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The Usual Desire to Kill: A Novel

Hardcover
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Notes From Your Bookseller

Our favorite book families tend to be delightfully dysfunctional, and there’s no one quite like this one. With two sisters, a pair of aging parents and barn animals aplenty, The Usual Desire to Kill is a quirky and heartfelt novel that reminds readers our parents had lives before us.

A “droll, psychologically astute…unexpected…very funny” (Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air) and moving portrait of a long-married couple, seen through the eyes of their wickedly observant daughter.

Miranda’s parents live in a dilapidated house in rural France that they share with two llamas, eight ducks, five chickens, two cats, and a freezer full of decades-old food.

Miranda’s father is a retired professor of philosophy who never loses an argument. Miranda’s mother likes to bring conversati...

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