A cool, dark, sexy nightdrive of a novel. . . . A new J.G. Ballard.”—Toby Litt
Jeremy Shepherd has relinquished his London life and moved back home. By day, he has a boring desk job, but Jeremy soon finds a way to break the monotony through illicit sex with strangers in public places. As the police close in, tensions rise.
'Humorous and cringe-worthy... Around the unusual, Houellebecqian story, Daniel Davies has created a recognisable but unflattering portrait of modern Britain with a nod to JG Ballard.' Bookseller
Anytown, England. Jeremy Shepherd has reached post-ambition, giving up the trappings of his London life (flashy job, flashy cars, even flashier girlfriends) and moved back to his home town and his parents’ house. By day, he is a low-level civil servant, chained to his desk and content to idle away the hours filing and answering e-mails. There isn’t a lot to do in a small town, but the English are very resourceful and Jeremy quickly finds a hobby that delivers lots of fresh air and exercise. By night, he prowls local car parks to indulge in altogether more challenging pursuits—anonymous sex with strangers. This is no ordinary hobby—each encounter is tinged with a definite air of danger, as police stake out each site and the cloak of anonymity brings its own risks. As the scene’s night-time liaisons increase, things take a turn for the worse. Locals take a violent dislike to the illicit rendezvous. As the police step up surveillance, private pursuits risk becoming very public.
Liason Dangereuses in a super-market carpark
Daniel Davies was born in Sutton-Coldfield, near Birmingham, in 1973, to a Welsh father and a Polish-German mother. He studied English at Cambridge. His previous jobs include curator at the British Museum, sub-editor of medical journal The Lancet and the Evening Standard. He lived abroad for three years teaching English in Barcelona, Prague alcĄ