Matthieu Peck
Descent to Bahia
Forthcoming: November, 2026
A young journalist, Martin Reger, leaves Paris for Bahia, Brazil, to write an article about his friend, the artist, Pol Taburet. Part travel journal, part art world diary, Descent to Bahia follows Martin as he wanders from the painter’s studio, through the streets of Salvador, to the jungle. Blending humour with a precise sense of critique, Martin cynically observes tourists, press trips, and the contemporary art market that surrounds him. Descent to Bahia is a subtle sketch of a down-and-out man who, through adventure and camaraderie, comes back to life and finds freedom. With his third novel, Peck confirms his talent as one of the eminent French writers of his generation.
Author
Matthieu Peck (b. 1989) is a French writer whose novels include Déjà les mouches (Gallimard, 2023) and Trismus (Bartillat, 2019), as well as shorter works including novellas and short stories.Originally published by Gallimard in 2025, Descent to Bahia is his third novel.
Translator
Shaun Whiteside’s translations from French include the novels Serotonin and Annihilation by Michel Houellebecq, as well as works by Georges Simenon, Pierre Bourdieu, Jean-Philippe Toussaint, Amélie Nothomb and Laurent Mauvignier. He has also translated for numerous art publications across Europe and in the United States. He lives in London.
Endorsements
"Matthieu Peck is a stylist. His novel unsettles the senses."
—Le Figaro Magazine
"A sheer pleasure to read. That is to say: style."
—La Règle du Jeu
"A very fine novel of atmosphere."
—Benzine Magazine
"A great achievement"
—Zone Critique
"Matthieu Peck is cruel. His style is concise, compressed, lapidary."
—Libération on Déjà Les Mouches by Matthieu Peck
Original
French, Descente à Bahia, Gallimard, 2025
Specifications
110 × 170 mm
Paperback
ISBN
978-1-917913-07-2
Release
October, 2026