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In need of some quick cash when he returns to Brisbane after years in London, Josh whores himself to his brother's PR firm and inadvertently becomes part of ‘the fix’.
Josh Lang went to London with investigative journalism on his mind, but he carved out a reputation as a fixer instead and mastered the art of spinning any client out of a crisis.
Now he's home in Brisbane, and this time the job is supposed to be good news. The client is a law firm, the talent is Ben Harkin, and the story is the Star of Courage Ben is about to be awarded for his bravery in a siege.
But it was Josh's messy past with Ben that was a big part of his move to London in the first place, and the closer he gets to Ben's story the more the cracks start to show.
Throw in a law student who's an exotic dancer by night, and a mini-golf tour of the Gold Coast, and Josh's pursuit of the truth becomes way more complicated than he'd ever expected.
Written with warmth, humour and a touch of the detective, The Fix will leave you guessing until the very last page.
Reading Group Book Questions
- Nick Earls has been renowned for his ‘everyman novels’. Does he pull off the genre change to detective fiction (or touch of the detective’ as we have been calling it)?
- Josh writes a blog where he stretches the truth; he has a job where his responsibility is to enhance the truth. Jett is Hayley, but Hayley isn’t Jett. Has the world become a place of spin? What do you think Nick Earls is saying about the modern world?
- Josh is a bit hopeless, isn’t he? Will Hayley sort him out, or does he need something more radical to get him on a different path?
- How important is the location of The Fix? Earls includes vivid details about Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Is this particular setting imperative or could the story be picked up and relocated anywhere?
- Though perhaps not immediately obvious, The Fix and The Great Gatsby have much in common. What do you think about this idea?
About the Author
Nick Earls is the author of fourteen books, including bestselling novels Zigzag Street, Bachelor Kisses and Perfect Skin. His work has been published internationally in English and in translation. Zigzag Street won a Betty Trask Award in the UK in 1998, and Perfect Skin was the only novel nominated for an Australian Comedy Award in 2003. 48 Shades of Brown was awarded Book of the Year (older readers) by the Children's Book Council of Australia in 2000, and in the US it was a Kirkus Reviews selection in its books of the year for 2004. 48 Shades of Brown and Perfect Skin have been adapted into feature films, with Solo un Padre, the film adapted from the Italian edition of Perfect Skin, a top-ten box office hit in Italy in 2008. After January, 48 Shades of Brown, Zigzag Street and Perfect Skin have all been successfully adapted for theatre, and the Zigzag Street play toured nationally in 2005. The True Story of Butterfish was also performed as a play..
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In The Press
“Earls has absorbed tropes from contemporaries Garry Disher and Christos Tsiolkas and added rich humour to create a novel that threatens to defy genre classification. It is in the awkward family scenes, however, where his narrative truly excels. Josh’s visit to his brother’s house for a barbecue is the most genuine portrayal of an Australian family tradition since Tsiolkas rebooted the notion in THE SLAP. The Tone [of THE FIX] is one of quiet confidence, of a writer who is enjoying his work: contemporary, cliche-free Australian fiction that is sure to have a very wide appeal. An important work, then, for Earls, a writer hitting his straps with gusto.”
Chris Flynn, The Australian
ON THE TRUE STORY OF BUTTERFISH
"Just like all the best songs, Butterfish takes you on an emotional ride, and then makes you want to start it all over again."
Shane Nicholson
“Nick Earls’ latest novel is an affectionate exploration of music, fame and finding the things that matter. Earls’ characters are superb, and the conversations in which they make furtive, toe-stubbing attempts to connect with each other are hilariously rich in the unsaid and unintended.”
Thornton McCamish, The Sunday Age
“With THE TRUE STORY OF BUTTERFISH, Earls has moved to a deeper, more compassionate pool. Brisbane is a backdrop, not a character. And the searching of Curtis Holland is poignant and at times emotionally wrenching (there are several laugh out loud scenes, too). There is a real heart to this novel, and it’s likely to appeal to his legions of fans but also secure him a new readership.”
Matthew Condon, Qmagazine
“It is a tender, funny tale of a man finally coming to terms with adulthood that is touching without ever being saccharine.”
Chris Hook, The Daily Telegraph
THE TRUE STORY OF BUTTERFISH is consistent with Earls’ established interest in lovelorn men, but it is different in tone from earlier books. If you’ve read and loved them you might want to alter your expectations a little. There is less acerbic wit and an altogether gentler, more mellow approach to the plight of a hopeless man who might be everyman.
Emma Young, The Age
Praise for ZIGZAG STREET
"A tongue-in-cheek comment on an era, a generation; it's comedy; it's farce; and it's also a romance... Expect anything from this novel."
Courier Mail
"Wise, graceful, but above and beyond all that very, very funny, Zigzag Street is a distinct pleasure."
Review Independent Monthly
"Zigzag Street is bloated with fantastic ideas, constantly chortling with funny situations and damned clever writing."
Sydney Morning Herald
"Light-footed and funny, Zigzag Street celebrates foolishness with panache."
Praise for BACHELOR KISSES
"Cute, funny, sexy"
Cleo
"A fast-paced comedy written with verve and intelligence."
The Bulletin
"Nick Earls has written a gem in Bachelor Kisses. It's funny, clever and brilliantly observed."
The Australian's Review of Books
"Bachelor Kisses is a beautifully written book by a genuinely talented writer."
The Sydney Morning Herald
"The appearance of Brisbane writer Earls's second novel is a real cause for celebration ... Buy a Nick Earls novel and you need never be sad again."
Who Weekly
"Fans of Nick Hornby's single male angst will enjoy this offering from Aussie author Nick Earls ... It has laugh out loud moments and will make men cringe when they recognise themselves and give women some valuable insights into the male psyche."
Blackpool Gazette, Lancashire Evening Post, Wigan Evening Post
Praise for PERFECT SKIN
"one of the few Australian Generation X novels to have made me roll around laughing"
The Bulletin
"resonates with social faux pas, acute observation, well-drawn characters and an edifying humour"
Sydney Morning Herald
"utterly adorable"
The Big Issue
"Laugh-aloud funny as well as moving and emotionally aware"
Adelaide Advertiser
"a tender story of loss and the redemptive power of love"
Canberra Sunday Times
ISBN: 9781864711509
ISBN-10:
Number Of Pages: 302
Publisher: Random House Australia
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Dimensions (cm): 23.5 x 15.7
x 2.2
Weight (kg): 0.35
Audience:
General
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