''Everybody's Fool'' is a 2016 novel by

Richard Russo Richard Russo (born July 15, 1949) is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. In 2002, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for his novel '' Empire Falls''. Several of his works have been adapted into televisi ...

. It is the second book in Russo's ''North Bath Trilogy'', following '' Nobody's Fool'' (1993) and preceding ''

Somebody's Fool ''Somebody’s Fool'' is a 2023 novel by American author Richard Russo. It is the third installment in Russo's "North Bath Trilogy", following '' Nobody’s Fool'' (1993) and ''Everybody’s Fool'' (2016). The book is set in the fictional town o ...

'' (2023).

Synopsis

The narrative follows the lives of a number of characters in fictional North Bath, NY, over the course of a Memorial Day weekend. Police chief Douglas Raymer, the "fool" of the title, tries to discover the identity of his late wife's lover. His only clue is a garage door opener, which he uses on various houses to see whose door will open. Donald "Sully" Sullivan has recently come into money but must now come to grips with his declining health. Both men get involved in a drama regarding the return of Roy Purdy, a wife abuser whose existence threatens Sully's ex-lover, Ruth. Additionally, Raymer works cases involving a crumbling building, a dissolving cemetery, and the illegal smuggling of dangerous snakes. All the while, Raymer navigates his possibly romantic feelings for Charice, one of his officers.

Critical reception

In a review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', Janet Maslin called the novel "delightful". Reviewing it for ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'', Jennifer Maloney said it was "a madcap romp, weaving mystery, suspense and comedy in a race to the final pages.". In the ''

Star Tribune ''The Minnesota Star Tribune'', formerly the ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', is an American daily newspaper based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of 2023, it is Minnesota's largest newspaper and the List of newspapers in the United States, seventh- ...

'', Kevin Canfield called it "a decidedly bittersweet affair, a sequel that proves both entertaining and elegiac". Reviewing it for the ''

Portland Press Herald The ''Portland Press Herald'' (abbreviated as ''PPH''; Sunday edition ''Maine Sunday Telegram'') is a daily newspaper based in South Portland, Maine, with a statewide readership. The ''Press Herald'' mainly serves southern Maine and is focused ...

'', Michael Berry concluded that the novel "displays his trademark style, that easy, sardonic and yet not unkind authorial voice that reveals the characters’ inner lives, full of well-worn habit and surprising contradiction, with honesty, humor and compassion.". Meanwhile, Ron Charles of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' suggested the biracial relationship between Raymer and his assistant Charice was "forced".

Awards

*2017

Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine The ''Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine'' (American Literature Grand Prize) is a French literary award given each year to an American novel translated into French and published in that year. The first award was in 2015. The award was created by ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everybody's Fool 2016 American novels English-language novels Sequel novels Alfred A. Knopf books Novels set in New York (state)