In brief: Gotta Get Theroux This; Little Siberia; Impossible Causes – review
Gotta Get Theroux This
Louis Theroux
Macmillan, £20, pp416
Louis Theroux’s memoir is exactly how you’d expect an account of his “life and strange times in television” to be; self-deprecating, eager to please and shot through with a sense of bewilderment. “I am a TV presenter who specialises in getting out of his depth,” he writes and, indeed, this book’s pleasures lie in behind-the-scenes tales of Theroux’s offbeat documentaries, chief among them the Jimmy Savile encounter. Perhaps because it cast a shadow over his career (how could he have found himself so drawn to this monster?), Theroux spends a lot of time grappling with his feelings about the affair.
Little Siberia
Antti Tuomainen
Orenda Books, £8.99, pp200
While the plots of many Nordic noir writers are turning ever more grim, Finland’s Antti Tuomainen opts these days for a wittier, lighter touch. So it is with Little Siberia, the tale of a meteorite that comes crashing into eastern Finland and eventually into the guardianship of local priest Joel. The rock is valuable and Joel is soon fending off the attempts of bungling criminals to steal it. Add Russians, a worrying pregnancy, a down-on-his luck rally driver and a neat subtext about faith, and Little Siberia (adroitly translated by David Hackston) is quite the ride.
Impossible Causes
Julie Mayhew
Raven Books, £12.99, pp432
An isolated community harbouring shocking secrets is an obvious thriller trope, but Julie Mayhew weaves in enough atmospherics to make Impossible Causes fresh and interesting. The new arrivals to the island of Lark get mixed up in superstition, a murder mystery and a love story. Yes, the teenagers are irritating, but Mayhew’s adult characters, particularly the narrator, Leah, keep the intrigue on track.
• To order Gotta Get Theroux This, Little Siberia or Impossible Causes, go to guardianbookshop.com or call 020-3176 3837. Free UK p&p over £15, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99
