Currently Reading: The Forgiven

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A wealthy British couple on vacation in Morocco.  A long, unfamiliar drive.  Far too many drinks.

I'm sure you can guess what happens from here.

The couple hits and kills a young man on the road in the middle of the night.  Not knowing what else to  do, they put his body in their trunk and bring it with them to their destination - the lavish vacation home of their friends Richard and Dally, a fabulous gay couple known for their extravagant weekend fetes.

From this point, the narrative splits between the absurd party being held at the home (think discos, endless cocaine, and late night eight course dinners) and the trip that David, the driver of the car and therefore, the murderer, must take with the dead boy's father.

Osborne juxtaposes the incredible wealth and waste of the party with the striking sparseness of the desert life.  He also weaves the tale of the failing marriage between David and his wife Jo, with this weekend as the straw that breaks the camels back.

The ending of the novel is a huge surprise, dark and twisted.  Rather than give anything away, I'll just suggest that you try it out yourself.