Damien March hasn't thought of his eccentric uncle, Patrick, for almost twenty years, so he is shocked to learn that he has inherited his ramshackle house on Ionia, an isolated island off the coast of Cape Cod. But his new future means moving circuitously into his family's past; rummaging through his uncle's possessions, he finds letters and writings that provide scattered clues to Patrick's solitary life. And when he discovers a fragment of an unpublished novel, The Confessions of Mycroft Holmes, which seems to hold a sinister meaning, the stakes in the chase become dramatically higher. Perceptively written with an engaging wit.
The Paperchase
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'An engaging mystery and an illuminating story about family secrets and identity . the author's deft descriptions of an angular childhood spiked with the soft humour of hindsight remain in the mind' THE TIMES '[A] smartly written, atmospheric novel' INDEPENDENT 'Theroux has written a clever and engaging novel which, after lulling the reader into a false sense of comfort, takes great delight in turning the world upside down. An absorbing read' BIG ISSUE
About the Author
Acclaimed writer Marcel Theroux is now one of the faces of the new BBC4 television channel, as well as being the son of Paul Theroux and the brother of Louis.
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First Sentence
THE NEWS OF MY UNCLE Patrick's death came as a shock, not because it was sudden, but because I had assumed he'd been dead for ages. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE NEWS OF MY UNCLE Patrick's death came as a shock, not because it was sudden, but because I had assumed he'd been dead for ages. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Clearly Marcel Theroux is a talent, but one leaves this book feeling he has not done himself justice on this occasion. 'Paperchase' is easy to read, with many likeable characters and some excellent descriptions of the various locales they inhabit; most notably the island of Ionia. Theroux's style is humorous, but at the same time he shows a sensitive understanding of human nature. From the outset, the reader is drawn in to the worlds of both Damien and Patrick March, expecting some dramatic revelations. For this reader, the ending was too esoteric, and I was left feeling somewhat deflated.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Theroux follows up his gently charming, and well-received debut, A Stranger in the Earth, with another witty and touching slim novel. As in his first book, the story revolves around a man starting a new life in a new place. Here, Damien March is a thirtysomething American who's lived most of his life in England and now works as a nightshift drone for the BBC. His Uncle Patrick, a prize-winning author turned odd recluse, stuns the family by leaving his New England home and its content to Damien, whom he hasn't seen since he was a child. The home sits on the fictional island of Ionia, a kind of Martha's Vineyardish place off of Cape Cod. The bequest is conditional on Damien living in the house, and so he makes the momentous decision to leave his dead-end life in London and head to America to live in the house for the summer.
As he gets accustomed to island life, his deaf neighbors, and living in a house filled with random bric-a-brac, he also muses on his upbringing, his family history, and the meaning of family in general. Mostly he ponders the question of who his uncle was and why his writings grew increasingly bizarre, why he sequestered himself on the island, and why Damien's father and Uncle Patrick had an odd relationship. These internal musings are interrupted by various odd occurrences, such as the disappearances of some of Uncle Patrick's files, a later burglary, and the general oddities of life on the island. Then, about 2/3 of the way into the book, Damien discovers a manuscript of his uncle's called "The Confession of Mycroft Holmes." It's a pastiche of sorts, based on Sherlock Holmes's enigmatic elder brother. The story itself is faithfully rendered in faux-Victorian prose, and characters in it appear to parallel some on the island. Damien starts to think there's a connection between the story and his uncle's odd life, and the investigation leads to a surprising (to him, if not to the reader) discovery. The book ends rather disappointingly abruptly after this revelation, but is nonetheless extremely enjoyable. Lightly written in a musing tone, and dolloped with sly wit, Theroux's second book makes the reader anxious for more. In a time when accolades are mainly gathered by sprawlingly undisciplined tomes like The Poisonwood Bible and The Blind Assassin, Theroux's slim work proves that yes, sometimes less is more.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Damien March is not that impressed with his lot at the BBC when the sudden death of his uncle has the capacity to chnage his life. Damien inherits his uncle's house on an island off the Massachussetts coast but finds that rather than a place to begin again, he has inherited a house loaded with the past. His isolation in the house and the things he finds there lead Damien to reconsider his life and remember things from his past that he hasn't considered for some time. This isn't the deep analysis of self that this might suggest. This book doesn't rwally operate on that level. It is amusing, but won't make you laugh out loud,it has excellent charaterisation, while being dominated by the mystery that is Damien's uncle - a once successful author who wrote one classic then disappeared from view. A book that is well worth reading.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
unoriginal, predictable, implausible, transparent
Wow - the old i've inherited from eccentric uncle but there are conditions wheeze. i've read a few stories like this - mainly when i was 7. They always seem to win prizes - hmmm ! Read more
Published 9 months ago by johnny outlook
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly thought-provoking
I most admire writing which can present the mundane profoundly; it seems to me that the extraordinary is easy to present, and can often be made more compelling by poor writing. Read more
Published 13 months ago by SHB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable, if too short, family piece
The Paperchase by Marcel Theroux (son of Paul, brother of Louis) appears to be out of print on Amazon UK but can be purchased used. Read more
Published 14 months ago by R. A. Davison
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
Wow. What a disappointment. Having just read The Far North by the same author, and been blown away by it, I set out to read everything else Marcel Theroux had written. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Bookrat
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable read, grew on me as it went on
Damien March, a bored BBC journalist on the night shift, suddenly inherits a house on an island off the coast of Cape Cod from his long-lost uncle Patrick. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Andrew Blackman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gentle elegant novel
Nice characters, interesting plot which is not too emotionally or intellectually taxing. A pleasant, enjoyable read, with enough twists and turns to make it feel worthwhile.
Published on 5 April 2009 by Jezza
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ultimately disappointing
I have to concur with the other reviewers that this book is strangely disappointing - there is no doubt that Marcel Theroux has the ability to create a mood and atmosphere, but... Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2003
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mildly amusing yet mysterious
Damien March is not that impressed with his lot at the BBC when the sudden death of his uncle has the capacity to chnage his life. Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2002
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable but a bit thin
I found this book to be an enjoyable read, but a bit too light on atmosphere for me. The basic story, and character motivations, are well thought out, and the book leads the reader... Read more
Published on 4 April 2002
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