The Black Signs

A gravel path stops at the doorstep of an extraordinary house. From cellar to attic the building is crammed with piles of what appear to be signs, memorial plaques dedicated to inconsequential, horrible or forgotten events – documentation of a hidden reality – a project no one has ever witnessed the likes of before. A solicitor who has been engaged to handle the estate comes across a protocol containing passionate letters to a dear friend. Stuck in between the letters he also finds
remnants of a catalogue listing nigh on eight million items – relics and collectors’ objects from the history of modern art. Each item has been auctioned. The solicitor reads, and soon an incredible story starts to unfold.

Nominated for the Young People's Critics' Prize 2013

Critical acclaim:

"I praised Finborud's debut when it was published this spring, and I'm still full of praise. Here we meet among others a fairly eccentric grandmother, two young men, millions of black signs, jutegnask from the history of art and a lawyer who tries to weave this mess into a story"
Thea Urdal, Books of the year 2013, Dagsavisen

«This is a literary debut different from all the others and I am impressed and at the same time wondering if he is fucking us up? The Black Signs is a novel that involves the reader and offers no straight answers. It is very original and highly welcome! I want more!»
Aftenposten

"An unusually powerful first novel"
Morgenbladet

"Lars Mørch Finborud introduces himself with a bang, with this absurd and cunning first novel."
Dagbladet

"Finborud keeps the steam up with baroque prose, humour and horror mysteries"
Klassekampen

"He paints a story so quaint, absurd and tragicomic that you can't help hoping that Finborud will write more - and do so quickly"
Dagsavisen

"an unusual and entertaining debut"
VG

"a fascinatingly unusual novel"
Stavanger Aftenblad

Foreign sales:

UK/Europe, Broken Dimanche Press