Flesh-hungry book shoppers get in early for a taste at Hannibal the cannibal’s human restaurant

Waterstone’s turned shoppers into literal consumers recently to mark the release of Thomas Harris’ fourth novel about bonkers cannibal genius Hannibal Lecter.

On the day of Hannibal Rising’s release the book shop’s flagship store became Hannibal’s Brasserie, opened by Dr Lecter “himself”.

Fans of Harris’ infamous antihero swarmed in at 7.30am to feast on Benedict’s brains, spiked eyeballs and blood orange juice. The first 200 “cannibals” to buy the book also received a limited edition plate branded with the Hannibal’s Brasserie logo, presumably so that they can eat bits of people that annoy them, á la Hannibal in the book.

The Diary is now hungry.