Forgetfulness

“A masterfully realized addition to the modern literature of the conflicted shadow world, worthy to be shelved alongside Graham Greene and John le Carré.” —Los Angeles Times

Named One of the Best Books of the Year—The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times

Thomas Railles, an American expatriate and former “odd-jobber” for the CIA, is a successful painter living with his beloved wife, Florette, in a small village in the Pyrenees. On an ordinary autumn day, Florette goes for a walk in the hills and is killed by unknown assailants. Was her death simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was it somehow connected to Thomas’s work with the CIA? When French officials detain four Moroccan terrorists and charge them with Florette’s murder, Thomas is invited by his boyhood friend (and former agency handler) Bernhard to witness the interrogation. Thomas’s search for answers in this shadow world will lead him to a confrontation that will change him forever.

“One of Just’s best novels. Forgetfulness is a wonderful addition to his distinctive and distinguished body of work.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A master at blending the personal and political . . . rich in details, atmosphere, and moral ambiguities.” —USA Today

“This is suspense of the highest order.” —Atlantic Monthly

“An intellectual and emotional marvel of a book.” —The Boston Globe

“Many of our best writers, from John Updike to Ian McEwan, are grappling with 9/eleven and its fallout; Just’s take may be the best yet.” —Entertainment Weekly