Calla Henkel – författare

'A sparkling debut . . . a very good plot-driven thriller dressed in a glittery jumpsuit' Guardian'Brutal, glamorous and genuinely unpredictable, it will blow your mind until the very last page' StylistIntoxicating, compulsive and blackly funny, Other People's Clothes is the thrilling novel from Berlin-based American artist Calla Henkel.Berlin, 2009. Two young art students arrive from New York, desperately hoping to reinvent themselves. Renting an apartment from an eccentric crime writer, Zoe and Hailey spend their nights twisting through Berlin's club scene and their days hungover. Then inexplicable things start happening in the apartment. Are they being spied on?Suspecting their landlady of using their lives for her next novel, they decide to beat her at her own game, hosting wild parties that quickly gain notoriety. But as events spiral out of control, they begin to wonder whose story they are living - and how it will end.'Utterly addictive. I couldn't stop turning the pages' Megan Abbott

'Blackly humorous and enjoyably twisted'Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train'A knotted mystery too intriguing to leave unpicked'Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller 'Binge-worthy . . . a brilliantly immersive and almost cinematic experience' Jenny Mustard, author of Okay DaysRecently dumped and stuck with the mortgage, artist Esther Ray wants to burn the world, but instead, she reluctantly accepts a scrapbooking job from the deliriously wealthy Naomi Duncan. The scrapbooks, a secret birthday gift for Naomi's husband Bryce, trace the Duncan's twenty-five-year marriage. The conditions: Esther must include every piece of paper she's been sent, must sign an NDA, and must only contact Naomi using the burner phone provided. Otherwise she'll spoil the surprise.As Esther binges true-crime podcasts and works through the near-two hundred-boxes of Duncan detritus, she finds herself infatuated with the gilded family - until, mid-project, Naomi dies suspiciously. When Esther becomes convinced the husband killed her, she uses the scrapbooks' trove of information to insert herself into the Duncan's' lives to prove it. But the more Esther investigates, the further she is dragged back to the scorched earth of her past and the famous artist who paid her to disappear.Laced with pitch-black humour and conspiratorial unease, Scrap is a razor-sharp examination of wealth and power, art and truth, of the line between justice and revenge - and who gets to cross it.See what readers are saying about Scrap'No book has kept me so gripped since Gone Girl!!!' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Such an original author . . . Highly recommended' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I loved every single minute of this book. Its dark and mysterious with a twisty, unexpected story' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I absolutely devoured this book. It was the kind of weird and intriguing story I can never get enough of' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Blackly humorous and enjoyably twisted'Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train'A knotted mystery too intriguing to leave unpicked'Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller'Binge-worthy . . . a brilliantly immersive and almost cinematic experience'Jenny Mustard, author of Okay DaysRecently dumped and stuck with the mortgage, artist Esther Ray wants to burn the world, but instead, she reluctantly accepts a scrapbooking job from the deliriously wealthy Naomi Duncan. The scrapbooks, a secret birthday gift for Naomi's husband Bryce, trace the Duncan's twenty-five-year marriage. The conditions: Esther must include every piece of paper she's been sent, must sign an NDA, and must only contact Naomi using the burner phone provided. Otherwise she'll spoil the surprise.As Esther binges true-crime podcasts and works through the near-two hundred-boxes of Duncan detritus, she finds herself infatuated with the gilded family - until, mid-project, Naomi dies suspiciously. When Esther becomes convinced the husband killed her, she uses the scrapbooks' trove of information to insert herself into the Duncan's' lives to prove it. But the more Esther investigates, the further she is dragged back to the scorched earth of her past and the famous artist who paid her to disappear.Laced with pitch-black humour and conspiratorial unease, Scrap is a razor-sharp examination of wealth and power, art and truth, of the line between justice and revenge - and who gets to cross it.See what readers are saying about Scrap'No book has kept me so gripped since Gone Girl!!!'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Such an original author . . . Highly recommended'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I loved every single minute of this book. Its dark and mysterious with a twisty, unexpected story'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I absolutely devoured this book. It was the kind of weird and intriguing story I can never get enough of' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Blackly humorous and enjoyably twisted'Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train'A knotted mystery too intriguing to leave unpicked'Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller'Binge-worthy . . . a brilliantly immersive and almost cinematic experience'Jenny Mustard, author of Okay DaysRecently dumped and stuck with the mortgage, artist Esther Ray wants to burn the world, but instead, she reluctantly accepts a scrapbooking job from the deliriously wealthy Naomi Duncan. The scrapbooks, a secret birthday gift for Naomi's husband Bryce, trace the Duncan's twenty-five-year marriage. The conditions: Esther must include every piece of paper she's been sent, must sign an NDA, and must only contact Naomi using the burner phone provided. Otherwise she'll spoil the surprise.As Esther binges true-crime podcasts and works through the near-two hundred-boxes of Duncan detritus, she finds herself infatuated with the gilded family - until, mid-project, Naomi dies suspiciously. When Esther becomes convinced the husband killed her, she uses the scrapbooks' trove of information to insert herself into the Duncan's' lives to prove it. But the more Esther investigates, the further she is dragged back to the scorched earth of her past and the famous artist who paid her to disappear.Laced with pitch-black humour and conspiratorial unease, Scrap is a razor-sharp examination of wealth and power, art and truth, of the line between justice and revenge - and who gets to cross it.See what readers are saying about Scrap'No book has kept me so gripped since Gone Girl!!!'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Such an original author . . . Highly recommended'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I loved every single minute of this book. Its dark and mysterious with a twisty, unexpected story'NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I absolutely devoured this book. It was the kind of weird and intriguing story I can never get enough of' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

'Witty, incisive and beautifully plotted . . . a vivid, breathless tale of art, love, family and murder' Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of, The Blue Hour'Incredibly charming, fun and relentlessly whipsmart . . . Brilliant' Kim Gordon, singer of Sonic Youth and author of, Girl in a Band'Calla Henkel is unparalleled . . . Sheer perfection' Katy Hays, bestselling author of, The CloistersThey thought with four parents, nothing could go wrong. Once famous, indie-sleaze rock stars Valentine and Raul are now in their forties and their priorities are shifting. Valentine wants a family with her on-and-off partner Linh. Raul wants to marry his boyfriend Banner. They both know it's time to get out of Berlin, but Valentine, who wants it all - doesn't want to let their band go.When Valentine's father dies, she inherits a Southern gothic hotel and it feels like fate. Val convinces Raul, Banner and Linh, to move to South Carolina to renovate the crumbling and possibly haunted hotel. There they will build an alternative family and raise a child together. With four parents, no one would have to compromise their entire identity. They could all still be artists. All able to live fully.But as the four of them navigate their new home and welcome their daughter, August, into the world, their relationships start to tilt. On the night of the hotel's grand opening, what's meant to be an evening of celebration turns into a nightmare as August goes missing.Soon the parents turn on each other. And then the world turns on them.Four Terrible Parents is a story of love, jealousy and the curse of trying to have it all.

What happens when the dream of starting your own family turns into a nightmare?Valentine and Raul have been touring in their indie-sleaze band SEZME since their college days, but as they enter their early forties priorities change. It's time to move out of Berlin and start settling down. Raul is ready to marry his partner, Banner, and Valentine wants to start a family with her on-and-off-again partner, Linh, but she isn't quite ready to let go of the band.Determined to piece together the perfect life with the band and a family, Valetine begins planning, and when she inherits the crumbling Southern gothic hotel she grew up in from her late father, it feels like fate. Convincing Raul, Banner and Linh to join her in renovating the hotel, she begins to dream up a queer family life together after facing a homophobic upbringing. But as the four of them navigate their new life and welcome a daughter, August, their relationships start to sour. On the night of the hotel's grand opening, what's meant to be an evening of celebration turns into a nightmare as August goes missing.Stylish, twisty and laced with dark humour, Four Terrible Parents is a story of power, love, responsibility and what happens when parents turn on each other. And then the world turns on them.

'Witty, incisive and beautifully plotted . . . a vivid, breathless tale of art, love, family and murder' Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of, The Blue Hour'Incredibly charming, fun and relentlessly whipsmart . . . Brilliant' Kim Gordon, singer of Sonic Youth and author of, Girl in a Band'Calla Henkel is unparalleled . . . Sheer perfection' Katy Hays, bestselling author of, The CloistersThey thought with four parents, nothing could go wrong. Once famous, indie-sleaze rock stars Valentine and Raul are now in their forties and their priorities are shifting. Valentine wants a family with her on-and-off partner Linh. Raul wants to marry his boyfriend Banner. They both know it's time to get out of Berlin, but Valentine, who wants it all - doesn't want to let their band go.When Valentine's father dies, she inherits a Southern gothic hotel and it feels like fate. Val convinces Raul, Banner and Linh, to move to South Carolina to renovate the crumbling and possibly haunted hotel. There they will build an alternative family and raise a child together. With four parents, no one would have to compromise their entire identity. They could all still be artists. All able to live fully.But as the four of them navigate their new home and welcome their daughter, August, into the world, their relationships start to tilt. On the night of the hotel's grand opening, what's meant to be an evening of celebration turns into a nightmare as August goes missing.Soon the parents turn on each other. And then the world turns on them.Four Terrible Parents is a story of love, jealousy and the curse of trying to have it all.

'A sparkling debut...this is a very good plot-driven thriller dressed in a glittery jumpsuit.' GUARDIAN'I couldn't stop turning the pages . . . a debut you won't want to miss' MEGAN ABBOTT'A wild, energetic gem of a novel' DAILY MAIL Intoxicating, compulsive and blackly funny, Other People's Clothes is the thrilling novel from Berlin-based American artist Calla Henkel.2009. Berlin.Two art students arrive from New York, both desperate for the city to solve their problems.Zoe is grieving for her high school best friend, murdered months before in her hometown in Florida.Hailey is rich, obsessed with the exploits of Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears and wants to be a Warholian legend.Together they rent a once-magnificent apartment from eccentric crime writer Beatrice Becks. With little to fill their time, they spend their nights twisting through Berlin's club scene and their days hungover. Soon inexplicable things start happening in the apartment and the two friends suspect they are being watched by Beatrice. Convinced that their landlord is using their lives as inspiration for her next thriller novel, they decide to beat her at her own game. The girls start hosting wild parties in the flat and quickly gain notoriety, with everyone clamouring for an invite to 'Beatrice's.' But ultimately they find themselves unable to control the narrative and it spirals into much darker territory . . .'Thrilling' Cosmopolitan'Full of delicious layers . . . I felt drunk reading it.' Emma Jane Unsworth'Other People's Clothes feels like reading a thriller by your most acerbic friend' Rowan Hisayo Buchanan