First published 2026
Kristian Hadeland leaves Norway for London in 1985 with dreams of becoming a photographer. The city's vibrant art world captivates him, but ambition consumes his judgment. He makes a terrible bargain, willing to sacrifice anything for career advancement. Success comes at a price he doesn't yet understand. Twenty-four years pass. Kristian has everything he wanted. His photographs hang in a major New York retrospective. Critics praise his work. But his past refuses to stay buried. The consequences of his early choices begin to surface, threatening to destroy the life he built through his dark pact. As his world collapses around him, Kristian must face what he became in pursuit of his dreams. The devil always collects his due.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dark-pact, past-coming-back-to-haunt, pursuit-of-dreams
Setting: London, New York
Period: 1985, 2009
512 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press