The Illusion

By: Patrick Garry
Publisher: Kenric Books
Publication Date: 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9833703-5-2
Reviewed by: Diane Lunsford
Review Date: September 2016

In his deliciously quirky way, Patrick Garry delivers another home run in his latest novel, The Illusion.

Luke Sellmer is an investment banker and is on the fast track to becoming one of the top producers with his firm. Pretty amazing and quite the climb from his earlier days in the Saginaw Reformatory for Young Men. However, what goes up must eventually come down and perhaps Luke wasn’t quite as careful when it came to burying his past.

Luke is about to marry the perfect girl. She is the quintessential catch in that she is everything Luke was not growing up. She is charming, has an eye for fashion and is quite connected in the world of who’s who.

Meanwhile, Luke manages to catch a coveted case in his firm. Apparently, his boss sees his promise and assigns him to a prestigious and rising political star; this is to say if he is able to keep one particular proclivity from his fiancé Lauren’s knowledge. Lauren has her own skeletons to deal with. She sees her upcoming nuptials to Luke as the answer to her freedom from her socially connected and quite wealthy parents. Perhaps she has a few insecurities. Does Luke truly love her for who she is (or does he tolerate her because of her wealthy parents)? Will he agree to buy the perfect home she’s found even if it’s a bit beyond their financial means? On the other hand, are the secrets Luke desperately tries to keep at bay about to rear their ugly head? What if these secrets wind up subjecting him to a murder charge and social scandal? The clock is ticking and time isn’t necessarily on Luke’s side.

I have had the pleasure of reading two of Mr. Garry’s previous novels: Finding Flipper Frank and Blind Spots. When asked to consider this latest novel, it was a no-brainer for me. Mr. Garry has the innate ability to grab his audience from the first page and never let go until the proverbial ‘the end.’ He has done so again with The Illusion. Mr. Garry has an established and signature style that wills his audience to sit up and pay attention willingly. There is a pace and tone of fast moving parts established early on that is delightful. His dialogue is believable and his characters fit together beautifully. There is no predictable formula as the story unfolds and there are ample elements of surprise that keep the reader entertained and engaged throughout the novel. He is a true storyteller in that you never know what you’re going to get from one book to the next other than solid entertainment. Well done Mr. Garry! I look forward to your next novel.

Quill says: The Illusion is the epitome of things that may not be what they seem...at all!

For more information on The Illusion, please visit the author's website at: patrickgarry.com