeIrby
June 14, 2017
I thought this book was fantastic. I had finished reading unreliable in one day , it was so good. I'm so glad that I won it because now I can tell everyone how good it is.
June 5, 2017
This exuberantly written part-mystery, part-roller coaster ride through the hell of a return home one weekend, is narrated by a self-described unreliable narrator (hence the title), who begins his tale by hinting that he might have murdered his ex-wife, an Ihop waitress, and/or his mother. The first few chapters rely heavily on this literary trope, presenting to us a man who may or may not be insane, a serial killer, both, or none. There's an initial cuteness factor here, which quickly wears off, because the narrator punctuates every other event with this "did I or didn't I?" exclamation in an effort to throw the reader into a tizzy of uncertainty. Literarily speaking, the unreliable narrator is a great device for an author, which can build tension, unease, and throw the reader off her game. Here, however, the effect is not so much mystery as stylistic gamesmanship. Typically the narrator doesn't announce his or her unreliability; part of what makes him unreliable is that he presents himself to us in one fashion and the reader learns, slowly and over the events of the novel, that the narrator is not to be trusted. This is a source of great suspense. However, when the narrator introduces himself as someone not to be trusted, it is less effective. How funny is a person who says "I'm a really funny person"? The unreliability of the narrator is meant to be the motivating theme of this book; however, I find it gets in the way of the really rollicking good tale that ensues.
After the first few chapters, however, for the most part the reference to this is-he-or-isn't-he mystery gets pushed to the backseat as the narrator drops this line of self-description, and the thrills and chills of the action takes over, and the events that unfold are more than exciting enough to deal with.
Specifically, Edwin Stith, our narrator, is a middle-aged writing professor in upstate New York who is beckoned home to the South for his mother's second marriage to a man Edwin's age, who, along with his own 2 grown children, having been living with Edwin's mother, taken over her house and garage with vintage Vietnam-War-era explosives, and who are all dealing with issues of their own. The daughter is a sullen drug-user who may or may not be a singer in a grunge-type band; the son may or may not have links to an underground anarchist group who are after his father's hand grenades. Meanwhile, Edwin, in addition to the personal mayhem surrounding his mother's upcoming wedding, is dealing with a crisis of his own involving a highly irresponsible and unethical relationship with one of his college students, who may or may not be on her way down to confront Edwin.
The narrator describes the events that ensue over the course of 3 days with great energy, great humor, and an invigorating style. The plot builds over the 3 days so that the suspense of various plot lines -- the daughter's shenanigans, the son's involvement with a possible criminal activity, Edwin's involvement with an old flame and the people who are trying to stop them -- all come to a head as the action snowballs. There are a lot of interesting and well-drawn characters here who all ring true, and the events over the 3 days are a roller-coaster ride that take us through the underbelly of youth culture, to the high-class city fathers and everything in between. The story reads partly like a farce, with wacky situations and wild rides through the city and its various classes of citizens.
Until the end, when the "unreliable" trope comes into play again and makes it seem like the author intended two separate novels, one a farcical family dramedy, the other a dark twisted tale of evil and/or insanity. In this way I feel the novel has an identity crisis.
Overall, an entertaining read with some flaws.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a review copy.
After the first few chapters, however, for the most part the reference to this is-he-or-isn't-he mystery gets pushed to the backseat as the narrator drops this line of self-description, and the thrills and chills of the action takes over, and the events that unfold are more than exciting enough to deal with.
Specifically, Edwin Stith, our narrator, is a middle-aged writing professor in upstate New York who is beckoned home to the South for his mother's second marriage to a man Edwin's age, who, along with his own 2 grown children, having been living with Edwin's mother, taken over her house and garage with vintage Vietnam-War-era explosives, and who are all dealing with issues of their own. The daughter is a sullen drug-user who may or may not be a singer in a grunge-type band; the son may or may not have links to an underground anarchist group who are after his father's hand grenades. Meanwhile, Edwin, in addition to the personal mayhem surrounding his mother's upcoming wedding, is dealing with a crisis of his own involving a highly irresponsible and unethical relationship with one of his college students, who may or may not be on her way down to confront Edwin.
The narrator describes the events that ensue over the course of 3 days with great energy, great humor, and an invigorating style. The plot builds over the 3 days so that the suspense of various plot lines -- the daughter's shenanigans, the son's involvement with a possible criminal activity, Edwin's involvement with an old flame and the people who are trying to stop them -- all come to a head as the action snowballs. There are a lot of interesting and well-drawn characters here who all ring true, and the events over the 3 days are a roller-coaster ride that take us through the underbelly of youth culture, to the high-class city fathers and everything in between. The story reads partly like a farce, with wacky situations and wild rides through the city and its various classes of citizens.
Until the end, when the "unreliable" trope comes into play again and makes it seem like the author intended two separate novels, one a farcical family dramedy, the other a dark twisted tale of evil and/or insanity. In this way I feel the novel has an identity crisis.
Overall, an entertaining read with some flaws.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a review copy.
May 11, 2017
**I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway**
Oh, man. My head is still spinning.
I've got to hand it to Irby; I never had my finger on the ending until it was spelled out in front of me. As hater of predictability, I absolutely loved the spinning, shifting plot of this novel, and I read the last half of it in a single afternoon.
Edwin is a suitably unreliable narrator. At first, his constant rambling about his possible crimes was irritating, but after a while, this thinned out onto actual plot. He's both normal and deranged, innocent and creepy, and I loved the complexity this brought to his character. The other characters were all shady in their own way, and I liked how they sneered at Edwin for being the 'average' one in the setup. It was a great dynamic.
It's hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything. The ending came out of nowhere, but I still felt a bit lost about what exactly happened. Then again, clarity isn't Edwin's strong suit.
UNRELIABLE was a chaotic book, full of darkly humourous inner monologues and subplots, and it definitely left an impression. Aside from moments of confusion, it was a pretty awesome (and messed-up) read that I'd recommend to psychological thriller and mystery/suspense fans.
Oh, man. My head is still spinning.
I've got to hand it to Irby; I never had my finger on the ending until it was spelled out in front of me. As hater of predictability, I absolutely loved the spinning, shifting plot of this novel, and I read the last half of it in a single afternoon.
Edwin is a suitably unreliable narrator. At first, his constant rambling about his possible crimes was irritating, but after a while, this thinned out onto actual plot. He's both normal and deranged, innocent and creepy, and I loved the complexity this brought to his character. The other characters were all shady in their own way, and I liked how they sneered at Edwin for being the 'average' one in the setup. It was a great dynamic.
It's hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything. The ending came out of nowhere, but I still felt a bit lost about what exactly happened. Then again, clarity isn't Edwin's strong suit.
UNRELIABLE was a chaotic book, full of darkly humourous inner monologues and subplots, and it definitely left an impression. Aside from moments of confusion, it was a pretty awesome (and messed-up) read that I'd recommend to psychological thriller and mystery/suspense fans.
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