Black Odesa is a satirical thriller set in the world of wine, social media influencers and extremist politics.
Felix Hart, a handsome and morally flexible wine executive, finds himself arrested, fired from his job and penniless. Tempted by the world of online influencing, he teams up with Katja, a glamorous Russian, and they become social media darlings. Sponsorship deals follow, including a luxury propaganda trip courtesy of the Crimean Tourist Board. As they travel through occupied Ukraine, accompanied by a group of grifting minor politicians, conspiracy theorists and wellness influencers, Felix's passion for Katja grows. But the world of social media influencing turns out to be a cursed mirror, and Felix soon finds himself in terrifying jeopardy.
Black Odesa blends the dystopian vision of JG Ballard and Mick Herron with the humour of PG Wodehouse and Chris Brookmyre. The novel is the fifth instalment in the successful Felix Hart series, which began with Corkscrew, now a cult classic on both sides of the Atlantic.
Praise for the Felix Hart Novels
"Stafford-Bow's satires are well-observed, irreverent, ribald and wicked." Simon Woolf
"...page turners full of British wit and general outrageousness..." Eric Annino
"I am now more convinced than ever that Stafford-Bow is one of the finest wine writers of our age." Tamlyn Currin
