First published 1969
Marise Tomelty fears open spaces and dreads intimacy with her traveling salesman husband. She lives quietly until Ralph Shilling moves into the flat above them. Ralph sells pesticides and keeps to himself. Everything changes when Marise's husband mentions he recognizes Ralph as John Brown, a man who stood trial for a brutal double murder but walked free when evidence proved insufficient. Instead of avoiding Ralph, Marise finds herself drawn to him. The possibility of danger excites her in ways her marriage never has. She encourages his attention, caught between terror and desire. Ralph remains an enigma. Is he truly John Brown the suspected killer, or simply an unfortunate man who resembles someone else? Marise cannot know for certain, yet she continues their dangerous dance. Barker examines how fear and attraction intertwine, how the prospect of violence can awaken dormant desires, and how ordinary people navigate the space between safety and self-destruction.
Genres: 20th-century, mystery, crime, psychological-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Period: 20th-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Hogarth Press
Content warnings: violence