The Waiter

Exquisitely observed and wickedly playful, The Waiter is a novel for lovers of food, wine, and of European sensibilities, but also for anyone who spends time in restaurants, on either side of the service.

''Delicious.'' New York Times

''As if The Remains of the Day had been written by Kingsley Amis . . . brilliantly exquisite . . . This book is a meal you won''t want to finish.'' J. Ryan Stradal

''A sly amuse bouche of a novel . . . its atmosphere and observations are deliciously rich.'' Mail on Sunday

Welcome to The Hills, Oslo''s most esteemed restaurant, an institution stewed in tradition and clinging to the faded grandeur of old Europe.

A neurotic waiter tends to the desires of his clientele. Aristocrats and artistes, wealthy widows and roguish entrepreneurs, he observes all their dramas with a wit as sharp as a filleting knife.

At table ten sits the impeccable Mr Graham, impatiently awaiting a special guest. When at last she arrives - young, beautiful, mysterious - she will prove to be a challenging new flavour, threatening both our waiter''s nerves, and the delicately balanced ingredients of the room.