Book: The Secret Dinner - A Novel by Raphael Montes
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 5/5
Are you a fan of Parasite and/or The Menu and thought, “Ah, yes, this would be even better with some cannibalism”? Have I got the book for you!
The Secret Dinner is a brilliant, dark satirical thriller/horror that asks the question: how far would you go if you’re desperate to make ends meet?
The story follows four roommates facing a tight deadline to catch up on rent. One of them is a professional chef who knows about elite, exclusive dinner parties that command high prices. After one roommate jokingly posts about the menu having human meat, the interest soars with them able to charge astronomical prices for a delicious endeavor.
Told in a framed narrative format, the book also incorporates mixed-media elements like written letters and text exchanges, which were a fantastic touch.
I did an immersive read of this book and read it within a day. It was a book I knew would be in my wheelhouse, but this blew my expectations away. The pacing in this book kept me fully engrossed. I didn't want to do anything else besides keep the book open and my headphones plugged in.
Originally written in Portuguese, the translation carries over the author’s tone and intent brilliantly. The audiobook cast did a wonderful job, too. You could vividly feel the main character’s panic as his roommates' diabolical plans took shape, followed by his slow complacency once the money started rolling in.
There’s a ton of dark humor, which helps you cope with the horrors of the main character’s actions. The thriller part of this leans more into the horror side, so please proceed with caution! They are eating people, after all.
I’ll be recommending this to anyone who likes a suspenseful horror. It was such a joy to read.
An immense thank you to Celadon Books for the physical ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.