First published 2003
Edward plans an elegant dinner party to include his mistress Binny in his social circle. He has invited only his most discreet friends, hoping to give Binny a taste of the intimacies his wife enjoys naturally. Binny has been excluded from the small gestures that matter in a relationship: helping choose gifts for his family, organizing his belongings, meeting his companions. The evening starts awkwardly with delays, and Edward knows he must leave by ten thirty to maintain his cover at home. Just as the dinner begins to flow smoothly, unexpected guests force their way into the apartment. These uninvited visitors prove far more aggressive than anyone anticipated. What began as Edward's attempt to balance his double life becomes something much more dangerous. The careful timing that governs his affair collapses as circumstances spiral beyond his control. Binny finds herself trapped in a situation that exposes the fragility of their hidden relationship.
Genres: fiction, drama, 20th-century, mystery, crime, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: fragile-relationship, unexpected-guests
Period: 20th-century
212 pages · Paperback · Abacus
Content warnings: violence