Inside Job

Publishers Weekly

In Willis's charming tale of the paranormal, Rob, a professional skeptic, and Kildy, his too-good-to-be-true ex-actress sidekick, try to debunk a psychic channeler, who just might be hosting the spirit of legendary skeptic H.L. Mencken. Willis fans will find the funny, snappy narrative familiar, from the "how can you not know I'm in love with you" relationship to the quick-witted social commentary. Apt quotations from Mencken or Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee's play inspired by the Scopes trial, which Mencken reported, head each chapter. While not as tightly woven as one of Willis's typical short stories nor as layered as her novels (Passage, etc.), this novella is still highly enjoyable, somewhat educational and will leave readers happy at the end. Agent, Ralph Vicinanza. (June 24) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

When Rob, publisher of the Jaundiced Eye (a magazine dedicated to exposing psychic fakery), is invited by his assistant Kildy, an actress turned debunker, to a performance by a psychic named Ariaura, he expects the usual "show." What happens, however, challenges Rob's attitudes about spirits, channelers, and the transcendent power of love in a skeptic's world. Willis spins an absorbing tale that explores the world of debunkers and their quarry while paying a delightful homage to literary curmudgeon and brilliant essayist H.L. Mencken. A consummate storyteller whose novels (e.g., To Say Nothing of the Dog) combine serious themes with sparkling comic relief, Willis grows even better in her short fiction, bringing to this novella both richness and integrity. Highly recommended. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.