The life of Elisabeth, a middle-aged scientist living on the fourth floor of a high-rise building in a suburb of Paris, and her husband Pierre, a professor of mathematics, changes one evening when they are invited to a party at their home. Jean-Lino, Elisabeth's upstairs neighbor whom she had recently befriended, knocks on their door later that night and confesses to the murder of his beloved wife. With this news, Elizabeth's daily life is disrupted and she suddenly finds herself in the middle of a series of strange events.

Yasmina Reza, who has made a name for herself with her plays and novels, and who was awarded the 2016 Renaudot Prize for her book Babel, examines the human condition, city life, alienation, and knotted relationships with an absurdism typical of Camus, and explores the tragic as well as the ridiculous aspects of our existence.

"This time Yasmina Reza uses the detective narrative to make a funny and profound investigation into our ordinary existence."

Le Monde

"In this novel, which highlights the comic side of a dark event, Reza shows us how powerful his pen is as a dramatic writer."

The Sunday Times (UK)