Ticktock

Ticktock opens with the sort of horror promise that makes a quiet room feel suspicious. Then the mood starts to misbehave. The comedy grows increasingly absurd as the novel goes on, so anyone settling in for unbroken dread may find their nerves given an unexpected evening off.

At its centre is Tommy Phan, caught between his family’s determination to hold on to their Vietnamese roots and his own wish to be simply American. That pull matters to the story. It gives the silliness something human to push against. I find that more interesting than a joke with nowhere to land, though Tommy might reasonably prefer to have a less complicated time of it.

The fear is strongest at the start. Think uneasy opening rather than a sustained test of how long you can leave the lights off. If you want the darker mood to stay put, the growing comedy is worth knowing about before you pick this up. If you like a creepy beginning that makes room for chaos, it suits a night when you want your nerves prodded and your sense of humour awake.