Inhuman Resources by Pierre Lemaitre

"It only takes a couple of seconds for a man to become a maniac."

Alain Delambre, 57-years-old and unemployed for 4 years, is a desperate man. When he receives word that he may finally get an interview for an HR position at a prestigious company, he's totally elated and prepares for the "test" with total focus. He takes extraordinary risks in the days leading up to that big day. He can't stop lying either. The main problem at hand, however, and the issue that his wife objects to, is that this assessment of his qualifications involves a set-up including a staged hostage situation engineered as a pretext of seeing how executives function under stress and pressure. Alain is "in" on the scenario and is willing to do whatever it takes to secure the job. When he discovers that the whole thing is a sham, he goes off the deep end. "The basic ingredients (a sense of humiliation or injustice, extreme loneliness, a weapon and nothing to lose) all resulted in" the cataclysm that occurred at the offsite interview location that day. The events that follow change Alain forever. NO SPOILERS.

This was such a different type of book compared to the others of his that I have read. It's nothing like the serial killer thriller chillers he's written before (ALEX, IRENE, CAMILLE for example). In fact, this is more of a Jonathan Franzen style satirical drama, but I totally enjoyed it despite what I was expecting. The writing is top-notch, translated from French by Sam Gordon, and nothing is lost for that. The action is evenly paced and there is suspense and tension as the reader can't even anticipate what might happen next though it's hard not to feel a great deal of empathy for Alain and his family. Characterization was sublime. The theme of unemployment and how it affects the jobless is definitely at the forefront, but also the notion that work is essential for some to feel alive, to be a whole person. It's not light fare but is very engrossing and I know I'll think about this one for quite some time. I'd love to dissect this in a book club!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacLehose Press Quercus for the e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.