Mallory's Manly Methods

Mallory’s Manly Methods is a comedic novel about a blundering young professional.Kevin Mallory is such an accomplished liar he has convinced himself he has an almost average life. He tries to use his exceptional skill at prevarication to hang onto his job without doing any work, win the love of his co-worker without recognizing who she really is, take advantage of the young Black man who moves in next door, and manipulate the police and the courts into accepting his warped idea of justice.Mallory pursues his co-worker, Nell, even as his supervisor at the UniCast Cable Company begins the process of firing him for cutting off customers’ calls. He joins Nell’s dysfunctional Employee Cheer Committee as it tries to host a holiday party. He agrees to cat sit for Nell while she goes to a series of girls’ nights out. He buys a rifle for protection from imaginary hoodlums, although he cannot get the box of ammunition open. When Thomas, his neighbor, is assaulted for Running While Black, Mallory impersonates a lawyer and represents him.As Mallory gropes his way ever so slowly toward maturity, readers may find themselves loving or hating him (and possibly doing both at the same time). Kirkus Reviews describes this book as a "touching, silly adventure" that is "oddly endearing."