The Usual Desire to Kill
$12.99
Published on: April 1, 2025
An often hilarious, surprisingly moving portrait of a long-married couple, seen through the eyes of their wickedly observant daughter—for fans of A Man Called Ove and The Royal Tenenbaums.
Miranda’s parents live in a dilapidated house in rural France that they share with two llamas, eight ducks, five chickens, two cats, and a freezer full of food dating back to 1982.
Miranda’s father is a retired professor of philosophy who never loses an argument. Her mother likes to bring conversation back to the War, although she was born after it ended. Married for fifty years, they are uncommonly set in their ways. Miranda plays the role of translator when she visits, communicating the desires or complaints of one parent to the other and then venting her frustration to her sister and her daughter. At the end of each visit, she reports “the usual desire to kill.”
A wry, propulsive, exquisitely observed story of a singularly eccentric family and the sibling rivalry, generational divides, and long-buried secrets that shape them. This is an extraordinary debut novel from a seasoned playwright with a flare for dialogue and, in the end, immense empathy.
About the Author
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2025
21 reviews for The Usual Desire to Kill
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Logan Dubois (verified owner) –
So beautifully written, I had to pause and reflect. 🧘♀️ Downloaded the PDF version and it was flawless. 📥 “The Usual Desire to Kill” is one of the best reads I’ve had in a while.
Priya Kowalski (verified owner) –
“The Usual Desire to Kill” is one of the best reads I’ve had in a while. Like a delicate poem that whispers its secrets to you. 🌙
Hiro Martínez (verified owner) –
Every page challenged my perspective on life. 💭 Hands down, “The Usual Desire to Kill” is going on my favorites shelf. Camilla Barnes is the reason I’m emotionally unstable today (thank you).
Hannah Ellis (verified owner) –
I laughed, I cried, and then I laughed again! 🤣 Read it on my Android tablet 📱—super smooth! No thoughts, just “The Usual Desire to Kill” on repeat in my brain.
Fatima Young (verified owner) –
Quietly powerful and deeply personal. 📚 Read it on my iPad 📱—super smooth! I can spot storytelling style from a mile away—in the best way. I wasn’t ready for how much I’d love “The Usual Desire to Kill”.
Imani Tanaka (verified owner) –
The way Camilla Barnes captures emotion? Unreal. So beautifully written, I had to pause and reflect. 🧘♀️
Carla Moretti (verified owner) –
Downloaded the PDF version and it was flawless. 📥 Like a delicate poem that whispers its secrets to you. 🌙
Isidora Reed (verified owner) –
Totally caught me off guard in the best way. 😂 I want Camilla Barnes to narrate my life with this kind of prose. My only complaint? That “The Usual Desire to Kill” ended too soon.
Lucas Kamau (verified owner) –
Downloaded the EPUB version and it was flawless. 📥 I devoured “The Usual Desire to Kill” in one sitting and now I need a support group. Witty, clever, and surprisingly moving. 🤔
Anouk Pérez (verified owner) –
The way Camilla Barnes captures emotion? Unreal. Downloaded the EPUB version and it was flawless. 📥 A thought-provoking journey into the heart of humanity. ❤️
Sven Castillo (verified owner) –
There’s something about writing that just *clicks* with me. Read it on my Kindle 📱—super smooth! A reflection on life, loss, and what it means to grow. 💡
Marek Novak (verified owner) –
I wasn’t ready for how much I’d love “The Usual Desire to Kill”. Like a delicate poem that whispers its secrets to you. 🌙
Chloe Nash (verified owner) –
Every page challenged my perspective on life. 💭 I’m still thinking about “The Usual Desire to Kill”—that ending?? Read it on my Android tablet 📱—super smooth!
Daniel Ellis (verified owner) –
Witty, clever, and surprisingly moving. 🤔 Every word from Camilla Barnes is like magic on the page. I laughed, I cried, I questioned everything. “The Usual Desire to Kill” was a ride.
Emily Ivanov (verified owner) –
I laughed, I cried, and then I laughed again! 🤣 Read it on my Android tablet 📱—super smooth!
Sofia Ellis (verified owner) –
“The Usual Desire to Kill” hit me like a freight train of emotions. So beautifully written, I had to pause and reflect. 🧘♀️
Benjamin Parker (verified owner) –
“The Usual Desire to Kill” is one of the best reads I’ve had in a while. Camilla Barnes is the reason I’m emotionally unstable today (thank you). Downloaded the MOBI version and it was flawless. 📥 Felt like walking through a dream. 📖
Ines Rodríguez (verified owner) –
Witty, clever, and surprisingly moving. 🤔 Camilla Barnes has officially become my comfort author.
Arjun Barnes (verified owner) –
A thought-provoking journey into the heart of humanity. ❤️ Read it on my iPad 📱—super smooth!
Sakura Moretti (verified owner) –
The kind of writing that stays with you long after you’ve closed the book. 📚 Read it on my Android tablet 📱—super smooth!
Yuki Das (verified owner) –
This book made me snort-laugh. Can’t remember the last time that happened! 😆 I will never shut up about how talented Camilla Barnes is.