The Secret Dinner

A Novel

By: Raphael Montes

Narrated by: Andre Bellido, André Santana, Bernardo De Paula, Robb Moreira

The internationally acclaimed #1 bestselling thriller, now in English. This program features multicast narration.

"This is one creepy tale of cannibalism, made palatable by terrific narrators who capture the characters and the urgency of the plot." — Kirkus

“This rollercoaster of a novel is highly imaginative and totally unique. I devoured it — no pun intended! — in one sitting. By turns gory, shocking, macabre and often very funny, you won’t be able to put it down. Just be grateful you’re not on the menu…” —Alex Michaelides #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient

Four childhood friends, eager for a taste of city life, swap rural Brazil for an apartment in Copacabana, Rio. But they have no idea of the fate that awaits them there. . . .

Dante, Piglet, Miguel, and Hugo are your average students trying to make ends meet with part-time jobs, excited about the bright futures at their fingertips. So when their rent skyrockets, they struggle to keep their new lives and big dreams afloat. They need to make money however they can. In order to keep their apartment, the friends adopt an unorthodox plan and are soon sucked into a dark world of secret dinner parties catering to the twisted fantasies of Rio’s elite.

What starts as a joke quickly spirals out of their control. As the four friends fall deeper into this dark underworld and earn more money, the stakes get higher and the consequences deadlier, revealing the devious depths that lurk within each of them and threatening not only their friendship but also their lives.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books

Critic reviews

"The translator Zoë Alexandra Perry brings Brazil’s top thriller writer to American readers with this fast-paced tale of four broke 20-somethings lured into the world of Rio’s shady elite. What begins as a jokey get-rich-quick scheme — catering exclusive dinner parties — quickly morphs into something much more sinister."
—The New York Times

“This rollercoaster of a novel is highly imaginative and totally unique. I devoured it — no pun intended! — in one sitting. By turns gory, shocking, macabre and often very funny, you won’t be able to put it down. Just be grateful you’re not on the menu…”
—Alex Michaelides #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient

"Dark, compelling, and wickedly smart, The Secret Dinner is a deliciously twisted thriller about friendship and ambition with a mind-blowing end. It seizes your breath from the first page and refuses to let go! Raphael Montes is a spectacular talent."
—Lisa Jewell, New York Times Bestselling author of Don't Let Him In

“Four desperate friends. One irresistible idea. But how many survivors? The Secret Dinner is delectable and diabolical, a zesty blend of Parasite, Sweeney Todd, and Fight Club.”
—AJ Finn, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"Hustle culture meets cannibalism in this bruising satire from Montes [...] his sense of humor is stinging and he garnishes the novel with a delicious last-minute twist. Readers who can stomach the premise will walk away satiated."
—Publishers Weekly

"Well worth the wait [...] A satirical (and literal) evisceration of foodie culture and wealthy excess, The Secret Dinner should be read in public, while eating a very bloody piece of meat, and snickering softly. If everyone around is not freaked out by the time you finish your meal then you are DOING IT WRONG."
- Crimereads

"Montes keeps readers hooked to see just how far the group will go, if their friendship will survive, and what the outcome will be. A top thriller in Brazil, this bold mix of satire and horror is not for the weak of stomach."
- Booklist

"An unsettling exploration of ambition, excess, and moral collapse that blends literary thriller with visceral horror. The tightly paced narrative interrogates privilege and complicity among Brazil’s elite."
- Library Journal

"One of the more successful devices that threads the beginning to the end has to do with one character’s trauma and how that can change a personality. Combined with the overall quick pacing and introduction of twists (some of them red herrings), that device will help the book find readers who will gobble it up."
- Kirkus

WTAF did I just read?!?!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes was an absolute WHAT. THE. FCK. DID. I. JUST. READ?! kind of book. 😂

This book is dark, disturbing, and definitely not for the faint of heart. There is plenty of gore, but underneath all of that is a seriously clever plot that completely pulled me in. I was hooked from the very beginning and could not put it down.

And then comes THE twist.

When everything starts to come together, your brain practically short-circuits. 🤯 I genuinely had to sit there afterward staring at the wall thinking, “What the actual fck did I just read?” It’s one of those twists that makes you want to immediately go back and rethink everything you just read.

The narrator also deserves a huge shoutout because they did an exceptional job bringing this story to life. The delivery added so much to the atmosphere and kept me completely invested from start to finish.

If you enjoy dark, disturbing thrillers, gore, psychological twists, and books that leave you questioning your entire existence afterward, definitely add this one to your list.

5 stars. Absolutely unhinged. Absolutely worth it. 🩸🤯

Loved Loved Loved

What a ride! This story had everything for me. I enjoyed the thriller aspect and then Bam it got even darker! Twist and turns with a great storyline

Wow

I am so impressed and surprised. Great work! I will look for more books from him.
Just read it!

Beautiful crescendo of words!!

OMG!!! I don't remember the last book that made me feel both afraid and enthralled at the same time. It's a roller-coaster of emotions and questions. With the best crescendo, written with great attention to the minute details. You honestly won't know, until you know.

Jaw dropping-ly good.

So many twists and turns you never see coming. Then the ending to cherry top it all. Might be my favorite author.