Taking a break from the nihilistic works of Margaret Atwood and Michel Houellebecq, we will read a contemporary novel called Night Work by Thomas Glavinic. Set in Vienna (the author is Austrian), Night Work follows the routine of Jonas, a young professional who wakes up one morning to discover that he may be the last living being on earth. Setting off across Europe in search of his girlfriend or any sign of life, Jonas's harrowing expedition is a dark reflection of man's private journey. A fast-paced, psychological thriller exploring the darkness within us all, Night Work explores issues of paranoia, madness, and fear.

Here's what the Independent of London said:

"Confronted with Thomas Glavinic's marvellously convincing urban landscapes, entirely devoid of people, you're as likely to be reminded of Giorgio de Chirico's paintings of sun-drenched empty squares, flags fluttering silently in the 'occasional puff of wind'...With its emphasis on doubles and its focus on the familiar world defamiliarised, Night Work functions both as an outstanding fictionalisation of Freud's essay 'The Uncanny', and as a superior literary thriller packed with invention and suspense."