The Book of Hidden Things

From "one of the most significant figures of the last generation of fantasy" comes Francesco Dimitri's debut novel in English, an enthralling and seductive fantasy following four old friends and the secrets they keep.

Four friends have a pact: to meet up on the same day every year in their small hometown in southern Italy. Art, the charismatic leader of the group, has always been adamant about the pact. But this year, he doesn't show up. Searching for him, the friends make a worrying discovery: Art has been farming marijuana, a very dangerous activity in mafia-controlled country. Asking around in town, they hear bizarre and incredible rumours that Art cured a young girl of leukemia. And then, amongst the chaos of his house, they find a curious manuscript written by Art called The Book of Hidden Things, which promises to reveal secrets enchanting as flames, and just as treacherous...

"An affecting fable of friendship, magic and nostalgia." The Guardian

"In lesser hands, this blend of detective story, organized crime thriller, and supernatural investigation would feel like a grab bag of plot devices, but Dimitri has created a thrilling spectacle that also manages to point poignantly at the way the landscapes we grow up in shape us in ways even beyond our understanding. A deeply felt look at the idea of home." - Kirkus Reviews

"An evocative meditation on friendship, adulthood, and the liminal spaces that lie just outside human perception." Publishers Weekly

"A mystifying exploration of unbelief and faith, Francesco Dimitri's The Book of Hidden Things dazzles with portraits of men at a crossroads... Skillfully touches on the deepest vulnerabilities in characters who evolve into sharper versions of themselves...Challenges the limits of rationality. Here, mysteries aren't riddles to solve, but answers that lie within reach." --Foreword Reviews

"Beautifully written, Dimitri has produced an enlightening and thrilling story that succeeds at every turn. His insightful observations of how our early memories and interpersonal relationships help shape our adult lives is remarkably poignant. The Book of Hidden Things is an absorbing story that defines how we look at home. It s a story filled with twists and turns that will most certainly entertain, terrify, and captivate." New York Journal of Books

"The Book of Hidden Things shows us that memories are stories that refuse to belong only to the past. Such stories can create places that are both wonderful and dangerous; whether we believe in them or not is up to us." - Aliya Whiteley, author of The Beauty

"Glorious! This sun-drenched fantasy is a feast for the senses, reflecting on the value of friendship and what it means to finally grow up. If you loved the Neil Gaiman's Ocean at the End of the Lane, this book is for you." - Helen Marshall, author of Gifts for the One Who Comes After

"The Book of Hidden Things is both a mystery and a map. Follow the clues along the trail in Francesco Dimtri's dazzing debut and you'll be ushered into a hidden world of magic. Be prepared to be transformed." - Mark Chadbourn, author of Age of Misrule

"An immersive book, that draws you in and never lets you go. Gripping, ruthless in the way it describes the age of reason, dominated by a mysterious, magical Salento landscape very far from the chocolate box images we are used to. In a word, unmissable." - Licia Troisi, author of Nihal From The Land Of Wind

"Francesco Dimitri's first novel in English is a wonder and a revelation. Hidden within this gripping, frightening story about an arcane manuscript is a deep, clear-eyed, and compassionate meditation on friendship as it evolves over time. The Book of Hidden Things is fantasy at it's best: using magical tropes to illuminate real life." - Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife

"What a joy to have this in English. Francesco Dimitri's fantastic fantasy novel has everything I like. A sensation of damp shadows moving just out of sight, and a slow, joyful, and mysterious unravelling of events. I can't recommend it too highly." --Joe R. Lansdale, author of The Thicket

© 2020 W. F. Howes Ltd (Audiobook): 9781528886048
© 2018 Titan Books (Ebook): 9781785657085

Release date

Audiobook: 13 February 2020
Ebook: 3 July 2018