'Tell All' by Chuck Palahniuk

This morning I finally finished Chuck Palahniuk’s latest novel, Tell All. In classic Palahniuk fashion, every time I read a chapter of this book, it left me with an overwhelming feeling of, “What the heck did I just read?” That is, of course, until the last few chapters when he finally pulled back the curtain and tells the reader what’s really going on.

The story follows an aging actress named Katherine Kenton, making her triumphant comeback, and accumulating a new boy toy. The story is told from the point of view of her live-in helper, Hazie, who has cared for Kenton and helped her career from the beginning. When Katherine meets Webster, her latest gentleman caller, Hazie initially attempts to keep them apart to avoid yet another divorce, but eventually switches over to separating them when it is revealed that Webster is plotting to murder her.

Apparently, Webster wrote a “Tell All” book about Katherine Kenton’s life, and the final chapter describes in great detail, her death. The idea is to be the first person to publish the posthumous biography. This of course worries both Hazie and Katherine, and leads to a spiral of madness; let the chaos, Chuck Palahniuk style, ensue.

With all of the sexy and mischievous originality Palahniuk has become known for, and enough weirdness to keep your head in the game, Tell All is yet another success with Chuck’s cult audience. And of course, what would a Palahniuk book be without some sort of twist ending, but you’ll have to read for yourself, I’ll never tell.