Mouth to Mouth

A Novel

By: Antoine Wilson

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2022 * An NPR and Time Best Book of the Year * Longlisted for the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize (Canada) * Finalist for CALIBA’s 2022 Golden Poppy Awards

A successful art dealer confesses the story of his meteoric rise in this “powerful, intoxicating, and shocking” (The New York Times) novel that’s a “slow burn à la Patricia Highsmith” (Oprah Daily). “You’ll struggle not to rip through in one sitting” (Vogue).

In a first-class lounge at JFK airport, our narrator listens as Jeff Cook, a former classmate he only vaguely remembers, shares the uncanny story of his adult life—a life that changed course years before, the moment he resuscitated a drowning man.

Jeff reveals that after that traumatic, galvanizing morning on the beach, he was compelled to learn more about the man whose life he had saved, convinced that their fates were now entwined. But are we agents of our fate—or are we its pawns? Upon discovering that the man is renowned art dealer Francis Arsenault, Jeff begins to surreptitiously visit his Beverly Hills gallery. Although Francis does not seem to recognize him as the man who saved his life, he nevertheless casts his legendary eye on Jeff and sees something worthy. He takes the younger man under his wing, initiating him into his world, where knowledge, taste, and access are currency; a world where value is constantly shifting and calling into question what is real, and what matters. The paths of the two men come together and diverge in dizzying ways until the novel’s staggering ending.

Sly, suspenseful, and “gloriously addicting” (BuzzFeed), Mouth to Mouth masterfully blurs the line between opportunity and exploitation, self-respect and self-delusion, fact and fiction—exposing the myriad ways we deceive each other, and ourselves.

©2022 Antoine Wilson. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

NPR featured it.. Just as good as promised

The writer said that he wanted to be sure each page was as interesting as the page before it. He accomplished the task.The story makes one think about our own motivations.

Not really sure other than one was a very good listener and the other letting go of a haunting past

I wained a few times throughout the story. Thinking do I keep listening and in the end did finish the book. Like most the main twist the jest was in the very end

Interesting story

I liked this story but thought it should have had a little more spice to the ending.

I'd like to give it 10 stars

This was a great book. Truly one of the best books I've read in years.

Short delicious read

Mr. Ballerini always narrates very well. I like that the writer did not try to prolong the story with more “filler chapters” but rather stuck to a tighter storyline. It made the impact even greater. I also liked that the ending leaves you wondering, questioning unexpressed and perhaps, even inadmissible motives.

Short and Sweet

Contemporary art collaged into a mysterious story both of human interactions and hidden feelings. A story for today.

Excellent

Well written and intriguing.
It is framed like a 19th century classic, with the narrator acting as the relayer of a tale recounted to him.
Edoardo Ballerini, as usual, is a great narrator.

Really interesting and unusual story

Narrator very good. The book is quite intriguing and ends by letting the reader(listener) evaluate the characters.

Great story

What a terrific book. It was riveting! Maybe more authors should write books of this length?!

Best book evaaa!

Not since The Silent Patient was I this engrossed in a book!

Nearly flawless. Will recommend to anyone who reads. The story will stay with me for a while.

So much better than The Disappearing Act, The Plot and other would-be thrillers that try to hard and force the story via plot holes.

Effortlessly suspenseful. Perfect ending.