The plot and style of this novella are very similar to Death and the Penguin. The main character, a thirty year old unemployed male whose wife has just left him, decides to contract a hit-man to kill him. He changes his mind when his life, suddenly, improves, but then he fells that he cannot cancel the killing... The narrator is the main character, a man with flat feelings, and no many hobbies or friends, who spends his time drinking coffee in a small cafe and whose life is dictated by his relationship with women much more interesting that himself. This is an easy, uncomplicated book, which nevertheless makes reference (very lightly) to a couple of important moral issues. ( )

Kurkov is a fantastic author. He writes so concisely and yet his novels are so visual. He sets up bizarre situations that appear plausible. Very dark and very funny. ( )

Novella by a great Ukrainian writer whose starting to get his books translated into English. I read the first one, Death And The Penguin, last year and highly recommend it. Oddly, I saw the movie version of this book (A Friend Of The Deceased) years ago at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and when I picked up this book, the story seemed familiar (depressed cuckold in Kiev doesn’t have the nerve to commit suicide, so he hires a contract killer to kill him. Then, life gets better and he changes his mind. Black comedy ensues). I double-checked, and yep, same guy. In fact, Kurkov wrote the screenplay for the film version. I recommend both (though be warned, the film version is pretty slow). ( )