Inferno

* Greed, betrayal and murder combine in the latest brilliant work by the young author of THE KILLER and IN PRAISE OF LIES * Translations of THE KILLER won the Deux Oceans prize in France and the Deutsch Krimi prize in Germany "Tarantino meets Benigni...this is a novel that grabs you by the guts - then rests uneasily on your mind" - Independent on Sunday

For 11-year-old Kingie, there are lessons to be learned from drug trafficking. His first job is as a lookout, working on the hillside slums of Rio de Janeiro. But as he grows older he realizes that in order to survive you must also keep a close watch on yourself as well.For eleven-year-old Kingie, there are lessons to be learned from drug trafficking. His first job is as a lookout, working on the hillside slums of Rio de Janerio. But as he grows older he realises that in order to survive you must also keep a close watch on yourself as well. In her powerful new novel, Patricia Melo tells of Kingie's life of crime, of his poverty-ridden childhood, how he pursues his dreams and the way he learns to achieve leadership. In his uncertain world, chaos manifests itself as violence and deprivation, whether machine-gun fire, unwanted adolescent pregnancy, or the fraught relationships between servants and their employers. Kingie's path intersects with a network of stories of love, family, crime and power. The plot twists through a compelling tale where rapid-fire language and a sharp sense of humour combine to make this gripping story.