From the internationally bestselling author of Night Train to Lisbon comes a compelling novel about one man's attempt to extricate himself from his featureless existence and find a life of passion and danger.

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2013 IMPAC AWARD

'A deep, rich, complex search for the meaning of self' -- Guardian

In a quiet seaside town near Genoa, experts are gathering for a linguistics conference. One speaker, Philipp Perlmann, recently widowed and, struggling to contend with his grief, is unable to complete his keynote address. As the hour approaches, an increasingly desperate Perlmann decides to plagiarize the work of Leskov, a Russian colleague who cannot attend, and pass it off as his own.

But when word reaches Perlmann that Leskov has arrived unexpectedly in Genoa, Perlmann must protect himself from exposure by constructing a maelstrom of lies and deceit, which will lead him to the brink of murder.