Literature and Fiction · Hardback

The Middle Man

Norwegian title: Mellommannen

Lars Saabye Christensen

The Middle Man is a dark and humorous satire taking place in the small American town called Karmack. After a series of accidents and deaths, the small town’s own “commission” – consisting of a sheriff, a doctor and a priest – decides to hire a “middle man”. A person in charge of informing family and relatives when an accident occurs.

Frank Farrelli is a quiet and sane guy who is seemingly perfect for the job. He undertakes his new duties with enthusiasm and quickly becomes the town’s messenger for bad news. But the pressure from his new job as well as a new thriving romantic connection overwhelms Frank. To ease the burden, he calls in a ‘service’ that ends in a murder, and Frank finds himself stuck in a vicious circle where he is not only the guy who brings bad news, but also the one making them