I absolutely adore Lawrence Osborne. I know you will too. 

Late last year I recommended The Forgiven to Julia, one of our most prolific staff readers. First published in 2012 it is just one from Osborne’s stylish oeuvre. Julia found it utterly irresistible, I returned for a second helping, my bookclub chose it, and now we’re sharing it with you.  

Osborne combines the best qualities of Graeme Green and F Scott Fitzgerald in this tight and atmospheric thriller. It’s set in Morocco, where a preposterously wealthy gay couple are hosting a three day bacchanal for a privileged clique of boozy hedonists and seductive social climbers. Sounds fun huh? Everything about them is excessive (and offensive) to the austere, mostly Muslim locals, who nevertheless turn a blind eye to benefit from the loose behaviour and loose change. 

The party is in full swing when latecomers David and Jo Henniger arrive with a dead body in the boot. I’ll say no more. What unfolds is a true reckoning.

The Forgiven is gripping. Menacing, even. In his precise and cutting prose Osborne visits the murky depths of his glittering cast, offering cross-cultural commentary, an indictment on human greed and a bitter kernel of truth.

We guarantee you’ll love it and we look forward to sharing more Lawrence Osborne with you.

~ Sally

Check out The Glass Kingdom (set in Bangkok), Beautiful Animals (Greek Islands), On Java Road (Indonesia) and most recently Burning Angel and Other Stories.

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