But his trip is cut short, and he is brought down to earth with a thud when he returns to a Paris in turmoil in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. From then on, Carrère's life - along with his novel-in-progress - begins to unravel in ever more unexpected ways.

'The story of how a life can fray, tighten itself into a noose, unravel... profound and moving' Geoff Dyer'Extraordinarily compelling' Financial Times