The Usual Desire to Kill: A Novel Given my mother meant to name

my mother meant to name me for her favorite flower

and the visitor

make myself the dark queen of the world

he recognizes his own power and strength from within

The Usual Desire to Kill: A Novel Given my mother meant to nameAn often hilarious, surprisingly moving portrait of a long married couple, seen through the eyes of their wickedly observant daughterfor fans of A Man Called Ove and The Royal Tenenbaums. Mirandas 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 1983. Mirandas father is a retired professor of philosophy who never loses an argument.