The Dancer Upstairs

A Novel

The inspiration for the upcoming movie of the same name produced and directed by John Malkovich, The Dancer Upstairs is a gripping suspense novel based on the search for the leader of Peru’s notorious guerilla organization, the Shining Path.

The rebel leader Ezequiel is responsible for thousands of fiendishly cruel murders; but in August Rejas he has an indefatiguable pursuer. Rejas’s only reprieve is his love for his daughter’s beautiful dance teacher–until he begins to pick up unmistakable signals that her circles–and Ezequiel’s–intersect.

Brilliantly informed by Nicholas Shakespeare’s own dangerous years reporting on the Shining Path, The Dancer Upstairs is reminiscent of Graham Green and John LeCarré, heartbreaking and unusually rich.

“Riveting...an intriguing, well-crafted and powerful novel.”–The Washington Post

“A beautifully crafted tale of love, obsession, and terror.”–The Baltimore Sun

“Enviably good, a genuinely fine novel from a writer who possesses real heart and flair.”–Louis de Bernières, The Sunday Times (London)
NICHOLAS SHAKESPEARE is the author of The Vision of Elena Silves, winner of the Somerset Maugham Award; The High Flyer, for which he was nominated one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 1993; and The Dancer Upstairs, chosen by the American Library Association as the Best Novel of 1997. He grew up in the Far East and South America, and now lives in London. View titles by Nicholas Shakespeare

About

The inspiration for the upcoming movie of the same name produced and directed by John Malkovich, The Dancer Upstairs is a gripping suspense novel based on the search for the leader of Peru’s notorious guerilla organization, the Shining Path.

The rebel leader Ezequiel is responsible for thousands of fiendishly cruel murders; but in August Rejas he has an indefatiguable pursuer. Rejas’s only reprieve is his love for his daughter’s beautiful dance teacher–until he begins to pick up unmistakable signals that her circles–and Ezequiel’s–intersect.

Brilliantly informed by Nicholas Shakespeare’s own dangerous years reporting on the Shining Path, The Dancer Upstairs is reminiscent of Graham Green and John LeCarré, heartbreaking and unusually rich.

“Riveting...an intriguing, well-crafted and powerful novel.”–The Washington Post

“A beautifully crafted tale of love, obsession, and terror.”–The Baltimore Sun

“Enviably good, a genuinely fine novel from a writer who possesses real heart and flair.”–Louis de Bernières, The Sunday Times (London)

Author

NICHOLAS SHAKESPEARE is the author of The Vision of Elena Silves, winner of the Somerset Maugham Award; The High Flyer, for which he was nominated one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 1993; and The Dancer Upstairs, chosen by the American Library Association as the Best Novel of 1997. He grew up in the Far East and South America, and now lives in London. View titles by Nicholas Shakespeare

Books for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Every May we celebrate the rich history and culture of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Browse a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators that we think your students will love. Find our full collection of titles for Higher Education here.

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