The Dinner Party
'Tender, astonishing and unflinching' (Lucy Rose)
Published on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-0354-2988-2 (ISBN)
Description
'A profoundly confronting novel which consumed me whole... tender, astonishing and unflinching'
Lucy Rose, author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Lamb
I remember everything that happened in those three minutes at the beginning of the evening, him and me in the kitchen. That, and what happened at the end: the knife, and what I did with it.
Franca left the Netherlands behind to start her new life in England with Andrew. Andrew, whose parents lived in South Kensington but had a flat their son could 'borrow' nearby. Andrew, an old-fashioned British gentleman, who encourages her not to work but to instead focus on her writing. Andrew who suggests a dinner party with his colleagues to celebrate their big upcoming launch. A dinner party that Franca must plan and shop and cook and clean for. A dinner party during a heatwave, when the fridge breaks, alcohol replaces water and an unexpected guest joins their ranks. A dinner party where everything she once was and everything she now is comes together and she feels like she might implode.
Lucy Rose, author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Lamb
I remember everything that happened in those three minutes at the beginning of the evening, him and me in the kitchen. That, and what happened at the end: the knife, and what I did with it.
Franca left the Netherlands behind to start her new life in England with Andrew. Andrew, whose parents lived in South Kensington but had a flat their son could 'borrow' nearby. Andrew, an old-fashioned British gentleman, who encourages her not to work but to instead focus on her writing. Andrew who suggests a dinner party with his colleagues to celebrate their big upcoming launch. A dinner party that Franca must plan and shop and cook and clean for. A dinner party during a heatwave, when the fridge breaks, alcohol replaces water and an unexpected guest joins their ranks. A dinner party where everything she once was and everything she now is comes together and she feels like she might implode.
Reviews / Votes
'This formidable debut offers plenty to savour . . . There are echoes here of Natasha Brown's astonishing debut Assembly, as well as Olivia Sudjic's Asylum Road' GUARDIAN What could have operated as a simple comedy of errors full of broken fridges, pompous guests and a wayward kitten, is revealed as something both far darker and more deeply emotionally compelling. A blistering debut * MARIE CLAIRE * Revels in exposing what lies beneath * IRISH TIMES * Beautifully written and brilliant on loneliness, grief and violence. Compelling * DAILY MAIL * A powerful, provocative study of female rage unleashed. Franca's intoxicating tale is often darkly funny despite the subject matter * THE SCOTSMAN * 'A tense, provocative debut' MAIL ON SUNDAY An unflinching read * THE MIRROR * 'The Dinner Party is a profoundly confronting novel which consumed me whole. It's tender, astonishing, and unflinching, and a deeply moving portrayal of experiencing sexual trauma in the domestic. Warning, dear reader, side effects may including utter speechlessness, a deep sinking feeling, and staring at walls for prolonged periods upon turning its final pages' -- LUCY ROSE, author of The Lamb 'An intimate, provocative, and irresistible debut. I was mesmerised' -- JAMIE ATTENBERG, author of The Middlesteins 'A mesmerising debut that will make you laugh and cry' NAOMI KELSEY, author of The Burnings 'The Dinner Party is relentlessly engrossing and seething with suspense from the first to the very last word' CHARLOTTE PARADISE, author of Overspill 'Raw, compassionate, and compelling - what a beautiful world we live in where a book can be messy and tender all at once' LIT HUB 'A slow-burn, time-shifting, suspenseful thriller . . . Tense and compelling' BOOKLIST 'A powerful, provocative and confronting study of female rage unleashed' WOMAN'S WAYMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Headline Publishing Group
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
N/A
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
226 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0354-2988-2 (9781035429882)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
11/2025
Tinder Press
€7.99
Available for download
Person
Viola van de Sandt has degrees in journalism, comparative literature and English literature from King's College, London. A draft of a previous novel was longlisted in the 2019 Mslexia novel competition. She lives in the Netherlands.