2023
By Terry Fallis
The Marionette
Coming 2025-10-07
Bestselling and beloved author Terry Fallis’ tenth novel, The Marionette, introduces readers to a new hero, James Norval: a world-famous thriller writer whose life takes an unexpected turn from the pages of his novels into the perilous world of espionage.
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“Terry Fallis' The Marionette is a welcome reminder that fiction can be both artful and engaging. It's a comic thriller—a thromedy?—that teems with Fallis' trademark wit. But the thrills of the thriller are there as well in this tale of a Canadian writer, James Norval, who dives headlong into the middle of a coup in the West African country of Mali. Norval's voice is the most endearingly irksome one I've heard in quite some time. Fallis pulls off the feat of blending genres with elan, aplomb, and pure pizazz!”
— Wayne Johnston, author of Jennie's Boy, winner of the 2023 Leacock Medal for Humour
“In a world shrouded in darkness and shadow, Fallis remains a shining light of decency and big-hearted humour. In his latest novel The Marionette, a fast-paced, feel-good thriller, he combines laughter and suspense to weave a masterful tale of international intrigue and Canadian ingenuity.”
— Rod Carley, Award-winner author of RUFF
“Narrative surprises are a constant and the humour bubbles along as a Canadian thriller writer is conscripted into palace intrigue in a foreign land, then accepts a rescue mission that sends him on a daring high-wire escape to freedom in Terry Fallis’ rousing novel, The Marionette. A great yarn. ”
— Trevor Ferguson, aka John Farrow, author of City of Ice
James Norval has built a successful career crafting the thrilling adventures of his fictional hero, Hunter Chase, a character admired by readers and movie-goers worldwide. But despite his fame and fortune, Norval has always harboured a secret dream of living the life he only writes about—a life as a field operative for CSIS, Canada’s Security Intelligence Service. In fact, nearly thirty years earlier, he washed out of the CSIS recruitment program, and it’s haunted him ever since.
But that long-held dream becomes a reality when a series of unfortunate events lands Norval in a foreign prison. Rescued by CSIS, he is given an unexpected opportunity: to use his unique position as the favourite writer of Mali’s newly installed president to assist in a delicate and dangerous mission. With the help of agent Lauren Cooper, Norval must infiltrate the Malian government and execute a daring plan to exfiltrate fifteen Canadian nationals before the corrupt powers that control the country uncover their true intentions.
The Marionette is a comic thriller by a master of the craft. Full of Terry Fallis’ signature wit and combined with an exhilarating high-stakes plot, this is a must-read for fans of espionage and intrigue.
About Terry Fallis
A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis is the award-winning author of nine national bestsellers, including his most recent, A New Season (2023), all published by McClelland & Stewart (M&S).
Terry has written for many publications including Maclean’s, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Toronto Life, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and the Toronto Star.
Terry lives in Toronto and can be reached at tfallis@gmail.com.
