Mayday

Kirkus Reviews
2008

With a keen eye for satire, British novelist Lynn skewers Hollywood, religion, the creative arts and science.

Successful British expat novelist Ernest Mayday thinks his biggest problem is a serious case of writer’s block as the deadline for his new novel looms. Not the fact that his girlfriend Randi devotes most of her time (and money) to Rev. Abel Pile’s Church of the Community of Personal Truth, a cause—like all other matters of religion—for which Mayday has no use, especially since he thinks the good reverend is probably more con artist than man of the cloth. And not the fact that Randi wants to get married while Mayday sees no benefit to himself—a deal is a deal, marriage included. He finds sudden creative inspiration though a newspaper ad that catches his eye: A woman claims she needs $10,000, “no holds barred.” And so he makes her an offer she can’t refuse: He’ll match the money she makes on whatever other offer she accepts as long as she reports whatever happens back to him, giving him a plot for his new book. What commences is a twisting tale of blackmail, criminal prosecution and jury-tampering, high-stakes Hollywood deals and unrequited love and lust that barrels into a risky yet surprisingly rewarding conclusion. Lynn’s prose gets a bit talky at times, meandering into more philosophical angles as Mayday ruminates on the nature of creativity, faith, honesty, marriage and more, but he successfully returns to the plot again and again. The novel, although first published in the UK in 1993 and revised and edited for publication in the US, holds up well 15 years later. Mayday’s crises and commentary remain fresh. Lynn, author of Yes, Minister and creator and co-writer of the BBC series based on that and other books, has a cinematic writing style that lends itself well to the story and substance of the book. A multilayered comic romp.