Almost Nothing Happened

An irresistible coming-of-age YA from the inimitable Meg Rosoff, this is the tale of 48 chaotic and unforgettable hours in the heat of the scorching Parisian sun. With his train home set to leave in a matter of minutes, Callum is forced to confront an unfortunate truth: that his summer abroad in Paris was a disappointing, unmemorable failure of a trip. There was no teenage adventure, no summer fling, and his French-speaking skills didn't even improve. Going home after having accomplished so little would be bad enough too, without the many foreboding missed calls from his dad. So after a panic attack in the toilets jeopardises Callum's chances of catching the train back, he instead decides to stay in Paris to try and salvage the summer. It's the hottest weekend in France's history, however, and a curfew has been placed on the city. In need of a place to stay, Callum seeks out his estranged cousin and concert oboist, Harrison. Things go south after one of Harrison's shows, when his prized oboe is stolen just after a conversation with suspicious oboe super-fan Arnaud and his step-sister, the alluring but enigmatic Lilou. Callum finds Lilou outside the venue, who offers him a choice: stick with Harrison and the remains of his failed trip, or come with her in search of Arnaud, into the heat of the scorching hot streets of Paris. From bestselling, award-winning author Meg Rosoff comes a hilariously chaotic novel of heartbreak, mystery, adventure, and thievery.