Meet Bror Telemann. 42 years old. Husband to Nina Telemann. Father to Heidi, Berthold and Sabine. Currently: stage director at the Norwegian National Theatre. Soon to be: world-famous playwright and general talking head.

Now he's on holiday with his family at the foot of the Alps, south of Munich. That's in Germany. Nina loves Germany. Telemann does not. Telemann loves Nigella Lawson.

Ahem... he loves the theatre.That's better.

So, whilst his wife and children frolic in the dusky sunshine with lederhosen-sporting, schnitzel-scoffing locals, Telemann prefers to spend his time thinking about theatre... except when his mind wanders... again.

Subversive and original, this is the 2009 Norwegian bestseller from the deliciously dark mind of Erlend Loe.