{"product_id":"havoc-a-novel-isbn-9780063378896","title":"Havoc: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e Book Prize Finalist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times' \"\u003c\/i\u003eBest Thriller of the Year\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn the vein of \u003ci\u003eThe Bad Seed\u003c\/i\u003e comes a twisty, atmospheric psychological suspense novel about a meddlesome elderly guest at a decadent luxury hotel who believes she has left her problematic past behind, until she decides to interfere in the lives of a young mother and her eight-year-old son, and finally meets her wicked match.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe war between age and youth has never been so vicious.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in \u003ci\u003equite\u003c\/i\u003e the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just \u003ci\u003emight \u003c\/i\u003ehave needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at check-in: a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA propulsive, addictively-readable breakout from the critically acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003eA Beautiful Crime\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Americans\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHavoc\u003c\/i\u003e is a brilliant, twisty standalone thriller and psychological suspense with an unforgettable unreliable narrator that will get under your skin like the most unforgettable Hitchcock classics. \u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“Havoc is delicious, wicked, and utterly brilliant - a novel about age and power, a battle between two ruthless and fascinating minds. It sank its teeth into me from the first page, and didn’t let go.” \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKatie Kitamura, bestselling author of Intimacies\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An octogenarian Wisconsin widow faces off against an eight-year-old troublemaker in this first-rate tale of psychological suspense . . . each of whom is refreshingly drawn against type. . . . The mayhem mounts and the plot careens toward a genuinely shocking climax. . . . Enriching the narrative with an evocative sense of atmosphere and playful riffs on \u003cem\u003eThe Bad Seed\u003c\/em\u003e and Agatha Christie, Bollen serves up a nasty treat. It’s a bracing ode to bad behavior.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Thelma \u003c\/em\u003emeets \u003cem\u003eThe Bad Seed \u003c\/em\u003emeets \u003cem\u003eThe White Lotus \u003c\/em\u003ein this Covid-19-era tale of an elderly American woman's murderous obsession with a troubled young boy at an Egyptian hotel….Returning to the setting of his gripping novel \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Americans \u003c\/em\u003e(2023), Bollen takes the art of the unreliable, self-deluded narrator to new heights….a wicked delight….A devious and deranged thriller.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…instantly absorbing….Fans of Helene Tursten’s \u003cem\u003eElderly Lady\u003c\/em\u003e reality-warping psychological thrillers will delight in this twisty original.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Christopher Bollen has been a growing figure in the literary suspense world for a while, but this book should cement his place as one of the very best.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLiterary Hub, \"Most Anticipated\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"You must excuse me if I sound a little dazed. Reading \u003cem\u003eHavoc\u003c\/em\u003e feels like Bollen has been inside my head, touching things — such a testament to his beguiling prose that I don’t mind at all.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe I Paper Review (UK)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…a fascinating plot set in an exotic locale.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Journal of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Brilliantly written....I have not enjoyed the prose of any book as much in a very long time.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAndrew Rosenheim, for The Spectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Bollen gleefully lays on the melodrama and teases out the unmasking of his very unreliable narrator, escalating to a cymbal-crashing finale of revelations violence.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This destination thriller is perfect for White Lotus fans.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A masterclass in menace — this is atmospheric, diabolical fun with two utterly unforgettable antagonists. Not since Agatha Christie has anyone so convincingly put the case for the potential villainy of the very old and very young…” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Feast\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Bollen's latest is a wicked, winding thriller that's a must read for anyone who's ever been peeved by kids playing at the hotel pool.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTown \u0026amp; Country, A \"Must Read Book\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Bollen is a clever, propulsive writer who can really get the reader eating out of his hand.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAir Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"(Havoc) marks Bollen as a thriller master”\u003c\/strong\u003e - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Beautiful writing and expertly torqued tension add up to a delightfully nasty page-turner.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…by turns creepy, snarky, humorous and every bit as atmospheric as you would expect from a story set somewhere like the Valley of the Kings.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eHavoc \u003c\/em\u003edelivers a darkly humorous, psychological suspense set in a decaying luxury hotel along the Nile….With its blend of dark humor, spiraling obsession, and unexpected rivalry, \u003cem\u003eHavoc\u003c\/em\u003e keeps readers hooked to its lingering, unsettling resolution, capturing the spirit of Hitchcock’s best stories.... \"\u003cem\u003eHavoc\u003c\/em\u003e proves itself to be one of the most memorable mysteries in recent memory.\"” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCrimeReads\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bollen’s latest is a slow burn about intergenerational warfare.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…a deliciously nasty tale of resentment and revenge…. great, wicked fun….Bollen writes with wit and style about an increasingly unhinged battle of wills between two unlikely, and formidable, opponents.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNY Times, from Sarah Lyall\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Christopher Bollen’s penchant for creating unique characters, then placing them in vividly explored exotic locations, again shines in the commanding Havoc.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Sun Sentinel\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest of the Year: \u003cem\u003eNew York Times, CrimeReads, Book Riot, Sun-Sentinel, Air Mail\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Diabolically good. Gets you in its mad, twisted grip and doesn’t relinquish until the jaw-dropping end. Bollen is a stunning writer and \u003cem\u003eHavoc\u003c\/em\u003e is a taut, wicked masterpiece.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMona Awad, bestselling author of Rouge\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Bollen (\u003cem\u003eThe Lost Americans\u003c\/em\u003e;\u003cem\u003e A Beautiful Crime\u003c\/em\u003e) writes a\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ecat-and-mouse psychological thriller set in a sprawling hotel located on the banks of the Nile. The cat might be 81-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt, a meddlesome fixer. The mouse might be eight-year-old Otto, son of the mournful Tessa. Or it might be the other way around.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A lot of books claim to be Highsmithian, but this one actually is: A highly readable, twisty, and shrewd satire presenting as a thriller about entitlement, loneliness, jealousy, and the eternal friction between the young and old. Utterly enjoyable.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHanya Yanagihara, bestselling author of A Little Life and To Paradise (on Instagram)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bollen delivers a hilarious yet dark sendup reminiscent of \u003cem\u003eThe Bad Seed\u003c\/em\u003e as Maggie and Otto go to war to see who will rule the Royal Karnak. Readers will enjoy Bollen’s ringside seat to a war of the ages.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It’s refreshing to read prose that is so well crafted. Bollen has style, and he’s a natural storyteller.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLionel Shriver, recommending for \"Best Book of 2024, Spectator UK\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44890724729061,"sku":"NP9780063378896","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780063378896.jpg?v=1730233939","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/havoc-a-novel-isbn-9780063378896","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}