ABOUT THE BOOK

The polished chitter-chatter of a sophisticated dinner party is disrupted by the unexpected appearance of the host's bizarre sister-in-law. Clarrie has always been a 'bit strange', but tonight she is, frankly, unbalanced, and is suffering from obscure hallucinations. Clarrie has a reason for descending uninvited on Alex and Tilda Stone, and is waiting for the right moment to reveal it. And Clarrie is not the only person at the table with a secret. All the guests have something to hide, and Clarrie's unsettling behaviour over the pink trout and tropical fruit bavarois might just be enough to push a few secrets out into the open.

Anna Davis occasionally holds dinner parties, though none so eventful as the one in her first novel. Born in 1971, she was a child in Broadstairs and a teenager in Cardiff. She studied at Manchester University, where she completed a BA in English and American Literature and an MA in Novel writing. She now lives in London and works for a literary agency.

 

Here are some readers' thoughts on The Dinner by Anna Davis:

"This debut novel could best be described as a black comedy.

Alex and Tilda Stone have invited three couples to dinner, the Thacksons, the Stilbourns and the Marshalls. They hope that by impressing the Thacksons Alex may further his career.
With the arrival - uninvited - of Alex's sister-in-law Clarrie, the party is doomed to failure. No explanation is offered for Clarrie's traumatised state and dinner proceeds amid rising tension.

As we gain insight into the lives of the characters it becomes clear that there are many secrets to hide.
The book is an enjoyable and easy read. Keeping track of the names can be a problem, particularly as Clarrie uses her own set of name tags to identify the guests.
I feel this novel could work well on stage, the plot being reminiscent of "Abigail's Party".

(Reviewed by a Member of Raheny Library Readers Group.)