Sarah Fortune inherited her flat from one of her many lovers. Now a son has appeared claiming it is his, morally if not strictly legally, and he is using illegal means to persuade Sarah to give it up: abusive letters threatening her personal harm.
As it becomes more difficult to ignore these missives, Sarah comes across Henry, a timid, lonely man whose upstairs neighbour is using every trick in the racketeer landlord’s book to make him leave his home: litter in the shared hallway, continual noise, poison set out for his cat. It seems that if they swap accommodation for a while they may be able to deal with each other’s problems.
But these two strangers have unknown connections in common: a well-meaning widow, a struggling therapist, and a man who sets fire to other people’s property for a living . . .
As it becomes more difficult to ignore these missives, Sarah comes across Henry, a timid, lonely man whose upstairs neighbour is using every trick in the racketeer landlord’s book to make him leave his home: litter in the shared hallway, continual noise, poison set out for his cat. It seems that if they swap accommodation for a while they may be able to deal with each other’s problems.
But these two strangers have unknown connections in common: a well-meaning widow, a struggling therapist, and a man who sets fire to other people’s property for a living . . .
Reviews
Fyfield's writing is always elegant and precise, her characters are finely drawn
Fyfield at her best is compelling, disturbing, but always elegant
Undiluted brilliance
Her knowledge of the workings of the human mind - or more correctly the soul - is second to none