The Collected Short Novels

Spanning the whole of Paul Theroux’s career, this compellingly readable collection of short novels shows the range of his fictional world and the depth of his expertly observed characters. Among others, we encounter a beautiful academic moonlighting as a prostitute; senior citizens hilariously pulling off a bank robbery; and, in a recent, previously unpublished work, a stripper who falls under the sinister influence of a young priest. Blackly comic, often shocking, with breathtaking plot twists and exotic settings ranging from the Deep South to Singapore, this collection reaffirms Theroux’s status as one of our most powerful storytellers. ‘A brilliant collection of short novels… the first story here was written in 1966, the last is dated 1998. It’s remarkable how well they sit together… each of the six stories it includes is as tightly self-contained, and as satisfyingly executed, as you could hope for… a pure pleasure to read.’ Sam Leith, Observer