Laughs abound in this witty new satire from Robert Gott. Gregory Buchanan is a state politician and minister with a healthy dose of self-regard. A blithe spirit, he commissions career artist Sophie White to capture his portrait. The sitting takes an unusual turn when Gregory decides to pose nude. He unveils the painting, executed in photo realist style, in his dining room. His wife, Phoebe, is gobsmacked. The painting has to go – otherwise his career will be destroyed. But Gregory has other ideas: he wants to submit it for the Archibald Prize. The plot thickens when a host of friends and colleagues turn up and inadvertently see the portrait. There is Gregory's gin-swilling mother, Margaret, his fundamentalist Christian mother-in-law, Joyce, and lycra-wearing lesbian sister, Sally. Half way through the novel, a surprise visit is made by the state premier, Louisa Wetherly. This mix of forceful females ensures that a stand off is inevitable, but who will win? Blackmail, threats, theft and heated arguments over Christian theology ensue. Most of Naked Ambition takes place in Gregory and Phoebe's living room and reads somewhat like a closed circle mystery. When a theft occurs, only the people present are suspects. Most of the story is dialogue driven, giving it a campy, stagey feel, with characters often facing off against one another. Witty and full of laughs, readers looking for an offbeat entertainment will find it here. Naked Ambition, by Robert Gott. Published by Scribe. $29.99 This review first published at Books + Publishing. Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
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