First published 1967
Doctor Robert Mansbridge commands respect in his small village, but his wife Editha draws nothing but scorn. The neighbors whisper about her infidelity and call her a shrew behind closed doors. Robert remains unaware that shy Catherine Duncton watches him with desperate longing, trapped at home caring for her bedridden father. Sculptor Leslie Crispin harbors his own secret passion for the despised Editha. When Editha suddenly dies under strange circumstances, the village erupts in speculation. The gossip mill spins faster than ever as suspicions mount and secrets threaten to surface. Robert must navigate the storm of rumors while Catherine and Leslie grapple with their hidden desires in the aftermath of tragedy.
Genres: fiction, drama, 20th-century, suspense, mystery, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Village
Period: 20th-century
159 pages · Hardcover · Hamish Hamilton Ltd
Content warnings: death