Havoc: A Novel

by Christopher Bollen Narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed

Overview

In the vein of The Bad Seed comes a twisty, atmospheric psychological suspense 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.

The war between age and youth has never been so vicious.

Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite 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 might have 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.

One 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.

A propulsive, addictively-readable breakout from the critically acclaimed author of A Beautiful Crime and The Lost Americans, Havoc is brilliant, twisty psychological suspense that will get under your skin like the most unforgettable Hitchcock classics.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A Lit Hub's "Most Anticipated" —

“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.” — Hanya Yanagihara, bestselling author of A Little Life and To Paradise (on Instagram)

“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.”
— Katie Kitamura, bestselling author of Intimacies

"Diabolically good. Gets you in its mad, twisted grip and doesn’t relinquish until the jaw-dropping end. Bollen is a stunning writer and Havoc is a taut, wicked masterpiece." — Mona Awad, bestselling author of Rouge

“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 The Bad Seed and Agatha Christie, Bollen serves up a nasty treat. It’s a bracing ode to bad behavior.”  — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Thelma meets The Bad Seed meets The White Lotus in 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 The Lost Americans (2023), Bollen takes the art of the unreliable, self-deluded narrator to new heights….a wicked delight….A devious and deranged thriller.” — Kirkus Reviews

“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.” — Literary Hub

"Bollen (The Lost Americans; A Beautiful Crime) writes a cat-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." — Library Journal

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191753515
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/03/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos