Synopsis
Someone, our narrator, is stalking Mr M. Mr M is a famous writer, but his most successful book, which told the story of a young couple who murdered one of their teachers, was published many years ago. These days, the lines at bookshop signing sessions just about reach the door of a small shop; one upon a time they stretched far down the road outside. Why would anyone be so fascinated by the detail of the day-to-day life of a writer whose great success lies far in the past? Our narrator clearly dislikes Mr M, intensely. But does he actively wish him ill? Is he planning violence against him? Or worse? And why?
Gradually we realise that our narrator, seemingly unknown to Mr M, has good reasons to be concerned with him. Many years ago, he and a teenage girlfriend killed one of their schoolteachers. Their story provided the inspiration for Mr M's novel. But the story told in the novel is not the story we are to hear from the killer himself. Mr M in effect took the most crucial moment of his life story and made him into a fictional character. And he is not happy about it, not happy at all . . .
About the Author
Herman Koch was born in 1953. He is the author of a number of novels - including The Dinner and Summer House with Swimming Pool - short stories, has acted for radio, television, and film, and was a co-creator of the long-running Dutch TV comedy series Jiskefet (1990-2005). The Dinner has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide and spent a year on the New York Times bestseller list. Richard Gere, Steve Coogan, Laura Linney, and Chloe Sevigny will star in the film adaptation, forthcoming in 2017. Praise for Herman Koch: 'Gripping . . . For fans of thriller such as Gone Girl, this should be essential summer reading' Guardian (Summer House with Swimming Pool) 'Utterly entertaining. There is a manic clarity and gleefulness to its writing . . . You'll be gripped and chilled' Independent (Summer House with Swimming Pool) 'A clever, dark confection . . . absorbing and highly readable' New York Times Book Review (The Dinner) 'Slick, thrillerish and highly enjoyable' Sunday Times (The Dinner) 'The Dinner proves how powerful fiction can be in illuminating the modern world' The Economist 'One of those must-read novels about nature vs nurture, like The Slap and We Need to Talk about Kevin, with a series of dark twists and turns' Independent (The Dinner) 'Perfect . . . A virtuoso achievement' Financial Times (The Dinner) 'Utterly absorbing' Mail on Sunday (The Dinner) 'A feast of a novel' Evening Standard (The Dinner)
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