“Captivating and entertaining.”—Sololibri

“Alan Gillot tells the universal story of a new beginning.”—La Repubblica

“A novel that shows how when life comes knocking, it cannot be ignored.”—Thriller Nord

Antoine is a script doctor: a high-flying consultant hired to cut the script of a movie before it’s green-lighted. Called to a film set on the Côte d'Azur, he casually cancels the role young hopeful Emma was cast in.

When she confronts him, her words – and actions – impart a few home-truths. Antoine chases after Emma to apologise. Little does he know that from then on, he won’t be able to return to his old colourless life.

At Emma’s side, Antoine embarks on an unexpected journey through a provincial France he’s never seen before, right into the bizarre, exciting world of her eccentric family and the itinerant theatre company she belongs to.

A love story and a road movie, this charming tale proclaims the need to overcome our fears and reach out to others.

Alain Gillot
Alain Gillot is a French journalist, screenwriter, and comic book author. The Penalty Area is his first novel.