Joyce Carol Oates new novel of suspense, Jack of Spades, is novel about an author of suspense. His name is Andrew J Rush, and he is a man who has it all in the world of books: big sales, a great agent, and side job writing novels with a character, Jack of Spades, that brings in extra cash.
The problem is nobody knows that he is the writer of these disturbing novels, not even his family. He even has a room in his basement where he keeps them stored and does a lot of his writing (you know this is not going to end well.)
Mr. Rush lives in a small town in New Jersey where everybody knows everybody. He is on his way to publishing his next novel. He accused of plagiarism. His publishers tell him to not panic. They will lawyer up because this happens to the best of writers, even Stephen King.
Ms. Oates seems to be very playful in this novel because his name as well as other mystery and horror writers comes up often. It’s actually very funny how she takes each writer and, like a balloon, she pops each one.
Anyway I digress. Mr. Rush is annoyed that someone would accuse him. The accuser is C. W. Haider who we soon find out is a failed writer who is sitting on a treasure trove of unpublished or vanity published novels. She also has a book lover’s dream collection of first signed editions including Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
When the case comes to trial we meet Ms. Haider who turns out to be a bit of nut case, even though she has proof that her works are similar to Mr. Rush’s. The case is dismissed and Ms. Haider is committed to a mental facility. Now if you were Andrew you would say: “I’m glad that’s over. Now I can get back to my novels. I guess being famous has its crazy moments.”
Unfortunately, that is not what happens. He begins to drink, which we find out is when Mr. Rush writes the Jack of Spade novels. He hears voices from Jack of Spades that make him do bad things. If that weren’t enough he begins to believe his wife is having an affair.
His sons begin to hate him and his daughter, who is reading Jack of Spade novels, thinks someone is stealing their life stories. This is when things begin to truly unravel for Andrew and we get a flashback scene that may make us understand who Andrew J Rush really is.
Are the voices he hears from Jack of Spades going to lead him down the path of destruction, or will he be able to control them and be satisfied with an everyday successful writing career? Who does Andrew want to be? You will not put the book down until you find out.
Now this is not Ms. Oates first time at the rodeo with novels of suspense. They are usually hit or miss affairs but with Jack of Spades Ms. Oates places her cards on the table and shows us a Royal Straight Flush.
