'Utterly compelling...I couldn't put the book down' Observer
'Surprising and dark and excellent' New York Times
'A gripping and sophisticated thriller' Independent

Soon to be a major film adaptation starring Jessica Chastain and Ralph Fiennes

David and Jo Henniger are on their way to a party at their old friends' home, deep in the Moroccan desert. But as a groggy David navigates the dark desert roads, two young men spring from the roadside, the car swerves and collides with one of the boys...

Meanwhile, festivities at the house are in full flow. Under the watchful eyes of their Moroccan staff, the extravagant hosts attend to the whims of their glittering, insatiable guests as the party rages on into a new day. The stage is set for a weekend in which David and Jo must come to terms with their fateful act and its shattering consequences.

'As menacing and engrossing as the best McEwan' Sunday Times

East meets West with shattering conclusions in this stylish, taut and brilliant piece of cinematic storytelling from Lawrence Osborne

About the Author

Born in England, Lawrence Osborne is the author of the critically acclaimed novels The Forgiven, The Ballad of a Small Player, Hunters in the Dark, Beautiful Animals, Only to Sleep: A Philip Marlowe novel (commissioned by the Raymond Chandler estate) and The Glass Kingdom. His non-fiction ranges from memoir through travelogue to essays, including Bangkok Days, The Naked Tourist and The Wet and the Dry. His short story 'Volcano' was selected for Best American Short Stories 2012.

The Forgiven, starring Ralph Fiennes, Matt Smith and Jessica Chastain was released in 2022. Osborne lives in Bangkok.

Reviews
Compelling...Engrossing...Gripping * Sunday Times *
Surprising and dark and excellent * New York Times *
A sinister story about guilt, atonement and restitution, fashioned from lean, prowling prose * Herald *
A terrifically realised encounter between the clashing values of traditional Islam and the hedonistic, secular West... Beautifully written, painfully resolved. -- Lionel Shriver * The Times *
More than a stylish thriller... The central plot has parallels with The Bonfire of the Vanities, while the socialites could be straight out of The Great Gatsby * Stylist *
A gripping read * Kirkus *
A superbly compelling novel... As menacing and engrossing as the best McEwan * Sunday Times *
Osborne brings together all his authorial talents in this gripping and sophisticated thriller * Independent *
Stylish, somehow both lavish and muscular at the same time * Independent on Sunday *
Utterly compelling; at the risk of trotting out a cliche, I couldn't put the book down * Observer *
A brilliantly observed tale of class and hedonism * The Times, *Summer Reads of 2023* *


Awards
Long-listed for The Folio Prize 2014 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9780099578932
Author Lawrence Osborne
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Vintage
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 234g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 20mm