Smoking Kills

Smoking Kills

Smoking Kills by Antoine Laurain, translated by Louise Rogers Lalaurie, is a witty Parisian black comedy that turns an unusual smoking habit into an increasingly absurd descent into crime. When headhunter Fabrice Valantine is forced to confront a workplace smoking ban, he tries hypnotherapy to break his addiction.

The treatment initially works, but after a missed promotion and mounting stress, Fabrice starts smoking again—only to discover that cigarettes no longer provide the pleasure they once did. Then an accidental death changes everything. Fabrice discovers that smoking feels extraordinarily satisfying after committing a crime, leading him down an increasingly bizarre path of murder and transgression.

About This Book

Smoking Kills is a darkly comic crime novel about addiction, desire and the lengths people may go to in pursuit of pleasure. As Fabrice becomes increasingly committed to his strange new relationship between smoking and murder, the story combines absurd situations, crime and Parisian humour with deeper questions about fulfilment and happiness.

What You'll Discover

• Fabrice Valantine's bizarre journey from smoker to unlikely criminal
• A darkly humorous exploration of smoking and addiction
• An increasingly inventive series of crimes and murder methods
• Parisian black comedy blended with crime fiction
• Questions about pleasure, fulfilment and personal freedom
• The unexpected consequences of trying to reclaim a lost sense of enjoyment

Who Is This Book For?

• Readers who enjoy black comedy and dark humour
• Fans of cozy crime with an unconventional twist
• Readers interested in witty French and Parisian fiction
• Fans of unusual crime stories and morally complicated characters
• Readers who enjoy stories exploring addiction, desire and human behaviour

Why You'll Love This Book

Smoking Kills combines an outrageous crime premise with sharp humour and an unmistakably French sense of irony. Antoine Laurain turns Fabrice's obsession into a darkly entertaining exploration of addiction, transgression and the lengths people can go to in search of pleasure.