The Sense of an Ending (2011)

The Sense of an Ending is a short novel narrated by a retired, divorced man named Tony Webster. Its first part sees him recalling a series of incidents from his schooldays, largely concerning his group of intellectual / pretentious friends, of which the most significant is the newcomer Adrian. Eventually the two head off to separate universities where Tony has a short, unsatisfying relationship with a girl called Veronica, which involves an awkward visit to her family, and a meeting with his schoolfriends in London. Towards the end of his degree, he finds out that Adrian is dating Veronica. Not long afterwards, he finds out that Adrian has committed suicide, with a letter to the coroner citing philosophical reasons, which Tony admires.