Runner-up for the Betty Trask Award 2015.
Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 2014.
A fabulous and surprising read about an English lit graduate taking a lowly job in the kitchen of a Camden restaurant but mostly it’s about the local gangster, the Fat Man, and his culinary demands. We are introduced to the colourful and eccentric bunch in the kitchen and its ruthless head chef, Bob. The Fat Man has some strange hold over Bob who drags his team in to produce some pretty dreadful private dinners: songbirds in brandy, a tiger cub, even a chimp! It’s extraordinary. The story flows at great speed with a tense atmosphere, plenty of shocks and great insight into the chef experience. It’s an astonishing read. Highly recommended.
The Costa Judges said Wroe's book was “a brave, audacious, invigorating and pacy black
comedy.”
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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