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Havoc
In the vein of The Bad Seed comes a twisty, atmospheric psychological suspense about a meddlesome elderly guest at a decadent luxury hotel who believes she has left her problematic past behind, until she decides to interfere in the lives of a young mother and her eight-year-old son, and finally meets her wicked match.
The war between age and youth has never been so vicious.
Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just might have needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.
One morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.
The war between age and youth has never been so vicious.
Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just might have needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.
One morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 3, 2024
1103 people are currently reading
33354 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Bollen
16 books415 followersChristopher Bollen is a writer who lives in New York City. He regularly writes about art, literature, and culture and is the author of six novels, numerous short stories, articles, essays, and interviews.
His first novel, Lightning People, was published in 2011. His second novel, Orient, was published in 2015. He then wrote The Destsroyers, A Beautiful Crime, and The Lost Americans .
His new novel HAVOC was published December 3, 2024 by Harper.
Describing his novels, The Daily Telegraph notes that "Bollen writes expansive, psychologically probing novels in the manner of Updike, Eugenides and Franzen, but he is also an avowed disciple of Agatha Christie.
His first novel, Lightning People, was published in 2011. His second novel, Orient, was published in 2015. He then wrote The Destsroyers, A Beautiful Crime, and The Lost Americans .
His new novel HAVOC was published December 3, 2024 by Harper.
Describing his novels, The Daily Telegraph notes that "Bollen writes expansive, psychologically probing novels in the manner of Updike, Eugenides and Franzen, but he is also an avowed disciple of Agatha Christie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,561 reviews
August 8, 2024
What in the ever-loving fudge did I just read?!? I mean, the blurb told me exactly what this book was going to be about so I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I absolutely did not expect it to be so dark. If you're going into this one planning to read about a benignly meddlesome old woman and a mischievous young boy playing harmless pranks on each other, well … it's certainly not that. Which I guess is a good thing, because that sounds like a boring read now that I think about it. Havoc is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
Our narrator is Maggie, a nosy octogenarian who has taken it upon herself to “fix” other people's lives, even if they haven't exactly asked for her help. She's already fled one hotel in Europe due to her meddling taking an unexpected turn. She's unlikeable and unreliable and should probably be in some sort of retirement home with locks on the outside of the doors. What will happen when Maggie pits herself against someone who's just as awful as she is? And what if that person just happens to be an eight-year-old boy?
It's probably best if you go into this book mostly blind, but I will reiterate that this is a dark (and insane) read. It starts off fairly tame and then goes completely off the rails. You can feel the tension build as you turn the pages. And then the ending is kind of insane but also kind of brilliant and I am not exactly sure how I should feel about any of it.
My overall rating: 4.45 stars, rounded down. If you like twisted and suspenseful tales narrated by awful old women with a whole host of personality disorders, definitely consider giving this one a read. It's a wild ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is December 3, 2024.
Our narrator is Maggie, a nosy octogenarian who has taken it upon herself to “fix” other people's lives, even if they haven't exactly asked for her help. She's already fled one hotel in Europe due to her meddling taking an unexpected turn. She's unlikeable and unreliable and should probably be in some sort of retirement home with locks on the outside of the doors. What will happen when Maggie pits herself against someone who's just as awful as she is? And what if that person just happens to be an eight-year-old boy?
It's probably best if you go into this book mostly blind, but I will reiterate that this is a dark (and insane) read. It starts off fairly tame and then goes completely off the rails. You can feel the tension build as you turn the pages. And then the ending is kind of insane but also kind of brilliant and I am not exactly sure how I should feel about any of it.
My overall rating: 4.45 stars, rounded down. If you like twisted and suspenseful tales narrated by awful old women with a whole host of personality disorders, definitely consider giving this one a read. It's a wild ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is December 3, 2024.
December 12, 2024
4.5 stars:
Is protagonist Maggie Burkhardt an unreliable narrator? Is she just a busy body who thinks highly of herself? Author Christopher Bollen must have had a lot of fun characterizing Maggie, as she is a handful!
Maggie is an octogenarian widow from Wisconsin, who left six years ago after her beloved husband, Peter, died. Covid has limited international travel, and Maggie is caught in the travel chaos, but she’s fine with that. She intends to live out the rest of her life, here in Luxor Egypt at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel. Prior to the Royal Karnak, she’d been in 18 hotels. The Royal Karnak is perfect for her. She states, “Despite the unseasonable heat and the return of my uncontrollable compulsion, I have been extremely happy at the Royal Karnak.”
Bollen drops other hints that Maggie might be a bit daft; or is she Machiavellian? She enjoys interfering in other’s lives, and she states, “I change people’s lives for the better. Only once did my actions end for the worst. But I don’t like to think about the murder.” She deems herself as a “fixer” of people’s unhappiness. She plays the “I’m all alone and elderly” card well, and she uses that MO to infiltrate other’s lives. One of her intrusions resulted in her needing to make a hasty exit from Switzerland. Egypt is one of the few countries who accepted travelers, which is how she ended up in Luxor.
Maggie is enjoying her stay, feeling comfortable in her prying. She befriends a couple, one an archaeologist. The husband finds himself charmed by a young boy , Otto, who arrived with his mother. Otto is the only child in the hotel, and he comes across charming. Maggie is not amused by Otto and finds him a nuisance. Maggie schemes to try and get his mother to return with Otto to Paris, where Otto’s father is working on a film. Otto sees through her antics; now Otto sets his sights on Maggie. Only Bollen would make an 8 year-old boy a nemesis to an octogenarian!
Now we have an eight-year-old boy who matches wits with an 81 year-old woman. Otto is diabolical with his innocent boy shtick. Bollen expertly sets the scenes which make it easy to be fully invested in the story. Both Maggie and Otto are unlikable, yet the writing is so good that you want to see how this could possible end!
I listened to the audio, 11 hours long. Maggi-Meg Reed narrates the book. I enjoyed her performance.
Is protagonist Maggie Burkhardt an unreliable narrator? Is she just a busy body who thinks highly of herself? Author Christopher Bollen must have had a lot of fun characterizing Maggie, as she is a handful!
Maggie is an octogenarian widow from Wisconsin, who left six years ago after her beloved husband, Peter, died. Covid has limited international travel, and Maggie is caught in the travel chaos, but she’s fine with that. She intends to live out the rest of her life, here in Luxor Egypt at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel. Prior to the Royal Karnak, she’d been in 18 hotels. The Royal Karnak is perfect for her. She states, “Despite the unseasonable heat and the return of my uncontrollable compulsion, I have been extremely happy at the Royal Karnak.”
Bollen drops other hints that Maggie might be a bit daft; or is she Machiavellian? She enjoys interfering in other’s lives, and she states, “I change people’s lives for the better. Only once did my actions end for the worst. But I don’t like to think about the murder.” She deems herself as a “fixer” of people’s unhappiness. She plays the “I’m all alone and elderly” card well, and she uses that MO to infiltrate other’s lives. One of her intrusions resulted in her needing to make a hasty exit from Switzerland. Egypt is one of the few countries who accepted travelers, which is how she ended up in Luxor.
Maggie is enjoying her stay, feeling comfortable in her prying. She befriends a couple, one an archaeologist. The husband finds himself charmed by a young boy , Otto, who arrived with his mother. Otto is the only child in the hotel, and he comes across charming. Maggie is not amused by Otto and finds him a nuisance. Maggie schemes to try and get his mother to return with Otto to Paris, where Otto’s father is working on a film. Otto sees through her antics; now Otto sets his sights on Maggie. Only Bollen would make an 8 year-old boy a nemesis to an octogenarian!
Now we have an eight-year-old boy who matches wits with an 81 year-old woman. Otto is diabolical with his innocent boy shtick. Bollen expertly sets the scenes which make it easy to be fully invested in the story. Both Maggie and Otto are unlikable, yet the writing is so good that you want to see how this could possible end!
I listened to the audio, 11 hours long. Maggi-Meg Reed narrates the book. I enjoyed her performance.
October 2, 2024
Maggie Burkhardt finds solace amid the pandemic at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel in Egypt. She spends her days reminiscing about her deceased husband and her daughter that also died much too young leaving Maggie alone in the world. Since their passing she has traveled throughout Europe. Before making her way to Egypt she was in Sweden where a tragedy sent her fleeing in the night to her new found safe place.
Once she's settled in this meddlesome octogenarian has finally met her match with the arrival of new guests, Tessa, and her 8 year old son, Otto.
Otto, with his mismatched eyes, seems to see who Maggie really is which will set these two down a path of destruction.
This book definitely had it's ups and downs. There were parts that really drew my interest and other parts that I skimmed in boredom. Maggie was quite the character and she will have you cringing throughout the entire book. The latter half of the book does ramp up in both suspense and darkness and the ending was delightfully twisted which made this a worthwhile reading experience for me. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for my complimentary copy.
Once she's settled in this meddlesome octogenarian has finally met her match with the arrival of new guests, Tessa, and her 8 year old son, Otto.
Otto, with his mismatched eyes, seems to see who Maggie really is which will set these two down a path of destruction.
This book definitely had it's ups and downs. There were parts that really drew my interest and other parts that I skimmed in boredom. Maggie was quite the character and she will have you cringing throughout the entire book. The latter half of the book does ramp up in both suspense and darkness and the ending was delightfully twisted which made this a worthwhile reading experience for me. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for my complimentary copy.
November 24, 2024
An interesting idea to confront a lady in her 80s and a young boy as adversaries, and for the reader to guess who the reliable character is. The plot did not keep me on the edge of my sofa, however, I expected an unexpected, and was rewarded in a way in the final moments.
Not especially engaging, HAVOC is a decent audiobook, and the narrator does a great job using two different ways of interpreting the inner Maggie, who is the narrator, and the way she addresses her interlocutors.
*Many thanks to Christopher Bollen, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for a free adudiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
Not especially engaging, HAVOC is a decent audiobook, and the narrator does a great job using two different ways of interpreting the inner Maggie, who is the narrator, and the way she addresses her interlocutors.
*Many thanks to Christopher Bollen, HarperCollins UK, and NetGalley for a free adudiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
January 24, 2025
What a twisted, twisted tale! Part The Bad Seed and part a well-played long-game, Havoc pulled me in initially with its evocative prose. Expanding from there, Maggie came to life right before my eyes through an impressive character study that had me hating “the boy” more and more with each page. It was, however, the dark, evil escalations between the old and the young that truly got my attention. All I can say is this was one wild ride. So much so, in fact, that I’d happily take it again if I was gifted with a much wanted sequel.
While the plot was—for the most part—exactly what I was expecting after reading the synopsis, the unlikeable characters and rising foreboding had me flying through the pages. By the time I reached the downright shocking conclusion, however, my armchair-sleuthing-self was calling out suggestions. Was Otto really what he seemed? Was Maggie hiding something much darker in her mysterious past? It wasn’t until the last few chapters, though, that all was revealed. And let me tell you, it totally lived up to—and surpassed—all of my guesses.
The only piece to the puzzle that drove me a bit nutty were the somewhat dry, extraneous descriptions that set me skimming here and there. After all, while they did manage to set the scene to perfection, they also called into existence every painting and rug in the molding old-world hotel. Once I raced through the slow burn start, however, my eye was drawn to the ratcheting suspense and tit-for-tat dramatics between Maggie and Otto over every mildly boring detail.
All in all, I found the overall plot to be more psychological drama than suspense or thriller. With morally gray characters, acute psychological insight, and an underlying claustrophobic and sinister vibe, it was a doozy of a read. At the same time, I wish there had been more to the finale. Not because it was missing anything exactly, but because I just wanted—well—more. So if you love a wicked child and a climax that delivers a shock to the system, definitely give this book a go. Just expect a slower pace and you should be golden. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just might have needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.
One morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at check-in: a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.
Thank you to Christopher Bollen and Harper Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: December 3, 2024 (out now)
Content warning: COVID, gaslighting, mention of: animal death
While the plot was—for the most part—exactly what I was expecting after reading the synopsis, the unlikeable characters and rising foreboding had me flying through the pages. By the time I reached the downright shocking conclusion, however, my armchair-sleuthing-self was calling out suggestions. Was Otto really what he seemed? Was Maggie hiding something much darker in her mysterious past? It wasn’t until the last few chapters, though, that all was revealed. And let me tell you, it totally lived up to—and surpassed—all of my guesses.
The only piece to the puzzle that drove me a bit nutty were the somewhat dry, extraneous descriptions that set me skimming here and there. After all, while they did manage to set the scene to perfection, they also called into existence every painting and rug in the molding old-world hotel. Once I raced through the slow burn start, however, my eye was drawn to the ratcheting suspense and tit-for-tat dramatics between Maggie and Otto over every mildly boring detail.
All in all, I found the overall plot to be more psychological drama than suspense or thriller. With morally gray characters, acute psychological insight, and an underlying claustrophobic and sinister vibe, it was a doozy of a read. At the same time, I wish there had been more to the finale. Not because it was missing anything exactly, but because I just wanted—well—more. So if you love a wicked child and a climax that delivers a shock to the system, definitely give this book a go. Just expect a slower pace and you should be golden. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Eighty-one-year-old widow Maggie Burkhardt came to the Royal Karnak to escape. But not in quite the same way as most other guests who are relaxing at this threadbare luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile. Maggie, a compulsive fixer of other people’s lives, may have found herself in hot water at her last hotel in Switzerland and just might have needed to get out of there fast... But here at the Royal Karnak, under the hot Saharan sun, she has a comfortable suite, a loyal confidante in the hotel manager, Ahmed, and a handful of sympathetic friends, similar “long-termers” who understand her still-vivid grief for her late husband, Peter. Here, she is merely the sweet old lady in Room 309.
One morning, however, Maggie notices a new arrival at check-in: a mournful-looking young mother named Tess and her impish eight-year-old, Otto. Eager to help, Maggie invites them into her world. But it isn’t long before Maggie realizes that in her longing to be a part of their family, she has let in an enemy much stronger than she bargained for. In scrawny, homely Otto, Maggie Burkhardt has finally met her match.
Thank you to Christopher Bollen and Harper Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: December 3, 2024 (out now)
Content warning: COVID, gaslighting, mention of: animal death
November 20, 2024
HELLO DOLLY meets THE OMEN meets WHITE LOTUS in what is probably my favorite psychological thriller of the year. This is truly unhinged in all the best ways (I mean, did you see my comps!?), and Bollen does a terrific job slowly tightening the screws on his readers up until the final gut-churning moment. Well done, sir.
April 22, 2025
I flew through this one!!
About the battle of wits against an 80 year old woman with a nasty habit of manipulating the people that she gets close to, and her most difficult target yet: an 8 year old boy.
This ended up being much darker and more of a fever dream than I was expecting!! It’s fun, messy, and honestly cringe-worthy with all the second hand embarrassment/anxiety I had imagining myself in the situations the main character created for herself.
This is set during the pandemic, which I know is a big turn off for some, and I don’t know if this was the most accurate portrayal of an old woman, but as long as you’re able to suspend your belief you’ll have fun!! Like 4.5 ⭐️, there were just a few minor things that didn’t work for me.
About the battle of wits against an 80 year old woman with a nasty habit of manipulating the people that she gets close to, and her most difficult target yet: an 8 year old boy.
This ended up being much darker and more of a fever dream than I was expecting!! It’s fun, messy, and honestly cringe-worthy with all the second hand embarrassment/anxiety I had imagining myself in the situations the main character created for herself.
This is set during the pandemic, which I know is a big turn off for some, and I don’t know if this was the most accurate portrayal of an old woman, but as long as you’re able to suspend your belief you’ll have fun!! Like 4.5 ⭐️, there were just a few minor things that didn’t work for me.
November 13, 2025
synopsis: in medieval Europe, aristocrats flee the encroaching Black Plague by hiding behind the walls of luxury estates. at one such refuge, an elderly duchess holds court, manipulating her followers, determining who may stay and who must be driven out. unfortunately for this grande dame, a mere child shall prove to be her implacable nemesis. little does she know, this boy was born as wicked as she has become; indeed, he may very well be the literal antichrist... slowly coming into his own dark power. **
for much of this slim book, I was completely charmed. the light touch of the author, his immersive, perfectly accomplished first-person narrative that so thoroughly draws us into the mind and behavior patterns of his devious protagonist, the fascinating setting, the well-drawn and sympathetic supporting characters, the demented little antagonist, and especially the highly amusing, sometimes venomous dialogue between the two monsters... it was all so much fun. I was happily mesmerized (front cover tie-in).
sadly, the charm evaporated near the end as the reader is given the backstory behind our vindictive protagonist's machinations and predations. some exceedingly dark stuff, of the sort that I never enjoy reading about: . the ending itself is extreme, and pitch black. a striking ending notable for how willing the author is to plumb the depths of nihilism, but one that I didn't particularly appreciate. the book stayed mesmerizing from beginning to end - an admirable feat - but the light, fizzy champagne was replaced with saltwater. I did not love that taste.
this was pretty much a 3-star book for me, enjoyable enough but nothing I'd reread. but I had to give it an extra star for the originality of the premise and its two dueling leads. I've never read a novel that features an 80+ year-old versus an 8 year-old, both psychotic, both thoroughly evil. different!
** - this is not the synopsis of the book.
for much of this slim book, I was completely charmed. the light touch of the author, his immersive, perfectly accomplished first-person narrative that so thoroughly draws us into the mind and behavior patterns of his devious protagonist, the fascinating setting, the well-drawn and sympathetic supporting characters, the demented little antagonist, and especially the highly amusing, sometimes venomous dialogue between the two monsters... it was all so much fun. I was happily mesmerized (front cover tie-in).
sadly, the charm evaporated near the end as the reader is given the backstory behind our vindictive protagonist's machinations and predations. some exceedingly dark stuff, of the sort that I never enjoy reading about: . the ending itself is extreme, and pitch black. a striking ending notable for how willing the author is to plumb the depths of nihilism, but one that I didn't particularly appreciate. the book stayed mesmerizing from beginning to end - an admirable feat - but the light, fizzy champagne was replaced with saltwater. I did not love that taste.
this was pretty much a 3-star book for me, enjoyable enough but nothing I'd reread. but I had to give it an extra star for the originality of the premise and its two dueling leads. I've never read a novel that features an 80+ year-old versus an 8 year-old, both psychotic, both thoroughly evil. different!
** - this is not the synopsis of the book.
April 3, 2025
What do I do? I liberate people who don’t know they’re stuck. I help them to press the eject switch That’s one definition.--------------------------------------
Another? I sow chaos. I clean house.
I change people’s lives for the better, whether they see it that way or not. Only once did my actions end for the worst. But I don’t like to talk about the murder.
I’ve found that the best way to hide a secret is to keep it from yourself.Maggie Burkhardt, senior (81) in residence at the posh Royal Karnak Palace Hotel in Luxor, Egypt, lost her husband a while back. Not long after, unable to cope, she took to staying at serial hotels. Luckily for her she was left resources sufficient to support a peripatetic lifestyle. She has stayed in eighteen hotels over the last five years. This one feels like home, or at least home for now. She has been there three months, succeeding in making friends with the hotel manager and several of the other long-term guests, who see her as a sweet old lady. Seems like a comfortable set up, until a mother and son arrive.
Tess keeps hoping that her husband will rejoin them from a film job in Paris. He keeps putting off their reunion, though. Otto is eight years old, with an old soul. Not old soul as in wise and mature. More old as in ancient demon god. He is already an accomplished purveyor of mayhem, a full bore, bad seed sociopath. The Karnak is not big enough for the two of them.
Christopher Bollen - image from Warwick’s
Maggie is a first-person narrator who walks us through her days at the Karnak, introducing us to some of the staff and co-residents, while offering a look at the area. We take her view of things, even if, maybe, that view is a bit jaundiced.
As noted in the quote at top, Maggie's self-assigned mission in life is to liberate people who don't know they're stuck. Most of her targets are married, unhappily from outward appearances. Maggie sees herself as an avenging angel of a marriage fixer. She is not above planting evidence and whispering lies to encourage marital dissolution. Otto catches her in the act and the game is on.
This has a Spy vs. Spy feel to it as Maggie and Otto take turns going at each other in devious, and in increasingly hurtful and dangerous ways. Neither qualifies as a good guy. It is an entertaining battle of the generations, but then gets serious as the stakes keep growing.
With the ramping up of tension, there is increasing manifestation of guilt on Maggie’s body, a sort of Dorian Gray-ishness, and we come to wonder about some of the things that Maggie reports as fact. What secrets is she keeping from herself? The unreliable narrator element offers a frisson of unsettling recognition.
Bottom line is that this is a fun, if discomfiting, thriller, offering a host of twists and turns. It will keep you wondering just what the hell these two will do next.
Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war. - William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Review posted - 03/28/25
Publication date – 12/3/24
I received an ARE of Havoc from Harper in return for a fair review. Thanks, wife.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Bollen’s personal, FB, Instagram, and Twitter pages
Profile – from his site
Christopher Bollen is a writer based in New York City. He’s the author of five novels and his journalism has appeared in many publications. He is currently the editor at large at Interview Magazine and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.Interviews
-----Writers Digest - Christopher Bollen: Get Outside of Yourself by Robert Lee Brewer
-----Behind the Stack - Behind the Stack with Christopher Bollen, “Havoc” video – 37:04 with Brett
-----EveryLibrary - Thrills & Secrets: A Conversation with Christopher Bollen and Joseph Finder - LLW2025 - video – 35:10 – with John Chrastka
-----The Creative Independent - Christoher Bollen on What It Takes To Write Novels - from 2017 – some interesting material here on his process and dealing with editors
Items of Interest
-----Wikipedia - Spy vs. Spy
-----Wikipedia - The Bad Seed
-----Wikipedia - The Winter Palace - the hotel on which the Karnak is based
December 19, 2025
Maggie is an 81 year old widow who has spent the past 5 years traveling abroad. She’s now living at the Royal Karnak, a luxury hotel in Egypt. Set during Covid, but not a book about Covid, the lockdown explains why the guests are living long-term at the hotel.
At first, Maggie comes across as a sweet older lady. Maybe she’s a bit meddlesome, but she maintains her heart is in the right place. She’s simply “helping”people. Maggie’s story unfolds slowly as the reader is given hints that there is something dark in Maggie’s past.
Then a young mother arrives in the hotel with her young son, Otto. Soon Maggie finds herself in a game of wits with a rather sinister 8-year-old boy. Maggie has met her match. The result is, well, havoc.
Atmospheric and tense, with a side helping of dark humor, the situation escalates and by the end it was a wild ride to the finish. I couldn’t read this fast enough
April 24, 2025
Long hauler = An individual who lives in a hotel for an extended period of time
Maggie Burkhardt is an 81-year-old meddlesome widow from Wisconsin who has been living abroad for the past five years. She eventually takes up residency in room 309 at the luxurious Egyptian Royal Karnak hotel to escape her problematic past. She is a compulsive unconventional fixer of other people’s problems, and meets her match in another hotel guest, 8 year-old Otto. When a war between age and youth ensues, Maggie loses her sweet old lady persona and shows her true colors.
I listened to the audiobook which is expertly read by Maggie-Meg Reed. I really enjoyed this format, especially Reed’s voice for Maggie (she captures the Wisconsin accent perfectly!)
I had an inkling that I would really enjoy this psychological suspense novel…and I did! Maggie is a fantastic unreliable narrator whose game of cat and mouse with Otto kept me invested until the end. Despite the fact that the author leaves a few confusing open plot points which are usually a no-no for me, I do believe it will make a great book club discussion!
4/5 stars
Trigger warnings: COVID, threats to harm a child
Maggie Burkhardt is an 81-year-old meddlesome widow from Wisconsin who has been living abroad for the past five years. She eventually takes up residency in room 309 at the luxurious Egyptian Royal Karnak hotel to escape her problematic past. She is a compulsive unconventional fixer of other people’s problems, and meets her match in another hotel guest, 8 year-old Otto. When a war between age and youth ensues, Maggie loses her sweet old lady persona and shows her true colors.
I listened to the audiobook which is expertly read by Maggie-Meg Reed. I really enjoyed this format, especially Reed’s voice for Maggie (she captures the Wisconsin accent perfectly!)
I had an inkling that I would really enjoy this psychological suspense novel…and I did! Maggie is a fantastic unreliable narrator whose game of cat and mouse with Otto kept me invested until the end. Despite the fact that the author leaves a few confusing open plot points which are usually a no-no for me, I do believe it will make a great book club discussion!
4/5 stars
Trigger warnings: COVID, threats to harm a child
January 13, 2025
A really well-done piece of literary suspense a la Highsmith, although for some reason it took me an inordinately long time to get through the first half - but then I raced through the rest in one day. There were some clunky passages here and there, and not everything seemed to quite 'fit'; I noticed that Maggie's details about her daughter Julia kept seeming to change willy-nilly (at one point she says she died in childhood, and then the next that she died only a few years back, so ostensibly in her late 50's) - but this ultimately is resolved. The ending is both satisfying, unforeseen, and yet relies on a rather hackneyed, overused reason for all the mayhem . Still, I think this would make a corker of a film - Kathy Bates, call your agent STAT!
November 13, 2025
A very slow 1st person narrative descent into the mind of a wealthy aging widow who dwelt on the loss of her husband. Set in an Egyptian hotel in Luxor I always found myself not that engaged in the aging Maggie's mind. She was a very unreliable narrator and the sense of unrealism left me a bit unsure. It was a strange read, and I was not sure if it was my kind of subject, but the end was actually very good and left this reader with food for thought as to what had happened.
The Goodreads blurb covers the gist of the novel well enough.
Not much to say other than I stuck with it to the end.
The Goodreads blurb covers the gist of the novel well enough.
Not much to say other than I stuck with it to the end.
September 18, 2024
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway contest in exchange for an honest review.
Maggie Burkhart, eighty-one-year-old widow, has been living at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic for the past three months. Unfortunately, Maggie has a bad habit of interfering into other people's relationships. For example, she steals a yellow scarf from the hotel room from a beautiful, single, Greek tourist and places it in another couples bed, thus causing rife in the marriage. Regrettably, Otto, an intelligent eight-year-old boy, sees her and blackmails her. Sadly, the vicious pranks they exchange become increasingly horrible. I finally had to stop reading when Maggie left the door open to the three cockatiels during the night, and a stray cat slaughtered them.
This is a great book for anyone who loves psychological thriller. But, I have to be honest, being an animal lover, the image of the killed birds really turned me off.
Maggie Burkhart, eighty-one-year-old widow, has been living at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic for the past three months. Unfortunately, Maggie has a bad habit of interfering into other people's relationships. For example, she steals a yellow scarf from the hotel room from a beautiful, single, Greek tourist and places it in another couples bed, thus causing rife in the marriage. Regrettably, Otto, an intelligent eight-year-old boy, sees her and blackmails her. Sadly, the vicious pranks they exchange become increasingly horrible. I finally had to stop reading when Maggie left the door open to the three cockatiels during the night, and a stray cat slaughtered them.
This is a great book for anyone who loves psychological thriller. But, I have to be honest, being an animal lover, the image of the killed birds really turned me off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2025
This was billed as much more fun and lighthearted than it ended up being, good God. Blurb quotes call it "a wicked delight", "utterly enjoyable", and "delicious", with references to The White Lotus. It started that way, but then it got DARK and MESSED UP. Here, let me spoil it for you. An 81-year-old widow named Maggie is grieving her late husband Peter, and late daughter Julia. Blah blah blah, now Maggie wants to murder an 8-year-old boy. Then Maggie murders a young man in his 20s (she bashes his head in with a brick and then drags his body into the backseat of a car...at age 81...yet she gets no blood on herself in this process! 🙄). But then it turns out, her daughter Julia is actually still alive (!), but is just "dead to Maggie" because she told Maggie that her dad (Peter) sexually abused her as a girl. So Maggie, basically becomes delusional after hearing this and just tells everyone (including herself) that her daughter is dead. But then at the end, Julia comes back and Maggie KILLS HER OWN DAUGHTER because she thinks the 8-year-old boy is dressed up as her dead daughter, and she still wants to kill him. See what I mean? Jesus.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2025
Maggie hides a lot and does a lot and leaves out a lot and says a lot. We have to nitpick our way through what she tells us and what we see happening and make up the story as we go along as leaving it to Maggie would not do.
Unfortunately, Maggie has the desire to meddle, to make right for what to her is wrong. It is only at the end that we see why this is but then it was rather too late for me. When the denouement came, I had rather lost my empathy and care.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley.
Unfortunately, Maggie has the desire to meddle, to make right for what to her is wrong. It is only at the end that we see why this is but then it was rather too late for me. When the denouement came, I had rather lost my empathy and care.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley.
May 12, 2025
All through this first person narrative by a ninety-two-year-old woman, this novel's readers are led to believe she's simply residing in an out-of-the-way hotel in Egypt because it's a peaceful and semi-isolated place to live through the Pandemic. Unfortunately her peace is being disturbed by her battle of wits with an eight-year-old boy that got started when the boy essentially blackmailed her into paying for an improved hotel room for him and his mother.
This blackmail started because our old lady protagonist was caught planting false evidence in a hotel room that was not her own. She sees it as her duty to intervene into the lives of others by helping to end other people's marriages when she decides their relationship should end. Our old lady protagonist tells us that her own ideal marriage ended years ago when her husband died, and their one daughter also died at about the same time.
It is clear that this old lady protagonist is a busybody with an unhealthy need to interfere in the lives of others. But as the story progresses there are hints of unreliability in her narration, we learn that she's on antipsychotic medicine, and her actions reveal evidence of criminal psychopathy. Things keep getting worse and worse until the end of the story when the reader of this book will wonder, "What the heck did I just read?"
I was tempted to give this book two stars because I didn't like it. But I gave it three because it is so different that I have to give the author credit for stringing me along all the way to the very end.
This blackmail started because our old lady protagonist was caught planting false evidence in a hotel room that was not her own. She sees it as her duty to intervene into the lives of others by helping to end other people's marriages when she decides their relationship should end. Our old lady protagonist tells us that her own ideal marriage ended years ago when her husband died, and their one daughter also died at about the same time.
It is clear that this old lady protagonist is a busybody with an unhealthy need to interfere in the lives of others. But as the story progresses there are hints of unreliability in her narration, we learn that she's on antipsychotic medicine, and her actions reveal evidence of criminal psychopathy. Things keep getting worse and worse until the end of the story when the reader of this book will wonder, "What the heck did I just read?"
I was tempted to give this book two stars because I didn't like it. But I gave it three because it is so different that I have to give the author credit for stringing me along all the way to the very end.
January 1, 2025
It's probably on me that I didn't like this as much as I thought I would, mainly because it was so dark and almost nasty at times. I used to work at school with small children, so I get how annoying and devious they can, but when she tried to drown the kid in the pool I was like "ok, maybe not this." It starts out with our narrator Maggie, who is an octogenarian fleeing COVID restrictions in Egypt. She feels like one of the gang at the hotel (I've also worked a lot of places where people feel entitled this way and it grates) but then a new guest comes, a young mother and her son. She devolves into a combat of wills with the kid that gets increasingly more unhinged, such as when she has to kill a young a man after the refuses to murder the child for money and then we find out that he's an important generals son. She also theoretically has a dead daughter but we find out her daughter only died to her when she accused her father of molesting her. Then at the very end the daughter comes to see her but she is in the grips of psychosis and stabs her. I think if I'd read this as darkly humorous I would have probably enjoyed it more, but it was a bit too bleak and dark for my liking. Well written and clever though, so for people who like this kind of story I'm sure they'd eat it up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2024
ARC for review. To be published December 3, 2025.
Three stars for this dark story….though I do love bad children. Give me a kid who kills and I’m a happy reader.
Maggie Burkhardt is eighty-one, a widow and she’s come to the Royal Karnak Hotel on the banks of the Nile to escape a sticky situation at her last hotel.
One morning she notices a sad looking woman named Tess and her eight year old son Otto at check in. Maggie invites them into her life. Big, big mistake. Because in Otto Maggie may have met her malevolent match.
Interesting little tale. The ending was a bit odd and I don’t know that I loved it. Worth an afternoon.
Three stars for this dark story….though I do love bad children. Give me a kid who kills and I’m a happy reader.
Maggie Burkhardt is eighty-one, a widow and she’s come to the Royal Karnak Hotel on the banks of the Nile to escape a sticky situation at her last hotel.
One morning she notices a sad looking woman named Tess and her eight year old son Otto at check in. Maggie invites them into her life. Big, big mistake. Because in Otto Maggie may have met her malevolent match.
Interesting little tale. The ending was a bit odd and I don’t know that I loved it. Worth an afternoon.
March 19, 2025
What do I do? I liberate people who don’t know they’re stuck. I help them to press the eject switch. That’s one definition. Another? I sow chaos. I clean house. I change peoples’ lives for the better, whether they see it that way or not. Only once did my actions end for the worse. But I don’t like to think about the murder.
It’s hard to label something as subjective as a novel as “the best.” People don’t even agree on which one is the best Agatha Christie novel, let alone what’s the best mystery ever written. So, when you find a novel that breaks through as a true one of one, it’s a moment to savor. Which means that you should read and savor Havoc, because I can promise you this: Havoc is indisputably the greatest novel ever written about an octogenarian getting into in a fatal cat-and-mouse battle of wits with an eight-year-old child.
Havoc is set during the early months of the pandemic, but Covid doesn’t play a role in the plot; it’s just the reason these characters are prevented from leaving the hotel (and/or Egypt) as problems mount. The story is told from the perspective of Maggie, an octogenarian who loves to meddle in other peoples’ lives and who proves to be a most unreliable narrator. The writing is fun and lush, with a bit of a noir vibe despite the constant beating of the desert sun. On the one hand, there are some real themes being explored in these pages, about aging and loneliness and feeling invisible. But the strength of the story is in the subtlety of the twists, which are based on simple misunderstandings and small unintended consequences. There is a delicious, slow escalation of tension until, before you know it, it seems almost rational that Maggie feels she has no choice but to murder her little nemesis, Otto. And the final scene? One of the more devastating ending I’ve ever read. Recommended.
December 18, 2024
3.5/5
Havoc is a dark, clever, and oddly funny psychological thriller set in a crumbling Luxor hotel during the pandemic. Maggie Burkhardt, an 81-year-old widow from Wisconsin, spends her days helping people. Well, at least that’s what she believes - her version of help usually results in chaos and ruined lives.
In Luxor, she found a home. Things are going great until she meets Otto, an 8-year-old boy staying at the hotel with his mother. Otto may look harmless, but he’s sharp, sneaky, and eager to stir up trouble. What starts as a petty standoff between them turns into a dark and dangerous game. Bollen nicely balances the tension with wit and humor, and that makes the story surprisingly entertaining.
Maggie’s sharp opinions about the surrounding people are amusing, and her narration is excellent. The pandemic’s isolation and her loneliness also play a big role, making her perspective twisted and her obsession with Otto even more believable-if not excusable. Is she reliable? Doubtful, but you’ll do best to see for yourself.
Now, while the story has plenty of suspense, the ending feels…unfinished. I have a few lingering questions about Maggie’s past, and the final payoff isn’t as strong as it could be.
Ultimately, I liked Havoc despite its flaws. It’s a unique read, especially if you like dark thrillers with a side of dark humor and moral ambiguity.
Audiobook narration: enjoyable.
Havoc is a dark, clever, and oddly funny psychological thriller set in a crumbling Luxor hotel during the pandemic. Maggie Burkhardt, an 81-year-old widow from Wisconsin, spends her days helping people. Well, at least that’s what she believes - her version of help usually results in chaos and ruined lives.
In Luxor, she found a home. Things are going great until she meets Otto, an 8-year-old boy staying at the hotel with his mother. Otto may look harmless, but he’s sharp, sneaky, and eager to stir up trouble. What starts as a petty standoff between them turns into a dark and dangerous game. Bollen nicely balances the tension with wit and humor, and that makes the story surprisingly entertaining.
Maggie’s sharp opinions about the surrounding people are amusing, and her narration is excellent. The pandemic’s isolation and her loneliness also play a big role, making her perspective twisted and her obsession with Otto even more believable-if not excusable. Is she reliable? Doubtful, but you’ll do best to see for yourself.
Now, while the story has plenty of suspense, the ending feels…unfinished. I have a few lingering questions about Maggie’s past, and the final payoff isn’t as strong as it could be.
Ultimately, I liked Havoc despite its flaws. It’s a unique read, especially if you like dark thrillers with a side of dark humor and moral ambiguity.
Audiobook narration: enjoyable.
December 6, 2024
In Christopher Bollen's latest psychological thriller, "Havoc," we are introduced to the seemingly gentle world of Maggie Burkhardt, an 81-year-old widow residing at the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel in Luxor, Egypt. But beneath the surface of this apparent haven lies a sinister undercurrent that pulls readers into increasingly darker waters. Bollen, known for his previous works like "A Beautiful Crime" and "The Destroyers," has crafted his most unsettling and psychologically complex novel yet.
Setting and Atmosphere
The Royal Karnak Palace Hotel serves as more than just a backdrop; it becomes a character in its own right. Bollen's masterful description of the hotel's faded grandeur—its worn Persian carpets, failing air conditioning, and colonial-era pretensions—creates a perfect stage for this psychological drama. The intense Egyptian heat and the constant presence of the Nile River add to the claustrophobic atmosphere, while the hotel's isolation from the outside world during the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the tension.
Plot and Character Development
The story follows Maggie Burkhardt, our unreliable narrator who has fled from a mysterious incident at a Swiss hotel. Initially presented as a kindly widow who takes an interest in helping others, Maggie's true nature slowly unravels as she encounters Tess Seeber and her eight-year-old son Otto. What begins as seemingly innocent interference in their lives gradually reveals itself to be something far more sinister.
Bollen excels at character development, particularly in his portrayal of Maggie. Her descent from sympathetic widow to potentially dangerous antagonist is handled with remarkable subtlety. The author keeps readers guessing about whether Maggie's perceptions are reality or delusion, making her one of the most complex characters in recent psychological thriller literature.
Themes and Psychological Depth
The novel explores several compelling themes:
- The battle between youth and age
- The nature of truth and perception
- The impact of grief and loss
- The consequences of obsession
- The thin line between helping and harming
Writing Style and Narrative Technique
Bollen's prose is elegant and measured, creating an atmosphere of mounting dread through careful attention to detail and psychological insight. His decision to tell the story through Maggie's first-person perspective allows readers to experience her increasingly unstable mental state while questioning the reliability of her observations.
Strengths
- Masterful building of psychological tension
- Rich, atmospheric setting
- Complex, morally ambiguous characters
- Skillful handling of unreliable narration
- Effective use of the COVID-19 pandemic as a plot device
Areas for Improvement
- Some readers might find the pacing in the middle section slightly slow
- Certain plot points require significant suspension of disbelief
- The ending may feel abrupt to some readers
- Some secondary characters could have been more fully developed
Final Verdict
"Havoc" is an excellent read for its innovative approach to psychological thriller conventions, complex characterization, and masterful building of tension. While not perfect, it represents a significant achievement in contemporary thriller writing and confirms Bollen's place as a major voice in the genre.
Setting and Atmosphere
The Royal Karnak Palace Hotel serves as more than just a backdrop; it becomes a character in its own right. Bollen's masterful description of the hotel's faded grandeur—its worn Persian carpets, failing air conditioning, and colonial-era pretensions—creates a perfect stage for this psychological drama. The intense Egyptian heat and the constant presence of the Nile River add to the claustrophobic atmosphere, while the hotel's isolation from the outside world during the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the tension.
Plot and Character Development
The story follows Maggie Burkhardt, our unreliable narrator who has fled from a mysterious incident at a Swiss hotel. Initially presented as a kindly widow who takes an interest in helping others, Maggie's true nature slowly unravels as she encounters Tess Seeber and her eight-year-old son Otto. What begins as seemingly innocent interference in their lives gradually reveals itself to be something far more sinister.
Bollen excels at character development, particularly in his portrayal of Maggie. Her descent from sympathetic widow to potentially dangerous antagonist is handled with remarkable subtlety. The author keeps readers guessing about whether Maggie's perceptions are reality or delusion, making her one of the most complex characters in recent psychological thriller literature.
Themes and Psychological Depth
The novel explores several compelling themes:
- The battle between youth and age
- The nature of truth and perception
- The impact of grief and loss
- The consequences of obsession
- The thin line between helping and harming
Writing Style and Narrative Technique
Bollen's prose is elegant and measured, creating an atmosphere of mounting dread through careful attention to detail and psychological insight. His decision to tell the story through Maggie's first-person perspective allows readers to experience her increasingly unstable mental state while questioning the reliability of her observations.
Strengths
- Masterful building of psychological tension
- Rich, atmospheric setting
- Complex, morally ambiguous characters
- Skillful handling of unreliable narration
- Effective use of the COVID-19 pandemic as a plot device
Areas for Improvement
- Some readers might find the pacing in the middle section slightly slow
- Certain plot points require significant suspension of disbelief
- The ending may feel abrupt to some readers
- Some secondary characters could have been more fully developed
Final Verdict
"Havoc" is an excellent read for its innovative approach to psychological thriller conventions, complex characterization, and masterful building of tension. While not perfect, it represents a significant achievement in contemporary thriller writing and confirms Bollen's place as a major voice in the genre.
January 4, 2025
Ugh - what just happened? Hate that this took a complete nose dive in its concluding pages to be something I just can’t recommend and am not entirely sure how to rate. I picked this up based on some repeat recommendations and NYT Best Thriller - so disappointed.
This book had me going, following the chaos of some truly unlikeable characters, but took a total crash and burn at the end. Why!?! While I never hope to encounter the nightmare guests and happenings described, I still want to visit the dreamy luxury hotel setting. Maybe just another timeline before Maggie’s stay and her or Otto’s Havoc unleashed.
As if all the violent animal slaughtering wasn’t enough of, did we have to completely go off the rails to throw in the whole sexual assault family secret before a quick scene switch to an abrupt murder ending cliff hanger?
This book had me going, following the chaos of some truly unlikeable characters, but took a total crash and burn at the end. Why!?! While I never hope to encounter the nightmare guests and happenings described, I still want to visit the dreamy luxury hotel setting. Maybe just another timeline before Maggie’s stay and her or Otto’s Havoc unleashed.
As if all the violent animal slaughtering wasn’t enough of, did we have to completely go off the rails to throw in the whole sexual assault family secret before a quick scene switch to an abrupt murder ending cliff hanger?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2025
Interesting. There seems to be an uptick in the presence of octogenarians in thrillers lately, either as protagonists or villains, and they are represented in both categories as real people and not doddering rascals. Here we have Maggie, 81 years and counting, who sees it as her life's mission to correct matters so others may be rid of pesky obstructions to happiness. Swanning around the world one step ahead of the law in some cases, she is currently residing at the Royal Karnak Hotel near the Valley of the Kings, and finds her current refuge upset by the arrival of a bad seed 8 year old boy and his clueless mother. One upmanship ensues. Fun for those who enjoy this type of twisty thriller.
March 1, 2025
What the eff
December 14, 2024
Let’s just say, if this book hadn’t been so short I wouldn’t have finished it.
December 17, 2024
Unexpectedly creepy, eccentric, and funny, in a fever-dream sort of way.
December 28, 2024
Havoc
by Christopher Bollen
Pub Date: Dec 03 2024
Review by
Lou J, Media/Journalist
Last updated on Dec 28 2024
Christopher Bollen
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Rejoice, fans of HBO’s popular White Lotus series! Christopher Bollen delivers a wickedly delightful literary equivalent with The Lost Palace, set in the posh but faded grandeur of the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel. Basking in the Saharan sun and nestled alongside the Nile in Luxor, Egypt, the hotel lies within spitting distance of ancient antiquities.
Like White Lotus, this novel explores the interactions between guests and employees, all shaped by their psychological dysfunctions.
Maggie Burkhardt, 81, left Milwaukee to live in Europe’s fine old hotels after the deaths of her beloved husband and daughter. She’s stayed in eighteen European hotels but mysteriously fled her last stop in Switzerland in the middle of the night, leaving behind a cloud of suspicion about her possible involvement in a guest’s murder. Everyone assumes Maggie is a sweet, kindly widow enjoying her final years. But Maggie is anything but. An unreliable narrator, she insists her purpose in life is “to change people’s lives for the better.” In reality, she has no qualms about inserting herself into others’ lives, especially when she believes they’re on the wrong path.
Set during the waning days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel is steeped in an all-pervasive sense of isolation and paranoia. Maggie often mentions her reliance on “risperidones” (a popular antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), debating whether to take one—or double up. As events unfold, Maggie’s true nature and motivations become increasingly clear.
Maggie’s life takes a sharp turn when new mother Tess Seeger and her eight-year-old son, Otto, check into the hotel without a husband in tow. Ever the busybody, Maggie begins snooping into their lives, hoping to uncover and fix perceived dysfunctions. But her meddling sets off a dangerous chain of events. Otto, far from an innocent child, proves to be a cunning and worthy adversary. Blackmail and the destruction of personal belongings are just a few tools in his arsenal. A twisted game of cat and mouse ensues, with escalating stakes and Otto often a step ahead in their battle of wits.
Christopher Bollen masterfully weaves multiple intersecting plotlines, escalating intrigue and tension with precise prose and compelling characterizations. The narrative builds to an explosive denouement filled with violence and revelations, all shrouded in dread and mental instability. Themes of grief, the inevitability of aging, and varying degrees of psychosis are explored with nuance and depth.
This addictive page-turner is a must-read for aficionados of psychological thrillers. I eagerly await Bollen’s next work.
....Published at MysteryAndSuspenseMagazine.com ....
by Christopher Bollen
Pub Date: Dec 03 2024
Review by
Lou J, Media/Journalist
Last updated on Dec 28 2024
Christopher Bollen
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Rejoice, fans of HBO’s popular White Lotus series! Christopher Bollen delivers a wickedly delightful literary equivalent with The Lost Palace, set in the posh but faded grandeur of the Royal Karnak Palace Hotel. Basking in the Saharan sun and nestled alongside the Nile in Luxor, Egypt, the hotel lies within spitting distance of ancient antiquities.
Like White Lotus, this novel explores the interactions between guests and employees, all shaped by their psychological dysfunctions.
Maggie Burkhardt, 81, left Milwaukee to live in Europe’s fine old hotels after the deaths of her beloved husband and daughter. She’s stayed in eighteen European hotels but mysteriously fled her last stop in Switzerland in the middle of the night, leaving behind a cloud of suspicion about her possible involvement in a guest’s murder. Everyone assumes Maggie is a sweet, kindly widow enjoying her final years. But Maggie is anything but. An unreliable narrator, she insists her purpose in life is “to change people’s lives for the better.” In reality, she has no qualms about inserting herself into others’ lives, especially when she believes they’re on the wrong path.
Set during the waning days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel is steeped in an all-pervasive sense of isolation and paranoia. Maggie often mentions her reliance on “risperidones” (a popular antipsychotic medication for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), debating whether to take one—or double up. As events unfold, Maggie’s true nature and motivations become increasingly clear.
Maggie’s life takes a sharp turn when new mother Tess Seeger and her eight-year-old son, Otto, check into the hotel without a husband in tow. Ever the busybody, Maggie begins snooping into their lives, hoping to uncover and fix perceived dysfunctions. But her meddling sets off a dangerous chain of events. Otto, far from an innocent child, proves to be a cunning and worthy adversary. Blackmail and the destruction of personal belongings are just a few tools in his arsenal. A twisted game of cat and mouse ensues, with escalating stakes and Otto often a step ahead in their battle of wits.
Christopher Bollen masterfully weaves multiple intersecting plotlines, escalating intrigue and tension with precise prose and compelling characterizations. The narrative builds to an explosive denouement filled with violence and revelations, all shrouded in dread and mental instability. Themes of grief, the inevitability of aging, and varying degrees of psychosis are explored with nuance and depth.
This addictive page-turner is a must-read for aficionados of psychological thrillers. I eagerly await Bollen’s next work.
....Published at MysteryAndSuspenseMagazine.com ....
March 3, 2025
A wicked and absolutely delightful psychological thriller about an elderly woman on vacation at an Egyptian hotel during COVID. This a slow burning, dark character study. I found it both captivating and entertaining. Readers will not see the ending coming. For fans of the Silent Patient.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Harper and Christopher Bollen for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Harper and Christopher Bollen for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 14, 2025
WOAH, HAVOC sucks you in, swirls you around, and spits out some of your worst nightmares in a twisty, sinister novel of psychological suspense.
I don’t wanna give away too much plot in my review, but let’s just say: An 81 year old woman moves to Luxor, Egypt on her own, ready for a new chapter after bouncing around Europe during her golden years. She meets a mother and child at her hotel-turned-home, and develops a kinship with eight year old Otto. But when the two disagree on a suspicious action, Maggie and Otto become the worst of rivals, taking each other down in increasingly sinister ways. Why is Maggie in Luxor? Why is Otto? And why must only one of them survive their rivalry?
On the hot recommendation of @jordys.book.club, @scaredstraightreads, @bretts.book.stack, and a few others, I found myself reading the first third of this with great suspicion. Why Egypt? Why these characters? Just so much why. But as Christopher Bollen's novel builds and descends into its madness, it’s clear that there’s a master plan in this novel, and that plan involves keeping you up at night. The pool! The phone calls! The supplements! There are so many moments that are chilling because of how you know they’ll end, making the read even more malicious and engrossing. I was totally sucked into the back half of this book and was in stunned silence at its last 20 pages. I think I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Thank you to Harper Books for my gifted copy! HAVOC is out now.
I don’t wanna give away too much plot in my review, but let’s just say: An 81 year old woman moves to Luxor, Egypt on her own, ready for a new chapter after bouncing around Europe during her golden years. She meets a mother and child at her hotel-turned-home, and develops a kinship with eight year old Otto. But when the two disagree on a suspicious action, Maggie and Otto become the worst of rivals, taking each other down in increasingly sinister ways. Why is Maggie in Luxor? Why is Otto? And why must only one of them survive their rivalry?
On the hot recommendation of @jordys.book.club, @scaredstraightreads, @bretts.book.stack, and a few others, I found myself reading the first third of this with great suspicion. Why Egypt? Why these characters? Just so much why. But as Christopher Bollen's novel builds and descends into its madness, it’s clear that there’s a master plan in this novel, and that plan involves keeping you up at night. The pool! The phone calls! The supplements! There are so many moments that are chilling because of how you know they’ll end, making the read even more malicious and engrossing. I was totally sucked into the back half of this book and was in stunned silence at its last 20 pages. I think I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Thank you to Harper Books for my gifted copy! HAVOC is out now.
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