First published 1975
Charlie Gowen has served his time and returned to society, determined to build a different life. He finds work, rents a modest apartment, and tries to follow the rules that will keep him out of prison. But when he encounters nine-year-old Jessie, his carefully constructed defenses begin to crumble. The girl lives in his neighborhood, walks past his window each day on her way to school, and occupies his thoughts with increasing frequency. Charlie knows the danger he represents. He understands what his obsession could lead to and fights against impulses that grow stronger each day. As his fixation intensifies, Charlie must confront the reality of his nature and the impossibility of the normal life he desperately wants. Millar examines the mind of a man caught between his desire for redemption and urges he cannot fully control, creating a psychological study of compulsion and the limits of rehabilitation.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dark-protagonist, psychological-study, redemption-arc
Hardcover · Orion Publishing Co
Content warnings: child-abuse, mental-illness