Second Best

David Foenkinos is the author of 19 novels which have been translated into 40 languages. His novel Delicacy was made into a film starring Audrey Tautou. He received the 2014 Prix Renaudot and Prix Goncourt des lycéens for Charlotte. He lives in Paris, France.

Praise for Second Best:'A witty and heartfelt portrait of what happens when luck does not go your way . . . [Foekinos'] sensitive and empathetic handling of the theme of the also-ran is as instructive as it is entertaining' Irish Times‘A brilliant concept for a novel’ The Times‘ Foenkinos has had a gem of an idea . . . a playful blend of fact and fiction’ The Telegraph'It’s about time British readers discovered the wit and originality of David Foenkinos, and this exquisitely bittersweet comedy of life's missed opportunities is the perfect place to start' Jonathan Coe, author of Bournville'It doesn't get more captivating than this' Elle France'Genius' La CroixPraise for The Martins:‘A charming, clever book’ The Independent‘This witty work of autofiction proves you don’t always need a plot’ Washington Independent Review of BooksPraise for The Mystery of Henri Pick:‘A charming, quirky addition to the whimsical subgenre of books about book lovers, done with a light Gallic touch’ The Guardian, Top 50 Books of the Summer‘A dull pizza chef becomes the author of an unlikely bestseller in this charming novel about the literary life’ Sunday Times, 100 Best Summer Reads‘A charming literary caper . . . A playfully droll satire of the French publishing scene and a completely delightful jeu d'esprit’ Daily Mail‘An elegant, irresistibly farcical comic mystery based around a library of rejected manuscripts, Foenkinos' playful satire is the perfect feelgood read. An ideal novel for bibliophiles everywhere, The Mystery of Henri Pick abounds with Gallic wit and charm’ WaterstonesPraise for Charlotte:‘Foenkinos writes arrestingly about Charlotte, masterfully imagining her interior life . . . So much space on the page visually transforms each paragraph into a stanza, while lending the words a solemn weight and power . . . [A] beautiful, wretched story’ The Guardian‘From its striking first sentence there is no turning away . . . A far superior tribute to any commemorative plaque’ Irish Times‘I am deeply, deeply affected by this sad, beautiful, indignant, wrenching, important book . . . It is an artistic privilege and (I think) almost a moral duty that you all read this’ Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent‘An astonishing novel. Every line has something profound to say about love and loss, hope and fear, time and memory, and the enduring power of art’ Andrew Michael Hurley, author of The Loney.