The Mark and the Void by Paul Murray

The Mark and the Void

Paul Murray

A funny, at times absurdly funny, look at events in a small bank's Dublin arm on the cusp of the financial crash. Banking, funny? Yes, as seen through Claude a naive philosopher and employee, exploited by a shady writer There's a void at the heart of the tale because his relationships are as unreal as the bank's cash. You have to ask who's fooling who? And who's fooling you? Be counter-intuitive! Turn the very last page, and you may find out.

Extract
The beautiful sunset has gone, leaving a brooding gunmetal sky from which rain descends in fusillades. As we rattle back over the bridge, I review the situation. The zombie has taken the chapter in completely the wrong direction. I should never have let him speechify like that! I should never have let Ariadne go off piste with the trolley! How can I get the story back on track? If only I had more bila!
Parallels
  • Money by Martin Amis
  • The Way Inn by Will Wyles
  • Roxanne - the film