The Award: A Novel

“The Awardbegins as a wryly funny satire of thwarted literary ambition, but it quickly evolves into something darker and more disturbing. Matthew Pearls addictive and propulsive novel has the twisted nightmare logic of a Patricia Highsmith thriller.”Tom Perrotta,New York Timesbestselling author ofTracy Flick Can’t WinandMrs. Fletcher

The author of Save Our Souls and The Dante Club makes his eagerly awaited return to fiction with this irreverent and propulsive novel about a young writer trying to make his way through acutthroat literary scene that turns deadly.

David Trentis an aspiring novelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trying to navigate his ambitions in a place that has writers around every corner.

He lives in an apartment above a Very Famous Author named Silas Hale who, beneath his celebrated image, is a bombastic, vindictive monster who refuses to allow his new neighbor even to make eye contact with him.

Until young David wins a prestigious award for his new book.

Suddenly Silas is interestedif intensely spiteful.

But soon, the administrator of the award comes to David with alarming news, forcing the writer into a desperate set of choices.

Fate interveneswith shocking consequences. . . .

With the wit and psychological wisdom ofThe PlotandThe Winner, The Awardis a timely, razor-sharp, and unputdownable novel about writing groups, publishing, ambition, human foibles, and the dangerous things we will do to get ahead.