The Kellerby Code
'Magnificent.' Richard Osman
by Jonny Sweet
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Pub Date 21 Mar 2024 | Archive Date 22 Mar 2024
Faber and Faber Ltd | Faber & Faber
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Description
'Magnificent, a major new talent.' RICHARD OSMAN
Edward is living in a world he can’t afford and to which he doesn’t belong. To camouflage himself, he has catered to his friends’ needs: fetching drycleaning, sorting flowers for premieres. It’s a noble effort, really – anything to keep his best pals Robert and Stanza happy. In return, his proximity to them might sponge the shame of his birth and violent past cleanly away.
But the chink in his armour is his painfully unrequited love for Stanza. When he realises Stanza and Robert are an item, Edward is pushed too far. His little acts of kindness take a sinister turn, giving way to the unspeakable brutality Edward fears is at his core.
Are there limits to what he will do for his friends? Are there limits to what he will do to them?
Advance Praise
'A deft, razor-sharp debut that effortlessly bestrides crime and comedy. Jonny Sweet is annoyingly talented.' ERIN KELLY
'Tom Ripley meets The Wych Elm in this creepy, acerbic, darkly funny thriller about loneliness, ambition and the lengths we go to to escape ourselves. Sweet is as interested in themes of love and revenge as he is in skewering the elite, in a novel whose dialogue is pin-sharp and whose pages ripple with tension. A hugely enjoyable and impressive debut.' EMMA STONEX
'Fresh, frightening, bittersweet and brutal. The Kellerby Code is wonderfully witty and delightfully dark.' CHRIS WHITAKER
'Rich and compelling with sly humour at every turn. A cracking debut.' HEATHER DARWENT
'This is a brilliantly crafted story. Jonny Sweet's wickedly forensic eye for detail puts you so close to the action, you feel you are in the room with the characters. On the one hand it's a story of regret and fear, but on the other it's a superb take down of privilege. A genuine late night, one more chapter, but I've got work in the morning book.' IAN MOORE
'The Kellerby Code is a witty Wodehousian bloodbath of a debut which toys with class, the thin veneer of 'good manners', and the brutality running underneath it all while still having a light touch.' CHARLOTTE VASSELL
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780571379873 |
| PRICE | £14.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 384 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Richard H, Reviewer
Captivating crime comedy.
Immensely enjoyable and immersive with razor sharp dark humour. Superb dialogue and plot.
Well-developed compelling characters including several obnoxious elitists. The story follows the ups and downs of the main character, Edward, who is a fawning fantasist people pleaser running errands for two arrogant spolit rich kids who use him. As the story unfolds Edward's darker side is revealed as he navigates several impossible situations. A wild roller coaster ride with plenty of cringeworthy and laugh out loud moments.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.
Media/Journalist 1206334
A very intriguing read, it feels like it could be set in a very different time, but is clearly up to date.
That may be because the attitudes and behaviour of people who feel entitled to a certain lifestyle, have been to the right schools and are from the right backgrounds, have not changed that much.
On the surface it's a country house crime thriller, but with something very much darker and more disturbing underneath.
Yet you can't help but root for Edward, if only because everyone else is even more flawed than he is.
Liz R, Media/Journalist
I have reviewed The Kellerby Code by Jonny Sweet for book recommendation and selling site LoveReading.co.uk. I’ve chosen the novel as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the month. Please see link for the full review. Thank you.
Book Trade Professional 479806
HOLY SH*T THAT ENDING. I am stunned, baffled and honestly, completely in awe of this book. I will admit, in the opening chapter, I wasn’t 100% into it. But this is one of those books that get more absorbing and utterly bizarre as it goes, you absolutely have to read it. It’s like SALTBURN meets THE OTHER HALF meets utter ridiculousness and dark humour. My favourite read of 2024 so far!
Jayne S, Reviewer
I confess that initially I wondered if The Kellerby Code was for me … maybe it was the day, or my mood but I very soon got over myself. Jonny Sweet utterly captivated me with his words, his wit, his deliciously dark humour and his capturing of the need to ‘belong’. You will recognise all the characters. You will recognise the ease with which those who don’t quite fit in are manipulated and seemingly included, but remain on the outside. But with deft and dark deliberation, the outsider is driven to extreme retribution – denying himself what he loves in the process. I laughed, I empathised, I gasped, I loved the outrageousness. I promised I would read this again. It will make a splendid film or TV series, a la Ripley. And I am enchanted by the author’s comment:
'But if you ever feel you’re not valued sufficiently by your friends, or you’re frustrated by the parade of aristocrats who still run our country in the twenty-first century, you might at least find it enjoyable to see what Edward chooses to do to them.
Yours, Jonny Sweet'
I enjoyed an ARC in return for an honest review - which I am delighted to do.
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