I have so much to say about The Secret Dinner because I honestly cannot remember the last time I read something this wildly original and unlike anything I have ever experienced. Let me be very clear: this is not your typical dining experience. Four childhood friends head to college together, each carrying different dreams, but sharing one car, one apartment, and the reality that adulthood is not going the way they imagined. When money disappears and desperation starts knocking, they need a way to make a lot of money quickly. Their solution? Create an exclusive dining experience unlike anything the world has seen before. The only catch? The menu is human flesh. Yes, the diners know exactly what they are being served. Yes, they want it.
Disturbing? Absolutely. Outrageous? Without question. Satirical? Surprisingly, yes. Raphael Montes takes something so horrifying and uses it to explore greed, privilege, desperation, and the darkest parts of human nature. What begins as a desperate financial solution slowly becomes something much more sinister. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is graphic, it is uncomfortable, and that discomfort is completely intentional. It feels like Bret Easton Ellis, Quentin Tarantino, and a very dark episode of Black Mirror sat down for dinner and decided to see how far they could push the conversation.
The most fascinating part of The Secret Dinner isn't just the shocking “what.” It is the “why.” How far will someone go when desperation meets opportunity? How many times can someone justify one terrible choice before they no longer recognize themselves? Lets not forget about greed and what it feels like when money is rolling in had over fist - how far will you go for money? for praise and opportunities? Montes doesn't give us perfect heroes to root for. Instead, he gives us ordinary people making one bad decision, then another, then another, until the line between survival and depravity becomes almost impossible to see.
Follow Teresa on Twitter or Instagram or contact her via the site.
Purchase The Secret Dinner
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
