The Fascination of Evil

When a young French author is invited to Egypt as a guest of Cairo's French Embassy, he anticipates a week of literary discussions and official dinners. He certainly does not foresee the extraordinary events that will lead to murder. His fellow author on the trip, Martin Millet, offends Islamic sensibilities with his views on art and literature, and worse: he searches obsessively for an Egyptian woman willing to have sex with him. When Millet disappears, his friend's worst fears are realised, and he is plunged into an Egypt very different from the one he imagined. Florian Zeller is arguably France's most famous 26-year-old. He is the author of three critically acclaimed novels; the recipient of numerous literary awards; a university lecturer; and a television presenter. He has also written two plays, currently running in Paris. The Fascination of Evil won the prestigious Prix Interallie and has sold over 70,000 copies in France.