Years have passed since the death of Sully Sullivan but he seems to exist on every page of Richard Russo’s Somebody’s Fool in the minds and sometimes hearts of those who knew him well and miss him and those who don’t miss him at all. Taking up the reigns, sometimes unsuccessfully is Sully’s son, Peter, who has been entrusted by Sully with keeping an eye on a list of people who Sully evidently kept an eye on. It’s a group of people who might be considered oddballs like Tina, who, with her grandfather, made a thriving business out of what others would call junk or Rub who almost faded away quite literally when Sully died if Peter hadn’t called on him and given him a purpose.

Parallel to Peter’s story, Peter’s discovery that he might be more like his father than he ever knew, is Police Chief Raymer or is that former Police Chief as North Bath is absorbed by wealthy neighbor Schuyler Springs and Doug Raymer decides that it might be time to retire. His former girlfriend, Charice, (or is that current? Doug Raymer doesn’t know for certain) is now chief of police for Schuyler Springs. When a dead body is found in an abandoned hotel that everyone in North Bath was hoping might be sold and revitalize their businesses, Raymer finds himself playing detective. Who was this man? Someone passing through or one of their own community? And, if the latter, why wasn’t he reported missing? While the investigation occurs, Raymer faces truths about himself and his relationship with Charice and her brother with whom he has a complicated relationship and who undertakes the job to show Raymer what it means to be a Black person in a small town or pretty much anywhere.

As Russo introduces us or reintroduces, as the case may be, to these characters, he also allows them to share their insights:

“I don’t know, Birdie. It’s a slippery slop. Expecting things to be fair? Next, you’ll be demanding justice. Equal opportunity. One morning you’ll wake up and discover you’ve moved to Denmark.”

Peter to Birdie
What might in another author’s hands come off as preachy, in Russo’s becomes insightful and informed with gentle humor. No one is perfect. Everyone has issues, some more than others. But one of the great things about this life is the opportunity to start over that begins every day, every hour, minute, to learn new things about yourself, and if you hate those things, change them. If you can. But you can’t change everything. Sometimes it’s just too late. And that’s something you have to live with and make amends as best possible.

The humanity of these characters is readily apparent. Most of them care, even if they have a hard time showing it or don’t know how to show it. They struggle and fail and sometimes succeed. And while it’s not always done gracefully, it’s mostly done with good humor.

With regards to my intro, I do believe that I saw the movie of the first book in the series starring Paul Newman as Sully. But even if that’s a mistaken belief on my part, I didn’t need to read the other two books to follow this one. However, backwards as it is, I’m going to read those two books just because I loved this one so much and want to find out more about these characters. Of course, I’m also wishing that this isn’t a trilogy, that Russo doesn’t stop here because I really want to know what happens to Tina or at least have some idea of where she goes in this life of hers as well as Will, Peter’s son. Where will the next generation go?

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. My own weakness is that I took my time reading the book, and I couldn’t keep track of all of the characters at first…perhaps this would be less of a problem for someone who had read the two previous books in this series. The one area of the novel that felt a tad disjointed for me was when we learn the identity of the body: I didn’t actually remember that character at all. Again, this could be my own failing. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is the first novel I've ever read by Richard Russo. I vaguely recall watching the film Nobody's Fool with Paul Newman on late night cable in the 1990s and I know it was based on a book of the same name by Russo (in fact, that was the first of the "Fool" books which make up this particular series). I recently watched the TV series Lucky Hank which was based on another of Russo's books (Straight Man) and found it darkly humorous (and slightly odd), so when I got the opportunity to read this book I thought, 'Why not?'.

Basically Somebody's Fool is about a small town that is dying and a handful of its inhabitants who are at various stages of life doing their best to figure it out (the whole life thing) and, for the most part, failing in unspectacular ways. If that sounds depressing, well, it is at times; it's also poignant, funny, and deeply thought provoking.

Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo is different from what I generally read. I won't go so far as to say it's outside my comfort zone but if I owned a hard copy of this book it would probably be on the bottom shelf, in the corner, behind the end table and badly in need of dusting because it doesn't get picked up often (or ever).

Suffice to say this is not my "go to" type of reading material. It's very long, it drags at times, and there's a lot of angst and melancholy between deeply thoughtful passages and off-the-wall humor. Liked it, didn't love it; but after finishing the book it kept me thinking... That's almost always a good sign. Things that encourage thought.

This book is long, at times I struggled to continue reading, but I was usually glad I did. I'm giving this three and a half stars (bumped up to four) with the understanding that I may have missed the point completely.

This is one of those books that makes you wonder why you never read anything by this author before.
And I will read other novels as he's a master storyteller and the novels is riveting and engaging.
Great style of writing and character development
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Again I have read a book where I loved (5 star loved) the first book, forgot to read the second and now jumped into the third. I hadn’t read a Richard Russo book in a few years and I don’t remember why I waited to so long, he writes so wonderfully and his characters are unique and the dialog is meaningful and funny.

Somebody’s Fool takes place 10 years after Sully’s death in North Bath, a town on the precipice of change. It is being subsumed into the neighboring, more prosperous town of Schuyler Springs, as of its municipal services are as well, including its police force, which means Doug Raymer, the North Bath police chief is now unemployed.

Peter Sullivan, Sully’s son is also dealing with changes, he’s remodeling his dad’s home, his son Will is off in England and his younger son, who he abandoned has stopped by from West Virginia. His son’s reemergence has caused Peter to reexamine his own decisions in life.

Russo is a beautiful writer and I loved this book. I now have to read Everybody’s Fool (which has been on my TBR for a few years now). Russo exposes the economic issues of a small town, personal demons, and the beauty of redemption and he does it with empathy and humor.
If you have never read one of his novels, I urge you to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for the opportunity to review

4.5 stars for me

Richard Russo continues to write wonderful books about regular people and examining how to survive in this world. Life isn't always fair and sometimes you need to figure out how to survive anyway. Or which path to take.
I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Somebody's Fool is the third in the series of North Bath books by Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo who also wrote the beloved novel Empire Falls. This novel follows the residents of North Bath, it is a struggling town that is becoming unincorporated and being absorbed by the upscale Schyler Springs.

Russo does such a masterful job of creating this town and all of its inhabitants, it is a master class in character development. It has been a few years since Sully has died, yet his spirit still lingers, and he has managed to touch and leave an impression on most people in town. Russo creates such flawed characters, yet they are all so human and loveable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this great novel!!

4.5 stars

Richard Russo brings us back to North Bath! Somebody’s Fool is the third book in a series about the town of North Bath and its residents - both groups are living hard scrabbled lives. Douglas Raymer, former police chief of North Bath, has elected retirement over the same job with the Schuyler Springs force following the merging of the towns. He’s now trying to figure out the course of his new life, both from professional and personal points of view.
The other primary protagonist, Peter Sullivan, is the college professor son of Sully, the star of the previous two books. Sully has been dead for 10:years, but his influence and presence is still strongly felt.
Change is a central theme. The town they love has been going through challenging times and the recession is resulting in some of the businesses just barely surviving. And, yet, the residents seem to be stuck in place and not able to make any changes.
Once again, Russo beautifully captures his characters and writes lovingly about their relationships, especially friendships. Many of their lives are broken, and that can get depressing. For much of the book, the story quietly meanders in and out of their lives, slowly building to a climax at the end when life challenges, a mysterious suicide and budding relationships ( not all of the romantic variety) are all drawn together.
Thanks to Netgalley and Alfred A. Knopf for the opportunity to read Somebody’s Fool in exchange for an honest review.

Richard Russo doing what he does best by writing about a small town with flawed characters. Picking up from where he last book left off, North Bath and s Jo more which causes various community entities to be no more particularly the police department. The intertwining of relationships is plausible. The dialogue is real. I could not put the book down. Cannot wait for the next book.

Years after Sully's death, he continues to be a strong influence on his son, grandsons, and many residents of North Bath, NY, even as it is annexed to its long-time rival, Schuyler Springs, NY.
I am sad to see the end of Russo's "Fool" books but plan to re-read them, starting with the first, "Nobody's Fool." I even started watching the 1994 film, "Nobody's Fool," starring Paul Newman as Sully.

Somebody's Fool
By Richard Russo

This book follows "Nobody's Fool" and "Everybody's Fool"; it continues the story of the Sullivan family and their failing small town of North Bath (which is being subsumed into neighboring Schuyler Springs). While these books may seem like their scope is limited, Mr. Russo once again manages to create a microcosm of small town America and all its problems.

Peter Sullivan, the only child of Donald "Sully" Sullivan, has spent his youth trying NOT to be his father. He definitely does not want to return to North Bath permanently. But when the call comes that his father needs his help, he is forced to return.

But Peter's story is intertwined with several others. There is police chief Doug Raymer, who is losing his job when his force is disbanded, and his lover Charice Bond. Theirs is an interracial relationship with the usual misunderstandings due to cultural differences – as well as the problem of Charice's twin brother, Jerome, who has mental health issues. There is Birdie, who owns the failing "Horse", the town's tavern. And then there is a multigenerational family of women who all seem to pick the wrong man.

While these stories have their roots in the earlier books, Russo provides enough of the backstories to make this book able to stand alone. The issues he deals with are pretty much universal – how men and women relate; how families and the choices they make affect us all; dirty policing and its impact on the people police are sworn to protect; sexual orientation; mental health issues; the "Haves" and "Have Nots".

Mr. Russo has once again produced a gem. I have been reading his work for years and would call him one of our finest contemporary American writers. He brings nuance to his writing and makes the reader really think about what he is saying. If you haven't read the "Fool" trilogy, you are really missing something!

I wish the publishers and NetGalley would publish the title's name along with the name of the series it's a part of and the number of book it is within the series. I don't like to read books which are a part of a series and is not book #1. I'm sorry but I won't read this until I read the two previous books in this series, and that probably will not happen for some time. I am really sorry as this looked like a great read.

Having read a few of Richard Russo's novels and seen Paul Newman act in the movie made of 1 of his books, I thoroughly enjoyed re-visiting many of the characters again. However, nothing much happens in this novel, save for the discovery of a body in an abandoned hotel. The book was about 100 pages too long to keep my interest steady. Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the galley proofs to read this book ahead of publication.

A good story with great, although flawed, characters living in a small town. Expertly crafted characters really come to life and made an impression on me, both good and bad. This is the shortest, most absorbing 464 pages I’ve read all year. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

With absolute delight, I plunged into the lush, fascinating world portrayed by Richard Russo in SOMEBODY'S FOOL, the final book a trilogy of "Fool" books centering on a fascinating man called "Sully" who lived his entire life in a small, downtrodden community in upstate New York with the exception of years overseas fighting in WWII. The humor, piercing insight, and beautiful prose wove a powerful narrative spell that entertained, thrilled, and amused me to read passages to anyone in my vicinity. Wonderful, unique, and an ultimate accomplishment by one of the best writers I've ever had the pleasure to read. I received a copy and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

A beautifully written engaging tale of the people of North Bath, a town going away but held together in no small part by Doug Raymer the former Chief of Police who is in many ways a critical center for everyone. I know Sully, now dead, is meant to be the unifier but he's gone, his son Peter is trying his best to keep tabs on Sully's friends, even as his own son is in and causes a lot of trouble for everyone. It's the characters that make this boom, soar, and keep you reading even when it might seem to be sagging a bit. It's Charise and her brother Jerome, it's Tina who sees things, it's Rub, it's Janey, it's all of them- and their stories all link to one another. Raymer is the one people turn to and he takes on more than he thought he would. Russo addresses racism, police violence, depression, aging, poverty, and other matters (including one that came as a surprise so no spoilers) that seem amplified in small towns where everyone knows everyone and businesses are just hanging on. What's important to know, though, that as much as there is melancholy, despair, and bad events here, there's also hope, good cops, and good people. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Terrific read.

I was so very excited to see a new book coming out in this celebrated series. It has been seven years since the last one. It was fun to take a literary journey back to North Bath, New York. Back to this struggling town and the lives of the people that I first became acquainted with in "Nobody's Fool" and "Everybody's Fool". It's obvious why Richard Russo is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist when you read this book. I quickly became immersed in the story.

Ten years after the death of one of Bath's most colorful characters, Sully Sullivan, the depressed town and its inhabitants are still struggling, but now they are being absorbed by the more well-to-do nearby town of Shuyler Springs. Bath is a town filled with people full of regrets and resentments. With the backdrop of a mystery surrounding an unidentifiable dead body found in an abandoned luxury hotel, we follow the lives of these people.

Even though he is gone, I enjoyed how many of the resident's individual stories touched on how their lives had been affected by Sully: including his son and his grandsons. Along with bursts of humor, this character driven and richly woven story includes new and old friendships and people who are learning what is most important in their lives, while also undergoing change. It may even have you reflecting on your own life.

Though this is the third book in the North Bath series, I believe that it can be savored as a standalone novel, but Russo fans will relish this book even more.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Somebody's Fool is the third book in Richard Russo's North Bath trilogy; the first being Nobody's Fool, the second, Everybody's Fool. I am saddened that it is the final book as each one is wonderful and captures day to day life as it really is: messy, funny, filled with good and bad times. These word from Douglas Raymer, former sheriff of North Bath illustrate the point so well: "... how complex and multilayered, even the simplest lives were..."
Somebody's Fool is a rich tale of a community facing major change, loss, family, friendship, loyalty and of course love. It is a stand-alone novel, yet i recommend reading the previous 2 as they also are very good.

Somebody’s Fool is the third in a series of “Fool” books however it is not necessary to read the prior two to enjoy it. Richard Russo is a wonderful Pulitzer Prize winning writer so if you haven’t read his previous novels, you will want to!

This current novel develops many characters in the small town of North Bath, which was recently annexed to neighboring Schuyler Springs. The story takes place over one weekend. The way it is written allows the reader to go deep into the minds of several characters but also moves the story forward. I really enjoyed the relationship between Doug Raymer and his girlfriend Charice, as well as the character of Peter Sullivan - a far from perfect man. If you like character-driven novels, you’ll enjoy this one!

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

4.5 stars for Somebody's Fool - the newest by Richard Russo.
Nearly 40 years after discovering Russo through his wonderful first novel, Mohawk, I fell in love with him all over again through his latest, Somebody's Fool. This novel picks up the story of the residents of North Bath, focusing on the son and friends of Sully, the hero (anti-hero?) of the previous Nobody's Fool and Everybody's Fool.
Now son Peter takes up the task of caring for his father's home and many of his long time friends. And then Peter gets a surprise visit from someone else he should have been caring for for years, but was not - one of his two estranged sons. This is a big messy character-driven novel - it might help to keep notes on who is who - with a lot of plot twists and turns.
Most of those plot lines follow a certain path, and here I quote one of the characters, "Raymer was stuck by just how complex and multilayed even the simplest of lives were, how they intersected in strange, unpredictable ways, people magically appearing at just the right moment, others turning up at the exact wrong one."
If you like character driven novels about normal people doing normal things, and sometimes doing abnormal things, this novel just might be perfect for you. Despite my best intentions, I did find myself tearing up at the end because I was sad to say goodbye to the residents of North Bath.