A propulsive, sprightly thriller that turns its own pages, “The Truth Against the World,” by David Corbett, a wonderful stylist, might well sit uneasily with the reader as it entertains. The principal plotline is that of a young woman who has been robbed of the bestselling book she wrote, and then embarks on a fraught road trip across America to seek justice. The journey rocks with danger because this is yet another dystopic novel, with the United States in the grip of fascists and lawlessness rife, so our heroine is fortunate to have a knight in shining armor, a sweet-talking, sweet-singing Irishman. No plot spoilers here but for this reader, the Irish hero reveals himself quickly to be outside the thriller genre, a twist that colored my read. The author is a master of action, the dialogue sparkles, and the near-future world is atmospherically drawn. All in all, I can recommend The Truth Against the World as a speedy, enjoyable read, but it does come with a cross-genre warning.
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