The sudden death of showbiz agent Panc creates complications for everyone around him, not least those busy with the organisation of a spectacular gala evening in Utrecht's Tivoli to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of the agency. But narrator Meija is in a particularly complicated situation, having only recently embarked on a secret affair with him. There's every risk that the elegant gala is going to turn into Jerry Springer.

Giphart has fun mocking Dutch celebrity culture, throwing in apt bits of advice from the 17th century Spanish Jesuit Baltasar Gracián in between the pop songs, evening dresses and designer cocktails, but it's hard not to get irritated by his idea of a female narrator — she spends the entire ninety pages talking about men... ( )

It was okay, but not really my taste. Memories of a young woman about a man and the relationship she had with him. Quite explicit from time to time (reminds me of Dutch movies in earlier years) and I do not like that, most of the time. ( )

Dun boekje met dito verhaallijnen, maar vond het boekje wel vermakelijk. ( )