'A profoundly confronting novel which consumed me whole... tender, astonishing and unflinching'
Lucy Rose, author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Lamb

I remember everything that happened in those three minutes at the beginning of the evening, him and me in the kitchen. That, and what happened at the end: the knife, and what I did with it.

Franca left the Netherlands behind to start her new life in England with Andrew. Andrew, whose parents lived in South Kensington but had a flat their son could 'borrow' nearby. Andrew, an old-fashioned British gentleman, who encourages her not to work but to instead focus on her writing. Andrew who suggests a dinner party with his colleagues to celebrate their big upcoming launch. A dinner party that Franca must plan and shop and cook and clean for. A dinner party during a heatwave, when the fridge breaks, alcohol replaces water and an unexpected guest joins their ranks. A dinner party where everything she once was and everything she now is comes together and she feels like she might implode.

About the Author
Viola van de Sandt has degrees in journalism, comparative literature and English literature from King's College, London. A draft of a previous novel was longlisted in the 2019 Mslexia novel competition. She lives in the Netherlands.

Reviews
'This formidable debut offers plenty to savour . . . There are echoes here of Natasha Brown's astonishing debut Assembly, as well as Olivia Sudjic's Asylum Road' GUARDIAN
'The Dinner Party is a profoundly confronting novel which consumed me whole. It's tender, astonishing, and unflinching, and a deeply moving portrayal of experiencing sexual trauma in the domestic. Warning, dear reader, side effects may including utter speechlessness, a deep sinking feeling, and staring at walls for prolonged periods upon turning its final pages' -- LUCY ROSE, author of The Lamb
'An intimate, provocative, and irresistible debut. I was mesmerised' -- JAMIE ATTENBERG, author of The Middlesteins
'A mesmerising debut that will make you laugh and cry' NAOMI KELSEY, author of The Burnings
'The Dinner Party is relentlessly engrossing and seething with suspense from the first to the very last word' CHARLOTTE PARADISE, author of Overspill
'A tense, provocative debut' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Raw, compassionate, and compelling - what a beautiful world we live in where a book can be messy and tender all at once' LIT HUB
'A slow-burn, time-shifting, suspenseful thriller . . . Tense and compelling' BOOKLIST



Book Information
ISBN 9781035429844
Author Viola van de Sandt
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Tinder Press
Publisher Headline Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 520g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 162mm * 30mm