True North is the second novel by American author, Randall DeVallance. Barely a year after starting at True North, Salvatore Slocomb is surprised, early one Monday morning, to be plucked from the sales floor to step into the role of CEO. Sal is dubious about his ability to fulfil the duties expected of him, but True North’s founder and CEO, Burt Leathers promises that the brief orientation he provides will be all Sal needs. By Wednesday, he’s sitting behind the CEO’s desk, wondering what he actually needs to do.

But Sal doesn’t know the reason Leathers has installed him there: Burt is taking the death threat from a disgruntled customer quite seriously, and figures that he’s safer with some randomly-chosen expendable in his chair. Except that Sal isn’t quite as randomly-chosen as Burt might think. Burt knows less about Sal, and how he might behave, than he realises. In fact, there are some vital facts that neither of them knows…

It all has to do with the time, thirty years earlier, when Burt Leathers had the enlightening experience that eventually led him to create the motivational system, True North (available for $49.99 plus P&P) which includes a quality compass to help you find your true direction in life. And while some customers might swear by True North’s results, Don Bagley isn’t one of them. An officious customer service employee has stuck by company policy and refused him a refund, and he’s very angry.

A string of unlikely but highly amusing coincidences quickly makes it apparent that the best idea is to don your disbelief suspenders and enjoy the ride. Some of DeVallance’s characters are quirky and appealing; others lean more to irritating, silly, or even obnoxious. Colleen Frink’s “would you rather” scenarios are comical and reminiscent of Jeffrey Lu in Jasper Jones.

DeVallance gives the reader some marvellous descriptive prose: “They shuffled through the halls, subdued and disoriented, like bees through a hive that had just been doused with smoke” and “She batted her eyes, her lashes stirring the air around them like a pair of Japanese fans” are examples. The ending isn’t exactly “happy ever after” but is very fitting all the same. Short but very entertaining.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Beacon Publishing Group.

A businessman’s worst nightmare comes true.
Combining elements of comedy and drama, it’s an interesting novel.
It’s an office drama that’s made all the more realistic by the genuine dialogue from staff when dealing with an inexperienced boss.
The author really developed characters and you got clues into their past which immersed you in their backstories.
A very thought provoking book.
Thanks @randalldevallance, @beaconpublishing & @netgalley for the eARC

This was SO GOOD. I originally requested it on NetGalley because the cover gave me Kurt Vonnegut vibes, and the storyline seemed really simple and interesting. The dry humor followed through on the Vonnegut vibes I got, and it reminded me of an Augusten Burroughs novel I once read as well. The writing was so good, and the way the story was organized was perfect. Giving backstory without making it confusing, if that makes sense.

It's been a while since I read a story like this. I've been reading a lot of mystery/thrillers, and this isn't that. I guess it had a twist/reveal at one point, but it never felt like it was a reach. The characters were all fleshed out and interesting (I'm gonna need a book solely about Colleen btw), the storyline was straightforward and interesting (I could see this being a movie actually), and the writing was superb.

I don't think I've ever purchased a physical copy of a book after reading it on my Kindle, but this one I will be preordering (release date in 2 days!). It feels very rereadable, I love the cover, and I enjoyed it that much. Thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley!

This is an original, interesting book filled with great characters. I loved the plot and characters, and the title is compelling. My only complaint is it wasn't exactly my style book, but others will love it if they are looking for an original, mystery, suspense read.

A hard book to review as I am not really sure what I just read. The protagonist is imbued with a special quality that results in reactions from those around him willingly or not. Almost any storyline could work with this character, and the author has come up with a good one that keeps the reader engaged.

Salvatore “Sal” Slocum is a sales representative at True North, LLC, a direct marketing company hawking a self-improvement system based upon the personal experiences and wisdom of the company’s founder, the enigmatic Burt Leathers. Thirty years earlier a blinding flash of light erased Leathers’ memory, yet also imbued him with strange persuasive powers and a keen intuition. Even more curious – any compass within his vicinity points directly at him.

True North really captures good character development, which I personally admired because strong character information builds for a stronger story. I personally really loved the different clues and hints that were indicated to form backstories, as this was my favorite element from this read.

I’d have to give this book 3 stars just because it wasn’t my absolutely favorite, but it was a good read! Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me this early ARC review.