The Hole
Published on 28. March 2001
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-0-552-99900-7 (ISBN)
Description
It was the end of term at Our Glorious School. Most of the pupils were preparing to return home; some were going away on a geography field trip. But for five members of the sixth form, it sounded more fun to embark upon what their friend and mentor Martyn called 'an experiment with real life' - to spend three days together in The Hole, a windowless cellar room in an unfrequented part of the school buildings. Martyn was to lock them in, and in three days he would come and let them out again.
At first, it all seemed quite a laugh - eating and drinking, jokes and banter. Solid Mike and dependable Liz, Geoff with his secret supplies of booze, irritating Frankie and delicate Alex - what a story they would have to tell when Martyn came to release them! How surprised and admiring their friends would be!
But three days passed, and Martyn did not return...
The Hole is a dark and menacing first novel, written when the author was still at school. Compulsive and claustrophobic in quality, it has been compared to John Fowles's The Collector.
At first, it all seemed quite a laugh - eating and drinking, jokes and banter. Solid Mike and dependable Liz, Geoff with his secret supplies of booze, irritating Frankie and delicate Alex - what a story they would have to tell when Martyn came to release them! How surprised and admiring their friends would be!
But three days passed, and Martyn did not return...
The Hole is a dark and menacing first novel, written when the author was still at school. Compulsive and claustrophobic in quality, it has been compared to John Fowles's The Collector.
Reviews / Votes
'Gripping stuff...An impressive debut' * Time Out * 'Compulsively sinister' * The Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
195 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-552-99900-7 (9780552999007)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Guy Burt wrote his first novel, After the Hole (now filmed as The Hole) when he was still at school, and his second, Sophie, soon afterwards. They are both published by Black Swan, as is his third novel, The Dandelion Clock. After gaining a first in English at Oxford, he taught for three years at Eton. He now lives in London, where he is working both on a new novel and on several drama commissions for cinema and television. His first play for television, The Visitor, was recently shown on Channel 4.