"A puzzle that is in itself addictive. Even after the second or third reading, the suspense remains. Is it possible to write a novel that conjures up hermeneutic wizardry from the craziest nonsense? In Wolf Haas’ case, the answer is yes." - NZZ
"After just a few pages in Loose Connection, Wolf Haas forms an electrical circuit between two novels and his protagonists. Since the author of this experiment is Wolf Haas, you can expect a very pleasurable read from the first page. He’s like Stephen King with a touch of Viennese disparagement." - Süddeutsche Zeitung
"Highly entertaining. But it’s not just one book; it’s at least three in one, all of which are highly enjoyable. He cleverly plays with form and structure – not just as a gimmick but as a fundamental part of the story. Wolf Haas has mastered the rules of writing so completely that he can just as easily ignore them." - Der Spiegel
"A sophisticated meshing of interrelated storylines. The novel is brilliantly convincing thanks to the device of separating the two parts from each other before they rapidly converge." - FAZ
A power outlet.
A funeral speaker.
A mafioso.
A true Wolf Haas.
Flying sparks and high tension until the final short circuit.
Franz Escher is waiting for an electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. To pass the time, he reads a book about key mafia witness Elio Russo. Elio is in jail awaiting release. He has betrayed so many people that he fears for his life. Unable to sleep, he lies awake at night reading. The book in his hands is about a man called Franz Escher who’s waiting for an electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. Wolf Haas’ new novel sets off narrative fireworks: what begins as two straightforward lives involving a deceased handyman, family issues, and a slew of unaired secrets becomes an electrifying show of sparks culminating in the ultimate short circuit.