Jonathan Coe talks to John Mullan about What a Carve Up! his brilliant gothic satire on 1980s Britain. Michael Pearce, a reclusive novelist, is commissioned to write the biography of the wealthy, and utterly corrupt, Winshaw family. An influential clan at the heart of the British establishment, their reach extends into all areas of public life, from arms dealing, politics and banking, to the popular media and factory farming.
During his research Michael realises they have cast a blight on his life, as they have on the country. In a final, dramatic showdown at the Winshaw's decrepit country estate, a murderous maniac roams the house and the scene is set for their comeuppance …
