Detective Story - Hardcover
As readers, we are accustomed to reading stories of war and injustice from the victims' point of view, sympathising with their plight. In Detective Story, the tables have been turned, leaving us in the mind of a monster, as Nobel Laureate Imre Kertész plunges us into a story of the worst kind, told by a man living outside morality.
Now in prison, Antonio Martens is a torturer for the secret police of a recently defunct dictatorship. He requests and is given writing materials in his cell, and what he has to recount is his involvement in the surveillance, torture, and assassination of Federigo and Enrique Salinas, a prominent father and son whose principled but passive opposition to the regime left them vulnerable to the secret police. Preying upon young Enrique's aimless life, the secret police began to position him as a subversive and then targeted his father. Once this plan was set into motion, any means were justified to reach the regime's chosen end - the destruction of an entire liberal class.
Inside Martens's mind, we inhabit the rationalising world of evil and see first-hand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning cry for our time.
Now in prison, Antonio Martens is a torturer for the secret police of a recently defunct dictatorship. He requests and is given writing materials in his cell, and what he has to recount is his involvement in the surveillance, torture, and assassination of Federigo and Enrique Salinas, a prominent father and son whose principled but passive opposition to the regime left them vulnerable to the secret police. Preying upon young Enrique's aimless life, the secret police began to position him as a subversive and then targeted his father. Once this plan was set into motion, any means were justified to reach the regime's chosen end - the destruction of an entire liberal class.
Inside Martens's mind, we inhabit the rationalising world of evil and see first-hand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning cry for our time.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
"The narrative is neat, lucid, written with admirable economy" (Alan Massie Scotsman)
"Candid and as black as night.... How these pages shimmer with irony and astute observation...
This is an astonishing performance, as terrifying as Kafka and as plausible" (Eileen Battersby Irish Times)
"A sophisticated and brilliant dissection of nihilistic power and its servants, as well as a poignant depiction of the plight of individuals caught up in the mechanism of a barbaric state" (Joseph Farrell TLS)
Book Description:
"Candid and as black as night.... How these pages shimmer with irony and astute observation...
This is an astonishing performance, as terrifying as Kafka and as plausible" (Eileen Battersby Irish Times)
"A sophisticated and brilliant dissection of nihilistic power and its servants, as well as a poignant depiction of the plight of individuals caught up in the mechanism of a barbaric state" (Joseph Farrell TLS)
Nobel Laureate Imre Kertész plunges us into a story of the worst kind, told by a man living outside morality.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHarvill Secker
- Publication date2008
- ISBN 10 1846551838
- ISBN 13 9781846551833
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages120
- Rating
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Detective Story
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Vintage Publishing, United Kingdom, London
(2008)
ISBN 10: 1846551838
ISBN 13: 9781846551833
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. As readers, we are accustomed to reading stories of war and injustice from the victims' point of view, sympathising with their plight. In Detective Story, the tables have been turned, leaving us in the mind of a monster, as Nobel Laureate Imre Kertesz plunges us into a story of the worst kind, told by a man living outside morality. Now in prison, Antonio Martens is a torturer for the secret police of a recently defunct dictatorship. He requests and is given writing materials in his cell, and what he has to recount is his involvement in the surveillance, torture, and assassination of Federigo and Enrique Salinas, a prominent father and son whose principled but passive opposition to the regime left them vulnerable to the secret police. Preying upon young Enrique's aimless life, the secret police began to position him as a subversive and then targeted his father. Once this plan was set into motion, any means were justified to reach the regime's chosen end--the destruction of an entire liberal class. Inside Martens's mind, we inhabit the rationalising world of evil and see first-hand the inherent danger of inertia during times of crisis. A slim, explosive novel of justice railroaded by malevolence, Detective Story is a warning cry for our time. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002935646
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Detective Story
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ISBN 13: 9781846551833
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. Very Good Condition. Clean, tight and Neat. Five star seller - Buy with confidence!. Seller Inventory # X1846551838X2
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Detective Story
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First British Edition; First Printing. Full number line. ; 7.80 X 5.28 X 0.71 inches; 120 pages. Seller Inventory # 23191
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Detective Story
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Penguin Random House
(2008)
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Book Description Condition: Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 38440055-20
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 41908737-20
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Detective Story
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. 1st Edition. First printing in English of a novel by a winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. No wear. Seller Inventory # 7305
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Detective Story
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ISBN 13: 9781846551833
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Excellent unmarked copy. Seller Inventory # 8397
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Detective Story
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London Harvill Secker 2008
(2008)
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Book Description Condition: As New. First Edition, first impression, in Great Britain, with printing sequence line '24681097531'. First published in Budapest in 1977. Publisher's black ridged paper-covered boards with silver lettering to spine and grey endpapers. Clear, removable, archival protective sleeve fitted to dust-jacket. 12mo., pp. [4], 116. A book in Fine condition in a Fine dust-jacket which is not price-clipped. Seller Inventory # 101202
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Detective Story
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: As New. Dust Jacket Condition: As New. First Edition. This is a true UK first edition / first printing, with the full numberline 24681097531 on the copyright page. A stunning copy of this intelligent novel, exploring morality in the modern world, by the Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian novelist (author of 'Fateless'). No inscriptions, creases or marks of any kind. Absolutely perfect. We protect all our books with a removable plastic cover, and send them with care. Seller Inventory # 000506
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