Every Trick In The Book by Iain Hood

 

Every Trick in the Book by Iain Hood.

Published 14th September 2022 by Renard Press.

From the cover of the book:

‘There’s only control, control of ourselves and others. And you have to decide what part you play in that control.’ 

Cast your eye over the comfortable north London home of a family of high ideals, radical politics and compassionate feelings. Julia, Paul and their two daughters, Olivia and Sophie, look to a better society, one they can effect through ORGAN:EYES, the campaigning group they fundraise for and march with, supporting various good causes. 

But is it all too good to be true? When the surface has been scratched and Paul’s identity comes under the scrutiny of the press, a journey into the heart of the family begins. Who are these characters really? Are any of them the ‘real’ them at all? 

Every Trick in the Book is a genre-deconstructing novel that explodes the police procedural and undercover-cop story with nouveau romanish glee. Hood overturns the stone of our surveillance society to show what really lies beneath.

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Meet Julia, Paul and their two daughters Olivia and Sophie, living a comfortable upper middle-class existence in north London. They are a family of high ideals and intellectual pursuits, dedicated to radical politics and positive action. Through their campaign group ORGAN:EYES, they undertake fundraising activities to support various good causes, and partake in regular marches. 

When a young journalist, keen to make a name for herself, begins to dig beneath the glossy surface of this too-good-to-be-true family, she discovers some interesting information that calls into question whether these people are quite what they appear to be, and sets in motion a bizarre series of events.

This is an unconventional novel which defies pigeonholing into a single genre. It contains elements of mystery story, left of centre police procedural, family drama, spy caper, and zany comedy. I am loath to say too much about how this story unfolds, as the magic lies in how Hood constantly keeps you on your toes by dropping reveals that completely flip your perception about what is going on both within this family, and in the world around them. The writing style flows almost organically, changing in style and pace throughout, bringing you full circle and then branching off into into unexpected directions, which is a little disorienting, but this works perfectly with the ground breaking nature of the story. 

The most striking thing about the book, other than its structural and stylistic quirks, is the sheer cleverness of the way Hood explores his themes. This is all about delving beneath the surface to the layers that lie beneath, and along the way he has you mulling over so many aspects of the surveillance society in which we live, of the secrets and lies that often lie under a carefully crafted image, and whether you can every really trust anyone. It is all quite unsettling, in the best possible way.

Hood uses irony and eccentric humour to keep things light among all the darkness, and I found myself chuckling on and off from the smug colour supplement style beginning, all the way through the deliciously ironic twists, to the sharp back and forth of the innermost thoughts of the family once they have been through the unusual storyline Hood has subjected them to. He then ends the piece with a scene that really sends the chills up your spine.

There is such a lot of nostalgia lurking within this story, if you are the right age, with subtle popular culture references to stir your memories. Hood uses the absurd musical world of Captain Beefheart as a central theme in the undercover parts of the tale, which is especially hilarious, and I particularly enjoyed the name drops for Performance, even if my knowledge of the memorable quote in question actually comes via Big Audio Dynamite rather than the film itself.

This is just the kind of book that highlights exactly what a great independent publisher like Renard Press can do, by giving readers the opportunity to enjoy something bold, and genre busting, that really pushes your boundaries. Best enjoyed by unfocusing your mind and letting Hood take you for an out of the ordinary adventure that leaves you with a lot to think about.

Every Trick in the Book is available to buy noe, and can be purchased direct from Renard Press HERE.

Thank you to Renard Press for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Iain Hood was born in Glasgow and grew up in the seaside town of Ayr. He attended the University of Glasgow and Jordanhill College, and later worked in education in Glasgow and the west country. He attended the University of Manchester after moving to Cambridge, where he continues to live with his wife and daughter. His first novel, This Good Book, was published in 2021.