"Empathetic... intimate... Barnes explores long marriage, sibling rivalry, truths behind shifting memories, and family secrets as well as examining the decisions people make in life, the long-term effects of those decisions, and how well one truly knows the people they love." --Booklist, STARRED review

"Playwright Barnes combines humor with pathos in her heart-wrenching debut...the genius of the novel lies in the ways Barnes highlights how parents can never be fully known to their children, no matter how observant their children are... An unforgettable story about the limits of judging others." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"I love nothing more than reading about eccentric families, and the family in The Usual Desire to Kill is just that. Miranda and her sister work to uncover the true story of their parents' marriage, only to have their brilliant, quirky mother and father deflect them at every turn. Barnes has written a witty, moving novel about characters who, even when they seem incapable of speaking honestly, are worth listening to nonetheless." --Ann Napolitano, author of Hello Beautiful and Dear Edward

"Hilarious and heartbreaking, packed with acute and painfully funny observations about relationships and family dynamics. Barnes's dialogue is pitch-perfect, and her characters dance off the page and straight into your heart. Mum and Dad are magnificent creations, eccentric and endearing, both instantly recognizable and utterly singular." --Monica Ali, author of Love Marriage and Brick Lane

"In The Usual Desire to Kill, Camilla Barnes deftly deciphers the secret language of one family, often with deeply funny and knowing results. I loved spending time in the very specific, complicated, and memorable world of this novel." --Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion and The Wife