Writing at the height of her power, Ruth Rendell delivers a spellbinding tale of murder and redemption. Francine, a child, has been scolded and sent to her room. Peeking downstairs she witnesses the brutal killing of her mother. The experience has left her mute; it will be nine months until Francine can speak and she will be unable to identify the killer. Harriet, an aging beauty, scans the local newspapers for handymen to perform odd jobs around the house, including services in the bedroom. A boy, Teddy, born to barely socialized parents, grows into a physically beautiful but sociopathic young man who discovers that killing is an easy way to get what he wants. When these three lives converge, the effect is surprising, harrowing - and unforgettable.
