Aubyn, as social satirist, likes parties: he quickly gets to work on his grinning corpses.

NEWYORKER: Noble Savages

Aubyn or his series, which he's been writing for more than 20 years.

WSJ: Hot Series From Hilary Mantel and Edward St. Aubyn: Do You Need to Read the First One?

Aubyn, and are supposed to be, because the chronicled cruelty of the previous four books cries out to expose their culpable inanities.

NEWYORKER: Noble Savages

It belonged to the St Aubyn family until 1954, when it was given to the National Trust but the family retained responsibility for its management.

BBC: 'Custodian' of St Michael's Mount Lord St Levan dies

Aubyn to Evelyn Waugh and Oscar Wilde (hard not to, when his characters have neon names like David Windfall), he is a colder, more savage writer than either.

NEWYORKER: Noble Savages

Aubyn recently made a splash with the fifth and final book in his Patrick Melrose series, which chronicles 40 years in the life of a dysfunctional, drug abusing British aristocrat.

WSJ: Hot Series From Hilary Mantel and Edward St. Aubyn: Do You Need to Read the First One?

Aubyn to American readers and book critics.

WSJ: Hot Series From Hilary Mantel and Edward St. Aubyn: Do You Need to Read the First One?