First published 1978
Richard Neely crafts a psychological drama that examines the dangerous territory between love and obsession. The story follows characters whose emotional lives spiral beyond their control as passion transforms into something darker and more destructive. Neely builds tension through the everyday choices that lead ordinary people toward extraordinary consequences. The narrative explores how desire can distort judgment and push individuals past the boundaries of rational behavior. Set against the social backdrop of late 1970s America, the novel examines the costs of emotional extremism and the price people pay when feelings overwhelm reason. Neely presents a stark look at human nature under pressure, revealing how quickly stability can collapse when the heart overrules the mind.
Genres: fiction, drama, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, emotional-spiral, ordinary-people-extraordinary-consequences
Period: Late 1970s
278 pages · Hardcover · Constable
Content warnings: emotional-abuse, mental-illness, toxic-relationship