Days of Feasting and Rejoicing

by David Bergen

In this brilliant existential portrayal of identity, David Bergen introduces Esther Maile, an expat American living in Thailand in a house rented by the richer, more popular Christine. While on holiday in Bali, Christine is caught by an ocean wave and drowns. Esther rushes to save her, but in the chaos that ensues, the police arrive and confuse Esther for Christine.

For someone who would prefer to be anyone but herself, this is the perfect solution — no matter the consequences. When a local Thai police captain, Net Wantok, begins to investigate Christine’s death and seeks out Esther, he is caught between his curiosity — she is charming, evasive, and flirtatious — and the awareness that people around Esther are disappearing. Sensing danger, Esther acts out of fear and pulls the one person who loves her into her perilous world.

Bergen’s mesmerizing psychological drama hums with expatriate gossip, sexual tension, unexpected violence, a passion for food, and a woman who, seemingly unhindered by questions of truth or morality, hints at the darkness in all of us.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Canada, Psychological Thriller, Psychological

192 pages, Hardcover

Published May 12, 2026

About the author

Born in Port Edward, British Columbia, author David Bergen worked as a writer and high school English teacher in Winnipeg, Manitoba, before gaining a great deal of recognition in Canada when his novel The Time In Between won the 2005 Scotiabank Giller Prize, one of Canada's most prestigious literary awards. The novel also received a starred review in Kirkus Reviews and was longlisted for the 2007 IMPAC Award.

Bergen's debut novel, A Year of Lesser, was a New York Times Notable Book, and a winner of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year award in 1997. His 2002 novel The Case of Lena S. was a finalist for the Governor General's Award for English language fiction, and won the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award. It was also a finalist for the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction.

Additionally, Bergen has received the 1993 John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer, and the 2000 Canadian Literary Award for Short Story.

In 2008, he published his fifth novel, The Retreat, which was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and which won the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction.

Bergen currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba with his family.

Reviews

[CanadianReader]

Rating: 3.5

I’ve read and liked several of Bergen’s novels. While he has considerable range as a novelist, this work felt like quite a departure. A darkly compelling, very uneasy, and quick read it may be, but it’s ultimately an unsatisfying one.

[Virginia]

OK so first question - did the entity that wrote the blurb above actually read the book? My experience of it wasn't in any way linked to anything like that. I finished this last night and it's been percolating in my brain in a rancid way and I need to spew. This book felt like a male author getting a bent kick out of watching two women at odds with each other, without having any clue how women think or act or respond. Both Esther and Christine are cyphers in every way, and we're never given a reason or explanation for why they act the way they do. Esther makes radical, irrational decisions out of the blue, I guess for the entertainment of the author, because I didn't find them entertaining. I thought at first this would be a Patricia Highsmith turn-around - she seems to have written mostly about male characters who act out in odd or unexpected ways - but here it's more like watching a shadow puppet theatre. About the only sensuous, emotional aspect of the book is around food. And what does the title mean? It indicates to me that a wedding - with its "days of feasting and rejoicing" - is preferable to living and acting independently. Because clearly women have only 2 options to choose from, and can't seems to make wise decisions on their own? How narrow and sad. Giving this 2 1/2 stars.

[Stephanie H]

This was an unsettling read. Esther was an interesting character whose motives still remain hidden even by the end of the book. I’m really not sure how I felt about this one. It was well written and a page turner, but I’m not loving the end of it I guess. I’m not sure if I would have liked a few more pages or a different ending entirely. Either way, I believe Bergen was going for unsettling and he achieved it.

[Addie S.]

I won this book for a giveaway. It was a suspenseful book that I couldn’t put down.

[Courtney]

I just couldn’t get into this book. I think my problem was the main character was very unpredictable and many of her actions seemed abrupt and unrealistic. I did however enjoy the Thai setting, it took me back to my travels of this beautiful country.

Thank you Gooselane for this complimentary copy.

[Michael]

My conversation with Bergen discussing the book here:
https://umfm.com/programming/broadcas...

[Rebecca Young]

Different than my usual read but an enjoyable shorter book! Will check out other books by this author.

[Alison Gadsby]

Esther Maile is on a holiday with Christine Case, a friend she met “serendipitously” in Thailand and whom she lives beside in apartments that are mirrors of each other. The difference between Esther and Christine is that Esther wants to be just like Christine and Christine wants Esther to disappear. When on the beach one day, Esther notices Christine bobbing up and down in the sea, she swims out to her, where she either saves herself from being drowned by a frantically flailing Christine, or where she pushes Christine underwater until she is the one who disappears. Esther returns to her apartment and tells both versions of the truth to various people, including a police captain with a troubling tragic life of his own, without admitting to even the reader what actually happened. A novel of brilliant revelations and a mystery that remains a mystery, we can only watch and cringe as Esther flails and swims in the aftermath of her somewhat sociopathic choices, a single white female, Tom Ripley, tale, with a Thai twist. This book was immersive and a book I didn’t want to put down. Esther is an incredible rich character and she alone holds the reader’s attention, but Bergen fills the story with so many interesting characters that you feel like you’re sitting on a beach watching some sort of family drama unfold, and you’ll suffer third degree burns before you pack up the beach blanket and head back to the hotel.

[Ann]

Award-winning Winnipeg author David Bergen decided to go in a different direction with his new book. Described as a crime novel, it reveals connections to author Patricia Highsmith's character Tom Ripley, some subtle and some not. Bergen has crafted a female who assumes another woman's identity which leads to "accidental villainy" and beyond.

FIRST SENTENCE: "They flew from Bangkok to Bali, arriving in the late afternoon."

THE STORY: Esther Maile, an expat American in Thailand, is currently living with the popular Christine. On a holiday in Bali, Christine is caught by an ocean wave and Esther tries to save her but fails. When the police arrive there is confusion as to who drowned allowing Esther to change her identity.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Having always been fascinated by Tom Ripley's character, I wondered how Bergren would handle the female version. I was swept up in this psychological drama that draws on the authors own experience living in Thailand "with expatriate gossip, sexual tension, unexpected violence, a passion for food, and a woman who, seemingly unhindered by questions of truth or morality, hints at the darkness in all of us."

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. The whole time I was reading Days of Feasting and Rejoicing I wondered what the title meant. It came to me the minute I finished the last page. It's a perfect description. If you read it, let me know what you think.

[Barry Cull]

David Bergen tells the story of Esther Maille, an American expat vacationing with Christine a new friend from Winnipeg with whom she shares a duplex in Bali. Over time Esther rehearses taking on Christine's identity by wearing her clothes when she is not around. When Christine drowns, Esther completes the metamorphosis and assumes Christine's identity.

Esther goes to extraordinary lengths to more fully become Christine over time. When Christine's brother in Canada becomes suspicious about her disappearance and flies to Bali, he too goes missing. The fact that two people have gone missing catches the suspicion of detective Net Wantoc, a troubled man, whose daughter went missing at age seventeen, and whose wife suffers from MS.

Christine's boyfriend, Chai, is charmed by Esther to help in the disposal of Christine's brother, and he becomes implicated in the process. And so begins the chase to discover what involvement Esther has in the disappearance of two people.

The novel is interspersed with details about Thai culture and its food, so much so that I am tempted to make a mango curry from a family recipe handed down by my grandmother from when she accompanied my step-grandfather in his role as an engineer in Indonesia during the 1960s.

The novel is a suspenseful psychological thriller that explores the mind of a deeply untroubled psychopath.

[Debbie Hill]

I'm a fan of David Bergen's work and I had high expectations for this latest 2025 novel described by Michael Redhill as "a tightly wound thriller with a monstrous protagonist who induces equal amounts of horror and admiration." (Back cover)

Did I really want to get inside a murderer's mind?

Also, it didn't helped that I recently watched "Ripley", the Netflix series based on Patricia Highsmith's novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley". The two story lines seemed too similar for my liking and I felt that spoiled my enjoyment of Bergen's version which included a female versus a male murderer trying to trick the authorities.

As Michael Helm stated in his back cover blurb: ""Days of Feasting and Rejoicing" smartly renews the story of dark reinvention we associate with Patricia Highsmith's "Ripley" novels and Antonioni's "The Passenger".

Perhaps, it would be best for me (and other readers) to check out these older books/dramas first to see how Bergen's novel compares before making any further comments.

In the meantime, Bergen is an accomplished Canadian writer with many other works of fiction in print. I like how he is not afraid to experiment and to stretch his talent into new areas. I will definitely read more of his novels and short stories.

[suspenseisthrillingme]

When I originally read the synopsis for The Days of Feasting and Rejoicing, I expected a riveting Hitchcockian ride of suspense, thrills, and chills. What I got was a gender-flipping retelling of The Talented Mr. Ripley that was sadly missing a bit of the tension and drive of the original. Having said that, this genre-bender mixed a psychological thriller vibe with its literary fiction core into an easy one-sitting read. Broaching some thought-provoking themes such as identity, guilt, and right vs. wrong, I found myself thinking about this book long after I closed its stunning new cover. You see, on top of the Tom Ripley feel, this dark, twisted tale described one truly cold-hearted, psychopathic main character. Driven by her own wants and desires without a thought to anyone else’s, the dry, straightforward narration style fit her personality to a T.

In spite of my appreciation for this read, there were unfortunately a couple of things that missed the mark for me. With an odd obsession with food and a lack of depth to the Thai culture, I found much of the descriptions—which could have been evocative—instead somewhat lacking. Then again, maybe that’s just down to my usual dislike for novellas. Coming in at under 200 pages, it just didn’t have time to dive into everything that I would’ve liked. Then again, the vague murkiness to Esther’s character did a nice job of implying what drove her actions. A difficult-to-nail-down individual, the layers to her as well as all of the others were never ending. Ultimately, though, while I found it to be a mostly satisfying read, the plot holes and slow-burning storyline still left me feeling somewhat let down by the end. Rating of 3.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

When her friend Christine drowns under suspicious circumstances, Esther Maile—who has always longed to be someone else—slips almost effortlessly into Christine's life. With a new name, easy access to money, and the attention of Christine's former lover, the transformation feels natural.

Until it isn't.

When it becomes unclear whether Christine's death was truly an accident, Captain Net Wantok, a weary Thai police officer, begins to investigate. A trail of accidents and missing people all lead back to Esther. Drawn in by her beauty and uncanny resemblance to his own missing daughter, Captain Wantok finds his judgment clouded as his pursuit of the truth grows increasingly personal.

Thank you David Bergen and Blackstone Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: May 12, 2026

Content warning: drowning, chronic illness (multiple sclerosis), drug use, violence, murder, mention of: missing person, infidelity

[Kcaroth1]

Days of Feasting and Rejoicing is the tale of Esther, a mercurial American, who ends up taking on the identity of a drowned friend. As the mystery of the drowning continues, a Thai police officer pursues Esther to assuage his guilt over his own missing daughter.
This is an interesting character analysis of a sociopath who finds it easy to slip into different characters and be different things for various people. She doesn’t care particularly about the lives of others unless they can promote the story that she is currently spinning for herself. The motivation for the police officer, other than the obvious were less clear, and I’m not sure that a lot of his back story added a whole lot to the story.
The novel is well written. Short direct information leads to page turning while much is subtly conveyed. The food, of particular importance to the lead character, is particularly well done, as are some of the customs and language of Thailand.
While this kept me engaged, I couldn’t find anything that really stood out for me or made me want to read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC.

[Djj]

Patricia Highsmith and in particular Tom Ripley.

I wanted to get that out of the way as no review here mentions either and this is so clearly an homage to Highsmith and the Ripley novels, in particular The Talented Mr. Ripley, no cogent analysis of the book can exclude those references. He even mentions The Price of Salt.

Esther is a devious creation, as devious as Ripley, though perhaps a little more self delusional. She's a young American woman who has glommed onto a Christine, a wealthy Canadian, in Thailand, but Christine has grown tired of Esther and asks her to move out of her home south of Bangkok. However on a trip to Bali, tragedy occurs and Esther soon takes Christine's place in the world.

It's a great little book and extremely dark. I've not read anything else by Bergen so perhaps this is a big departure and people are disappointed? But he's both nailed Highsmith's tone while making the story his own. Esther is not likeable, but she is true to her nature even if she is still figuring it out.

[Nursebookie]

This is one of those slow-burning literary mysteries that stays with you after you finish.

When Esther's friend Christine dies under suspicious circumstances, Esther quietly steps into Christine's life. What starts as a new beginning slowly turns into something much darker, especially as questions about Christine's death begin to surface.

This isn't a fast-paced thriller. It's more of a character-driven mystery that explores identity, guilt, grief, and the choices people make when given the chance to become someone else. I found myself constantly wondering who Esther really was and what would happen next.

If you enjoy literary crime fiction with morally complex characters, an atmospheric setting, and a story that slowly unravels its secrets, this is one to add to your TBR.

[Heather Fineisen]

A female take on Ripley. Esther and Christine are on a beach vacation and the foreboding is immediate. One lie leads to another and the story is really a character study of a travelling sociopath. The description of food and the various Thai locations instill hunger and heat along with the suspense. you almost want to see the murderer get away with it as the damaged detective plays the cat and mouse game. Slow at first but also reminds me of Body Heat with the languid pace. This is the first book by David Bergen I have read. An abrupt ending lends itself to reader interpretation.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

[Enid Wray]

This is definitely a slow burn… and, surprisingly, I found myself less “offended” by Esther than perhaps I should have been.

Certainly there are layers upon layers here - for multiple characters.

Equally, there are holes - in Esther’s actions - that you could drive a Mack Truck through and that leave you gobsmacked at the incompetence of both she and of the detective, Net Wantok.

I’m not sure though that I was entirely satisfied by the time I finished - not that I have to be satisfied! But maybe it’s just the way the world works?

3.5 rounded up to 4

[Zilla Jones]

This is not what I expected of this book or this author: but that’s a good thing. David Bergen has an incredible range. One thing that is consistent between this book and some of his other work is that he beautifully describes Asian landscapes and people, from the perspective of an outsider, but one with a true love for the area, told in a way that envelops and immerses the reader in the locale. This book is set in Thailand, and follows Esther Maile, a woman from the US who is there to teach English and travel. At the beginning of the novel, Esther seems bland and aimless, but Bergen takes us through her unraveling into murder and deception.

Esther is both exceptionally stupid and highly manipulative. Although she is the villain of the story, I found myself rooting for her, with the uncomfortable realization that David Bergen had uncovered a little part of me that I don’t like to confront - the mark of a superior writer. Bergen doesn’t do a deep dive into her psyche and background, but he gives enough information to understand her. So much of life is circumstantial, and one decision impacts the next and the next. I like how he as a male writer doesn’t treat a female killer with kid gloves, nor does he go overboard in having her flaunt her sexuality - though it certainly is a factor at times.

This was a fast paced read and I could not put this book down until I was done. It is a real sensual experience, and, in keeping with the title, there are many meals described that had my nose tingling and mouth watering. If you like Thai food, your next stop after finishing this book will be Skip the Dishes or Door Dash.

[Bandit]

Gender-flipped retellings of well-known works are all the rage these days, and Bergen jumps on the bandwagon rather nicely with what's essentially a tale of a female Ripley.

Esther Maile isn't a particularly talented Ms. Ripley, unless you count her knack for languages. But she manages to fall into murder and pretending to be other people all the same. She's a murky kind of protagonist, with not a lot of interiority to explain herself. The most that can be gleamed is that she's sexually repressed and potentially a lesbian. And yet, her trajectory is oddly compelling.
It's likely down to the author's writing style, which features short, simple brushstrokes creating fairly complex canvases. The kind of style that has the immediacy to pull the reader in. Even though there isn't a lot of interiority for any of the characters, really, it is cleverly implied.

There is also the matter of location as a character, which Bergen does very well with mainly Thailand and some Bali. The exotic otherness of the places serves the story nicely, highlighting the isolation of the North American characters.
I'm not sure if I've ever read the author, but I'd be interested to check out more of his work based on this book.

All in all, an entertaining journey to the other side of the world and into the mind of a psychopath. With a lovely, subtle nod to the original Ripley in the end.
Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Richard L.]

Probably a 4-star read, but "rounding up" to 5 stars for entirely subjective (and probably specious) reasons.

(Nb. My first experience with this author.)

Barely 200 pages in length, this is a tightly wound tale, told in coldly efficient prose.

The main character is a wicked little piece of work. (That is a compliment.)

Always alone, self-contained yet needful, driven by desire but not quite ruled by it, seemingly cold-blooded but often sympathetic, equal parts repellent and compelling, endlessly watchable.

It may feel like the story ends too soon, too abruptly. But it probably ends at the right moment. We may think that we want to see more; we would probably regret it.

[Christine Prelee]

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and the author, David Bergen for the Goodreads giveaway. I thought this book was very interesting because you meet the female lead with no real knowledge of her past. She is also not written in first person which means you did not always know exactly what she was thinking. I was surprised and unsure what actions she would, and sometimes did, take.

[Taraann LeBlanc]

I found the way this was writen to be very confusing. The story itself was an interesting one, but it was hard to keep track of who you were reading about as the character switches weren't mentioned. It was very hard for me to retain anything.

[Wendy]

very creepy. well written, but disturbing

[Anna]

3.5*

[Mehva]

Well written interesting look inside the head of a disturbed woman who is 'forced" to kill her friend and takes on her identity

[Mcintoshgerri]

His writing is excellent!

[S C]

Not for everyone. Very Ripley. I found myself rooting for the antihero.

[Tricia Conroy]

10/10 a fabulous devious story with vg characters and great ending. Enjoy !!

[JXR]

Lyrical, interesting, well-written book with some cool vibes. 4 stars. tysm for the E-ARC, would recommend.

[Penn Kemp]

MsAdventures in Thailand.

The title is, fittingly, from the Book of Esther, and this is our narrator’s book, though she’s no heroine.