Reflecting the Sun

Sample translation by Anthea Bell available

Harford and Lena saw him early in the morning: the strange man standing in the shade of a tree on the other side of the road, staring across at their house. Unnerved, Harford crosses the road a few hours later to ask the man what he wants. But there’s no reaction. His gaze remains fixed on the windows of the house. Even the police who are called in to help fail to persuade the stranger to move. He stays there – all evening, all night. Finally, the moment comes when Harford realises how he can get rid of the man for good ...

In eight cryptic, profoundly touching stories, Jan Costin Wagner demonstrates what he’s best at: capturing in filmic detail precise, visually powerful scenes, and writing succinct, potent dialogues. And with his analytically cool but simultaneously warm-hearted narrative tone, the plot develops a magnetism that keeps readers riveted right up to the last page.

Love, death, grief, powerlessness and guilt – Jan Costin Wagner’s stories take your breath away and resonate for a long time after