What would you do if you ran into someone who looked just like you? In Alan Glynn's novel Paradime, Danny Lynch spies his doppelganger, a customer at the high-end restaurant where he works. In Danny's case, his double is Teddy Trager, a billionaire venture capitalist. Danny becomes obsessed with Teddy, following him, dressing like him, and even impersonating him. Things get really interesting when Danny learns that Teddy had been stalking him in return, and then Danny becomes Teddy.
The best part of Paradime was early on, when Danny stalks Teddy, treading closer and closer to Teddy's world. Glynn builds the tension effectively, so that I felt like I was right there with Danny, waiting for the inevitable moment of recognition. The plot lulls for a bit as Danny adjusts to his life as Teddy, but between his discontent and missing his girlfriend (who thinks he's dead), and the hints of revelations that things are not as they seem, the tension builds again.
Glynn spins a simple yet tightly woven tale that brings into question reality as we know it, and wonder about the people pulling the strings. Paradime doesn't have a lot of action, like you might expect from a suspense novel, but the dramatic tension is palpable throughout. Even when nothing is really "happening," Glynn moves the story along in an engaging way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
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