Overview

“An act of intricate, puzzle-minded fabulism. Part Italo Calvino and part Ed McBain.”—Jim Lewis, Author of New York Times Notable Book Ghosts of New York “[A] playful literary mystery . . . Fans of Anthony Horowitz will find a lot to like.” —Publishers Weekly A clever, electrifying puzzle of a novel, inspired by MC Escher’s optical illusions, in which two mirrored plots —a man waiting for an electrician and a mafia informant entering witness protection— delightfully converge. Franz Escher is waiting for the electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. To pass the time, he buries himself in a book about a Mafioso-turned-informant Elio Russo. Elio is in jail, awaiting his imminent release into witness protection. He has betrayed so many people that he fears for his life. Unable to sleep, he lies awake at night reading a book about a man named Franz Escher who's waiting for the electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. . . So begins Wolf Haas’s Short Circuit, an inventive new take on the detective novel. Styled after one of M. C. Escher’s impossible drawings, its two stories gradually intertwine only to solve each other, culminating in one final short circuit. A phenomenon after its German publication, this brilliantly entertaining novel promises to defy all expectation.

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9780063469167

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Reviews

Short Circuit is incredibly easy to read, as entertaining as a well-oiled thriller, yet so sophisticated that it will dazzle you . . . an absolute must-read. — Die Zeit Short Circuit is a little demonic machine, a hall-of-mirrors contraption that slowly converges upon its twin subjects until they fuse, in an act of intricate, puzzle-minded fabulism. Part Italo Calvino and part Ed McBain, it eventually becomes genreless, a conceit and a curiosity, singular and inimitable. — Jim Lewis, Author of New York Times Notable Book Ghosts of New York Highly entertaining. But it’s not just one book; it’s at least three in one, all of which are highly enjoyable. He plays cleverly with form and structure—not just as a gimmick but as a fundamental part of the story. Wolf Haas has mastered the rules of writing so completely that he can just as easily ignore them.” — Der Spiegel A novel so rich in allusions, enjoyable, and cleverly constructed that only Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, and Roberto Bolaño could otherwise achieve. — Welt am Sonntag

Short Circuit is a little demonic machine, a hall-of-mirrors contraption that slowly converges upon its twin subjects until they fuse, in an act of intricate, puzzle-minded fabulism. Part Italo Calvino and part Ed McBain, it eventually becomes genreless, a conceit and a curiosity, singular and inimitable. — Jim Lewis, Author of New York Times Notable Book Ghosts of New York Drawing inspiration from M.C. Escher’s mind-bending graphic art, Haas toys with literary conventions including double identities and problems of translation to dazzling effect . . . a clever, wryly funny ride enhanced by a memorable supporting cast . . . Fans of Anthony Horowitz will find a lot to like. — Publishers Weekly Short Circuit is incredibly easy to read, as entertaining as a well-oiled thriller, yet so sophisticated that it will dazzle you . . . an absolute must-read. — Die Zeit Highly entertaining. But it’s not just one book; it’s at least three in one, all of which are highly enjoyable. He plays cleverly with form and structure—not just as a gimmick but as a fundamental part of the story. Wolf Haas has mastered the rules of writing so completely that he can just as easily ignore them.” — Der Spiegel A novel so rich in allusions, enjoyable, and cleverly constructed that only Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, and Roberto Bolaño could otherwise achieve. — Welt am Sonntag

Short Circuit is a little demonic machine, a hall-of-mirrors contraption that slowly converges upon its twin subjects until they fuse, in an act of intricate, puzzle-minded fabulism. Part Italo Calvino and part Ed McBain, it eventually becomes genreless, a conceit and a curiosity, singular and inimitable. — Jim Lewis, Author of New York Times Notable Book Ghosts of New York Drawing inspiration from M.C. Escher’s mind-bending graphic art, Haas toys with literary conventions including double identities and problems of translation to dazzling effect . . . a clever, wryly funny ride enhanced by a memorable supporting cast . . . Fans of Anthony Horowitz will find a lot to like. — Publishers Weekly Inspired by M. C. Escher’s mind-bending drawings, two apparently independent narratives intertwine in playful and poignant fashion in this literary mystery . . . Haas keeps readers guessing . . . [with Short Circuit's] high-concept narrative . . . flickering between moments of whimsy and pathos. — Booklist Short Circuit is incredibly easy to read, as entertaining as a well-oiled thriller, yet so sophisticated that it will dazzle you . . . an absolute must-read. — Die Zeit Highly entertaining. But it’s not just one book; it’s at least three in one, all of which are highly enjoyable. He plays cleverly with form and structure—not just as a gimmick but as a fundamental part of the story. Wolf Haas has mastered the rules of writing so completely that he can just as easily ignore them.” — Der Spiegel A novel so rich in allusions, enjoyable, and cleverly constructed that only Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, and Roberto Bolaño could otherwise achieve. — Welt am Sonntag

Author Information

Martin Suter is a writer, columnist and screenwriter. Until 1991 he worked as a creative director in advertising, before deciding to focus exclusively on writing. His novels have enjoyed huge international success. He has also written screenplays for film and television, and several of his novels have been made into films. Martin lives in Zurich with his family.

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