Lucky Dog

FromPublishers Weekly

Barrowcliffe’s third novel (Infidelity forFirst-Time Fathers) is another exercise in deadpan drollery with a haplesseveryman at its center-but an ambitious strain of fantasy sets it apart,bringing him out of Nick Hornby’s shadow and into John Irving territory. The herothis time out is thirtysomething single Dave Barker, who narrates. Emotionallystunted Dave has spent the last decade caring for his terminally ill mother andmarking time at his failing real estate office with tart assistant Lucy. Whenmom dies, Dave thinks his adult life might finally begin, and that he mighteven take the next step, with Lyndsey, his girlfriend of four years. But thenGilbert and Reg walk into Dave’s office-man and dog, respectively. Gilbert andhas a heart attack, and Dave inherits Reg who, it turns out, has the gift ofspeech, but can only be understood by Dave; others hear it as excessivebarking. Lyndsey, needless to say, is not enamored of Reg, and the quest tounload him leads Dave to a talking cat named Michael, his pig sidekick who alsotalks (but more tersely) and temporary wealth via a lucrative poker game. Morecomic complications follow, including an accidental killing, a hilariousfuneral and a sticky real estate scam. Barrowcliffe’s winning style and lightcomic touch make this a twisty page-turner of a different breed.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Allrights reserved.