The Death of Murat Idrissi - Softcover

‘A savagely effective little novel ... A nasty masterpiece of narrative tension; it’s brutally spare.’

‘The gifted Dutch writer Tommy Wieringa is a bold, intelligent stylist, unafraid of exposing the ugliness of society juxtaposed with the vagaries of human nature. [A] taut, intense contemporary thriller of multiple exploitations ... The full mercilessness of the migrant dilemma is confronted here to devastating effect.’

‘It has the grip of a nightmare that is all too plausible.’

‘The sentences are concise, propelling the action along and keeping readers on the edge of their seats ... a vital must-read.’

‘The Death of Murat Idrissi is a powerful tale of identity, relationships and the desire to both fit in and to escape ... The Death of Murat Idrissi is a dark and deeply profound tale that examines the fragile humanity of ordinary people and exposes just how cheaply a life can be valued.’ FOUR STARS

‘A lucidly written reflection on the migrant crisis, by a Dutch master storyteller.’

‘As scintillating as it is unforgiving, this tiny diamond of a novel from Dutch author Tommy Wieringa is such a masterpiece of compression it could stand as an object lesson for students of creative writing ... [A] deceptively simple, yet intricately layered, tale of complicity and exploitation.’

‘Wieringa’s writing and Garrett’s translation are elegant. From the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar to the aftermath of Murat’s death, it is as if each sentence, each word, has been chosen with care. Both the writing and story merge into a beautiful symmetry, where it’s not possible to appreciate the devastating story without appreciating the paradoxically beautiful writing. I was able to easily slip within the minds of each character, understand their motives and anxieties. For such a short novel, it felt very full.’

‘A compact novella pulling powerful punches. A must read.’

‘Based on a shocking true story, this novel will make you question your belief in humanity ... The book is short, a fast read, at an almost breathless pace. It will make you appreciate where you are now.’

Tommy Wieringa was born in 1967 and grew up partly in the Netherlands, and partly in the tropics. He began his writing career with travel stories and journalism, and is the author of several internationally bestselling novels. His fiction has been longlisted for the Booker International Prize, shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Oxford/Weidenfeld Prize, and has won Holland’s Libris Literature Prize.