Synopses & Reviews
A young New Zealand woman mysteriously disappears. The lives of those she has left behind intersect and form a captivating latticework of odd coincidences and surprising twists of fate. This is contemporary urban noir at its stylish and intelligent best.
Review
"A stylish writer of noir novels who has been compared to Ross Macdonald. But his seductive command of the language and his elegiac tone more closely recall Thomas McGuane. In eloquently precise prose, Taylor evokes the life of small-time thief Mark Chamberlain. Vivid characters and mesmerizing language contribute to the moody atmosphere." Booklist
Review
"[In] this enigmatic noir thriller...Taylor brilliantly interweaves clues...[and] compares favorably with Russell Banks and Paul Auster, should appeal to readers who appreciate sophisticated plots and fully human characters." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
"Taylors precise language provides a noirish cool, and his deft handling of the story, which seamlessly shifts between decades, lifts Departure Lounge above common mysteries." The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review
"New Zealand writer Chad Taylor plays with the crime/noir genre for his own philosophical purposes in an open-ended way that subverts reassuring convention....Taylor in effect has taken the not-knowing at the mystery genres core and enshrined it, occupied its amorphous territory and made of it, as in this slight books emotional peak, a luminous art." Houston Chronicle
Review
"Theres so much pleasure and bafflement to be derived from this thriller by novelist Chad Taylor that it seems like an afterthought to point out that its also a fascinating portrait of life in modern-day New Zealand. A fine read and an interesting look at unfamiliar terrain." Chicago Tribune
Review
"[A] well-crafted but oddly hollow novel....There's a certain competence and slickness here that's undeniably appealing, but ultimately, the unrelenting chill makes for anunaffecting read." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[S]mart, original, surprising and just about as cool as a novel can get....Departure Lounge is about the transition from adolescence to adulthood and the many losses that are incurred en route. Beneath the crackle of Taylor's prose and the quick jabs of his wit, there is a sympathetic heart that knows how difficult this passage can be. Departure Lounge is a lovely piece of work that leaves one hoping more of Taylor's writing finds its way to this side of the Pacific." Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World (read the entire Washington Post Book World review)
Synopsis
"Smart, original, surprising and just about as cool as a novel can get... Taylor can flat-out write."--
The Washington Post A young New Zealand woman mysteriously disappears. The lives of those she has left behind intersect and form a captivating latticework of odd coincidences and surprising twists of fate. This is contemporary urban noir at its stylish and intelligent best.
About the Author
Chad Taylor was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and is the author of five novels (Pack of Lies, Heaven, Shirker, Electric, and now Departure Lounge) and his short stories have been widely and internationally anthologized. He was named by Listener as one of New Zealand's 10 best novelists and The Guardian in England likened him to Paul Auster. He currently teaches creative writing at Auckland University.