Chris De Stoop
The Book of Daniel (Het Boek Daniel)
Belgium
BOOK
In a remote region on the Belgian-French border, a farmhouse burns down, and the charred remains of an 84-year-old farmer are found on site. In the following weeks, a group of young men are arrested—because old Daniel did not die in the fire, but was brutally beaten to death. The perpetrators are caught, and Daniel’s nephew Chris agrees to represent the family in court. He believes it is essential to restore the dignity his uncle lost through this act of violence. As he follows his uncle’s footsteps through space and time, he also ventures into the lives of the young perpetrators—residents of an impoverished region plagued by unemployment and drug use—in an effort to understand where such brutality could come from.
Published by Argo, 2025
AUTHOR
© Lenny Oosterwijk – afgekocht
Flemish journalist and author Chris de Stoop (*1958) studied German studies and media studies at the University of Leuven and worked as an investigative reporter for over 30 years. He is the author of 14 books spanning fiction, non-fiction, and works that blur the line between genres. He became widely known after spending a year undercover investigating an international white slavery network. His findings were published in his debut book Ze zijn zo lief, meneer (They Are So Sweet, Sir, 1992), which sparked investigations into human trafficking in several countries including Belgium and led to new legislation.
TRANSLATION
Veronika ter Harmsel Havlíková
