Perma-Bound

*Starred Review* In a holding cell in the psychiatric wing of a prison, a psychologist is interviewing inmate Jane Charlotte. She’s been charged with homicide. Although she does not deny it, she weaves an outrageous story about the circumstances surrounding the murder. She claims to be working for a secret organization devoted to fighting evil with an array of fantastical weapons, including a gun that, depending on the setting, can induce a heart attack, a stroke, or a coma. Jane details her initial contact with the organization when she was a teenager, her “lost years” as a homeless drug addict, and her eventual work for the division dubbed Bad Monkeys, which targets and eliminates “irredeemable persons.” Ruff, whose first two novels attracted a cult following, especially in Europe, displays so much imaginative flair (similar in sensibility to George Saunders) and relays it all with such exuberance that readers will have a hard time tearing themselves away from the book—indeed, the more outlandish Jane’s story grows, the faster they’ll turn the pages. The fiendishly clever plot twists, involving a covert group fighting for evil, only add to the mind-bending experience.