Author:DBC Pierre
'Hell is other people.' A chilling, page-turning Hammer novella by the Booker-Prize-winning author of Vernon God Little.
The setting: a faded, lonely guesthouse on the Essex coast. Outside, it's dark, and very foggy. Inside there's no phone or internet reception, no connection with the outside world.
Enter Ariel Panek, a promising young academic en route from the USA to an important convention in Amsterdam. With his plane grounded by fog at Stanstead, he has been booked in for the night at the guesthouse. Discombobulated and jetlagged, he falls in with a family who appear to be commemorating an event.
But this is no ordinary celebration. And this is no ordinary family.
As evening becomes night, Panek realises that he has become caught in an insidious web of other people's secrets and lies, a Sartrian hell from which for him there may be no escape.
A thoroughly modern nightmare … DBC Pierre stacks up the layers of horror with relish and skill – the Hammer label gives him a perfect excuse to leave no stop unpulled
—— The TimesPierre lets his baroque storytelling powers run riot in this latest addition to the excellent Hammer series … exerts an uncanny, bone-chilling thrill
—— MetroPierre’s prose is a sumptuous, metaphor-infused confection … Quirky characters and off-the-wall observations about modern life’s obsession with electronic communication keep the book constantly entertaining.
—— SFXWinningly peculiar
—— IndependentBeautifully written, creepy and funny ... A fascinating, occasionally chilling tale
—— The ListChillingly discomforting ... Pierre has one of the sharpest minds in contemporary literature and there isn't a sentence wasted
—— Hot PressPierre’s insights into human nature elevate this way above most psychological thrillers. It’s well-paced, with a cast of large-as-life characters and a structure that makes more than the odd nod towards Agatha Christie. As the tension builds to the final chaotic spiral of revelations, it becomes apparent this is a novel crying out for a full-blooded stage adaptation. It’s the least it deserves.
—— Event Magazine, Mail on SundayHis distinctive style fits the atmosphere of Gothic horror… appropriately nightmarish
—— Evening StandardA weird and spooky tale… Pierre writes with his usual style ... a great deal of tension and an even greater deal of imagination … a smart modern take on scary stuff
—— Sunday SportTaut, smartly written, empathetic and at times unbearably tense . . . The Boy That Never Was hits the bullseye
—— Irish IndependentA debut novel that will catch fire
—— Nelson DeMilleA tense domestic thriller that is full of surprises
—— Irish Mail on SundayOne of those unique books that grips you from the start . . . climaxing in an unexpected and explosive twist that we simply didn't see coming. This isn't a relaxed read, but it is dramatic and thrilling
—— Irish Country LivingA novel that knows how to thrill, even as it treats its thriller aspect as something strange and inscrutable. So that’s another intriguing book from an author whose work should not remain a secret.
—— Shiny New Books[A] very human novel in which nearly everything is expertly understated ... The characters and storyline are completely absorbing and all of the drama is handled brilliantly making the novel seem almost like a true life account ... Jawbone Lake is a very deep and poignant tale that had me hooked from the start ... It is an emotional read with exceptionally well crafted characters and a lot of heart; I thoroughly enjoyed it.’
—— The BookbagThe opening chapter of Kate Atkinson's latest book is one of the finest pieces of suspense literature you will read this year . . . addictive . . . Atkinson is back at her best
—— London LifeThere couldn’t be a more perfect summer read than this elegant, atmospheric, suspenseful novel
—— John Koski , Mail on SundayCurtain Call is a poignant and gripping story about love and death in a society dancing towards the abyss
—— MrsD-DailyHarrowing suspense. The Bear is a survival thriller that is told from a child's-eye point-of-view, which is not only convincing but doubles the tension. A heartbreaking, white-knuckle read
—— Andrew Pyper, author of The DemonologistThrilling and harrowing…. I couldn’t put this book down. And I must say that the ending was so right, I caught myself holding my breath. A remarkable novel
—— Anthony de Sa, author of Kicking the SkyJust when you thought it was safe to go into the forest... This expertly crafted novel could do for camping what Jaws did for swimming
—— PeopleA gripping tale of how to deal with grief and being lost in a hostile environment
—— Roddy Brooks , UK Press SyndicationSubtle, endearing and raw
—— Clare Brierley , NudgeBased on real-life events, this book is unforgettable
—— Helena Gumley-Mason , LadyA tender, terrifying, poignant ride
—— O magazine