Playboy

MAIL ON SUNDAY THRILLER OF THE MONTH São Paulo, 20 March 2016 A campaign for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff is in full swing, yet 100,000 people take to Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo in her support. On the same day, a young man from a wealthy family is murdered. Detective Mario Leme discovers the body. Two Military Policemen confront him.They strongarm him into the back of an SUV. Set against the backdrop of the biggest political corruption scandal in Brazilian history, Playboy is the story of Leme's attempt to clear his name, and find the young man's killer. Leme's investigation runs right through Sao Paulo society, from the bottom, to the very top and has implications far beyond. And the fight to prove his innocence might just cost Leme his life. A stylish, taut, and atmospheric novel in the hardboiled tradition of American noir, Playboy is a thrilling examination of the seething, violent street life of Sao Paulo and the political convulsions of contemporary Brazil. PRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS 'Brilliant' The Times 'Feverish energy' Guardian 'Wonderfully vivid' Mail on Sunday 'Sophisticated, dizzying' GQ 'Vivid and visceral' The Times 'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric' Guardian 'Original' Mail on Sunday 'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter' Irish Times 'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose' The Spectator 'Vibrant, colourful, and complex' Irish Independent 'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans' NB Magazine 'Definitive confident and energetic' Crime Time 'Brilliant manic energy' Jake Arnott 'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining' Lucy Caldwell 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Herron 'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric' Susanna Jones 'Snappy, thoughtful, moving' John King 'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured' Stav Sherez 'Happy days!' Mark Timlin 'Utterly brilliant' Cathi Unsworth 'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this' Paul Willets

MAIL ON SUNDAY THRILLER OF THE MONTH São Paulo, 20 March 2016 A campaign for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff is in full swing, yet 100,000 people take to Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo in her support. On the same day, a young man from a wealthy family is murdered. Detective Mario Leme discovers the body. Two Military Policemen confront him.They strongarm him into the back of an SUV. Set against the backdrop of the biggest political corruption scandal in Brazilian history, Playboy is the story of Leme's attempt to clear his name, and find the young man's killer. Leme's investigation runs right through Sao Paulo society, from the bottom, to the very top and has implications far beyond. And the fight to prove his innocence might just cost Leme his life. A stylish, taut, and atmospheric novel in the hardboiled tradition of American noir, Playboy is a thrilling examination of the seething, violent street life of Sao Paulo and the political convulsions of contemporary Brazil. PRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS 'Brilliant' The Times 'Feverish energy' Guardian 'Wonderfully vivid' Mail on Sunday 'Sophisticated, dizzying' GQ 'Vivid and visceral' The Times 'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric' Guardian 'Original' Mail on Sunday 'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter' Irish Times 'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose' The Spectator 'Vibrant, colourful, and complex' Irish Independent 'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans' NB Magazine 'Definitive confident and energetic' Crime Time 'Brilliant manic energy' Jake Arnott 'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining' Lucy Caldwell 'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Herron 'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric' Susanna Jones 'Snappy, thoughtful, moving' John King 'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured' Stav Sherez 'Happy days!' Mark Timlin 'Utterly brilliant' Cathi Unsworth 'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this' Paul Willets

'Defiant, probing, hot' Saba Sams, author of Send Nudes At the age of forty-three, the narrator abandons her marriage, her apartment and her successful legal career as a public defender to re-emerge as an out lesbian and a writer. In a series of short, sharp vignettes, the narrator describes her first female lovers - a married woman fifteen years older than her, a model ten years her junior - punctuated by encounters with her ex-husband, her father and her son. Looking at the world through fresh eyes, she questions everything that once lay beneath the surface of her well-managed life. Unburdened by marital and familial obligations, a new woman emerges, free to examine gender and marriage, selfishness and sacrifice, money and family, even the privilege inherent in her downward mobility. A compelling chronicle of transgression, Playboy is Constance Debré's unflinching account of new bachelorhood. Laconic, aggressive and radically truthful, she chronicles the process that made her one of the most important French writers today. Translated by Holly James

'Defiant, probing, hot' Saba Sams, author of Send Nudes At the age of forty-three, the narrator abandons her marriage, her apartment and her successful legal career as a public defender to re-emerge as an out lesbian and a writer. In a series of short, sharp vignettes, the narrator describes her first female lovers - a married woman fifteen years older than her, a model ten years her junior - punctuated by encounters with her ex-husband, her father and her son. Looking at the world through fresh eyes, she questions everything that once lay beneath the surface of her well-managed life. Unburdened by marital and familial obligations, a new woman emerges, free to examine gender and marriage, selfishness and sacrifice, money and family, even the privilege inherent in her downward mobility. A compelling chronicle of transgression, Playboy is Constance Debré's unflinching account of new bachelorhood. Laconic, aggressive and radically truthful, she chronicles the process that made her one of the most important French writers today. Translated by Holly James

The prequel to Love Me Tender , narrating Debr?'s transformation from affluent career woman to broke single lesbian and writer. I see all her beauty, I see the beauty of women. I see my own body, new. I tell myself there are so many things that are possible. Published in France in 2018, Playboy is the first volume of Constance Debr?'s renowned debut trilogy that describes her decision, at age forty-three, to abandon her marriage, her legal career, and her bourgeois Parisian life to become a lesbian and a writer. The novel unfolds in a series of short, sharp vignettes. The narrator's descriptions of her first female lovers--a married woman fifteen years older than her, a model ten years her junior--are punctuated by encounters with her ex-husband, her father, and her son. As Debr? recently told Granta "It was a bit like Saint Augustine and his conversion. In the same week, I had sex with a girl and I had the feeling that I could write. I had this incredible feeling that I could catch things, that life was there to be caught." Looking at the world through fresh eyes, the narrator of Playboy questions everything that once lay beneath the surface of her well-managed life. Laconic, aggressive, and radically truthful, she examines gender and marriage, selfishness and sacrifice, money and family, even the privilege inherent in her downward mobility. Writing her way toward her own liberation, Debr? chronicles the process that made her one of the most brilliant, important French writers today.

The prequel to Love Me Tender , narrating Debr?'s transformation from affluent career woman to broke single lesbian and writer. I see all her beauty, I see the beauty of women. I see my own body, new. I tell myself there are so many things that are possible. Published in France in 2018, Playboy is the first volume of Constance Debr?'s renowned debut trilogy that describes her decision, at age forty-three, to abandon her marriage, her legal career, and her bourgeois Parisian life to become a lesbian and a writer. The novel unfolds in a series of short, sharp vignettes. The narrator's descriptions of her first female lovers--a married woman fifteen years older than her, a model ten years her junior--are punctuated by encounters with her ex-husband, her father, and her son. As Debr? recently told Granta "It was a bit like Saint Augustine and his conversion. In the same week, I had sex with a girl and I had the feeling that I could write. I had this incredible feeling that I could catch things, that life was there to be caught." Looking at the world through fresh eyes, the narrator of Playboy questions everything that once lay beneath the surface of her well-managed life. Laconic, aggressive, and radically truthful, she examines gender and marriage, selfishness and sacrifice, money and family, even the privilege inherent in her downward mobility. Writing her way toward her own liberation, Debr? chronicles the process that made her one of the most brilliant, important French writers today.

"In your dreams, Baby Hall." Older. Hotter. And way out of my league, Hannah Prescott has been my obsession since the moment she uttered those five simple words. She thinks she'll deter me by her dismissive attitude but her words only spur me on. I love a challenge and since Hannah is my literal dream girl, she's worth putting in a bit of work. Up until now everything in my life has come easy: hockey, women, friendships. Then Noah Harrison is traded to our team and my spot on the first line with my best friends is at risk. Suddenly Hannah is wearing his jersey and I realize I've got to act fast or risk losing my shot forever. Fortunately for me, dreams do come true because though she only offers me one night, fate has other plans. She may have said she'll never call me Daddy Hall, but the positive pregnancy test in her hand makes that impossible. With my every dream within reach, I need to find a way to prove to Hannah that she's the one for me and I'm so much more than a playboy.

Playboy er en kompromisløs skildring af forfatteren Constance Debrés forvandling fra topadvokat og mor i en kernefamilie til lesbisk playboy og forfatter. Constance Debré er født ind i den franske overklasse, hun er topjurist, barnebarn af en fransk premierminister og bor med sin mand og søn i en luksuslejlighed midt i Paris. Men en dag bryder hun op, forlader det hele – ægteskab, karriere, det stabile liv gennem tyve år – for at springe ud som forfatter og lesbisk. I en række korte, skarpe vignetter beskriver forfatterens sine første møder med kvinder og reaktionerne fra eksmanden, sønnen og faren. Fortælleren ser på verden med nye øjne og må stille spørgsmål ved alt, hvad der ligger under overfladen i hendes tidligere så velordnede liv. I en skrift der er både lakonisk, aggressiv, provokerende og radikalt sandhedssøgende undersøger hun størrelser som køn, ægteskab, egoisme, selvopofrelse, penge og familie – og det privilegium, der ligger i at kunne bevæge sig ned ad den sociale rangstige. Constance Debré skriver sig mod sin egen frigørelse, en ny identitet og seksualitet. Resultatet er en rå og kompromisløs dokumentation af den forvandling, der har gjort hende til en af de mest interessante stemmer i ny fransk litteratur. Playboy er forhistorien til den anmelderroste Love Me Tender som udkom på dansk sidste år