A Feast of Wolves by Wilson Coneybeare
“To everyone's surprise, and flying in the face of the Reasoner Compromise, they resumed culling on Friday night, although the leadership made it clear they were restricting themselves to junior civil servants and Capitol staff.”
This is the way Wilson's maybe dystopian but not entirely unreasonable novel opens. There is a guillotine on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, the place where people back in the early days of the year 2021 rioted in a vain attempt to overthrow the duly elected presidential election of a few months previous. As Coneybeare noted in his preface to the book, “Fortunately, fiction is stranger than truth. We hope.”
There is a guillotine on the steps of the building. Three hundred members of the U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court are locked in the basement. It's the start of a new U.S. Civil War.
Sadly, Wilson Coneybeare passed away in March of this year at the age of 60. He was the son of Rod Coneybeare, best known for his work as the voices of Jerome the Giraffe and Rusty the Rooster on the wonderful Friendly Giant television program.
We interviewed Wilson Coneybeare for episode 251 of our long running talking books and stuff's podcast. Find out more about A Feast Of Wolves at www.IndentPublishing.com .
Bury The Lead by Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti
“Eliot Fraser wanted to show me the treasure he kept in his pants.”
No, it's not what you think. I was thinking the same thing. Legendary actor Fraser comes to the lively town of Port Ellis to star in the local theatre's season opening production. Cat Conway has recently returned to the town to work as a reporter for the local newspaper. Her first assignment is to interview the actor, who then winds up dead – on stage – during opening night.
Most everyone in town is a suspect, including Conway herself. What could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, most everything.
Both authors live in Toronto. Bury the Lead is a play on the old time newspaper slogan of “Don't bury the lede,” as in the best part of a story. Why “lede?” It is another way of spelling “lead” and it was first used as an instruction to printers. You'll have to look it up to learn more. The book first came out in 2024. Look for www.houseofanansi.com for further details. How did two people write the same book? Visit our talking books and stuff's podcast and click on episode 262 for the answer.
Huge by Brent Butt
“Most people passed under the sign without giving it a second thought, but it always bothered Nick. Why did they write Red Cactus in blue neon? Did someone screw up? Was someone trying to be funny? If they were trying to be funny, Jesus, they really screwed up.”
Nick is in for one unlucky night. He runs the down and out Red Cactus Tavern, built in 1964 and showing its age. Now, he is being held captive in his own basement. Aye, and there's the rub.
Huge takes us to 1994, wherein three stand-up comedians have embarked on a tour of smaller communities across a remote stretch of rural countryside. Rynn and Dale are the supposed headliners with Hobie Huge rounding out the trio. He is enormous. He is annoying. And he is up to no good. Will Dale and Rynn get off the road in one piece? Find out by picking up this deliciously dark novel.
Search for episode 256 of our talking books and stuff's podcast at www.thegreatcanadiannotebook.com ( search to the right under headlines) because we all know about Brent Butt from his years at the helm of Corner Gas and his many other ventures. Our chat with him gives us more insight into his life and times. Huge came out in 2023 and you can catch up with it at www.penguinrandomhouse.ca.
Thank you, and may all the good news be yours.
www.thegreatcanadiannotebook.com
