Havoc

A Novel

By: Christopher Bollen

Narrated by: Maggi-Meg Reed

A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist

A New York Times' ""Best Thriller of the Year""

In the vein of The Bad Seed comes a twisty, atmospheric psychological suspense about a meddlesome elderly guest at a decadent luxury hotel who believes she has left her problematic past behind, until she decides to interfere in the lives of a young mother and her eight-year-old son, and finally meets her wicked match.

The war between age and youth has never been so vicious.

Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just might have needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.

One morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at check-in: a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.

A propulsive, addictively-readable breakout from the critically acclaimed author of A Beautiful Crime and The Lost Americans, Havoc is brilliant, twisty psychological suspense that will get under your skin like the most unforgettable Hitchcock classics.

What an ending

This was a slow story, but it built up and grips you. I love the ending. Narrator made it all the more enchanting

Excellent narration, suspenseful story and unexpected

Great audio production for a truly captivating story. Bravo to the actor who narrates as she is truly talented. And to the author who wrote a suspenseful, mysterious and twisted story that kept me on the edge of my seat!

What a ride!

I am still digesting the ending! I definitely recommend this book. It will leave you thinking.

Slow buildup, but totally worth the investment

Whoa, so this is not at all what I was expecting. I really thought this was going to be some kind of supernatural, demigod pranksters who enjoy meddling in peoples' lives. I may have misunderstood because this showed up near my usual recommendations of sci-fi/fantasy/horror. Despite that, this was a very good story, more of a thriller with an unreliable 80 year old narrator. (Also, the voice actor narrator was very good.)

Starts off pretty slow for quite a while. A lot of buildup and development of all of the players, but still a well written and intriguing situation. Can't say much more without spoilers, but when everything falls into place, literally in the final 10 minutes, it is all worth it. Heartbreaking, but worth it. Very much recommend.

I was mesmerized by the storytelling.

I like the way the story was the story was told. I was drawn in from the vet beginning.