Ian Laidlaw is a middle-aged lecturer whose life has been mapped out to the tiniest of details - by his own hand. He likes his life the way it is - ordered, uncluttered and familiar. He's lived this way since his wife, Margaret, left him. Routine is all-important and it's just the way it is.

He doesn't sound extraordinary in the slightest until you learn of his disfigurement. People are always asking how and when he got the scar that covers one half of his face, and he'll usually tell them. But he's tired of it, and understandably so.

He keeps people at a distance, and has since the accident happened as a young child. He walks on one side of the pavement, sits in a particular way during his lectures, and keeps conversation to a minimum, always hiding his 'ugly', scarred side.

He takes us back to witness parts of his childhood, his courtships, his marriage, but we never once feel as though he's trying to excuse himself. He's very matter of fact about everything life has thrown at him, including, to a degree at least, Alicia Davie.

Alicia Davie is one of his students. She's unlike anyone he's ever encountered before. She doesn't care about his scars. She sees them, but doesn't see them as a threat. So when she laughs at something that happens during one of his lectures, and then laughs at him, too, it's only natural he takes an interest.

What an interest he takes, too. He's obsessed with her. He finds out where she lives, when she was born, her school examination results, everything he can. His days are taken up with thinking about her. Where he once methodically took care of paperwork, replied to correspondence, and so on, he now lets the papers pile up on his desk. His routine changes to such a degree that even the cleaning ladies become puzzled by his new manner.

Slowly, gradually, our 'hero' gets closer and closer to Alicia. It wouldn't be fair to say he seduced her, because he didn't. They seduced each other, though with such differing methods as to clarify their age difference. And so the story begins proper.

This is a chilling tale. Fine lays bare the workings of a disturbed mind, but never once tries to glamorise it. She has put into words perfectly what most can only dream of. She has created a character who is triumphant in his manipulations, yet is still attractive to the reader.

Ian Laidlaw is the hero in this book. It may be hard to understand how such a thing is possible, and before reading this I may have told you exactly where to stick the idea, but it's true. He's a cold, calculating, manipulative, sadistic beast, and all the while he's cordial and polite, extremely intelligent, and witty.

There are a number of intimate scenes here and they do serve to shock, but on a much different level to that which may be expected in other such stories. These scenes are an integral part of the story and shouldn't be overlooked in the slightest. They aren't present for titillation, they're important. They're probably some of the most important parts of the tale. So if such things easily offend you, don't read this book (though saying that, the language isn't crass, but the author does force you to imagine every little detail where she describes none).

Fine takes us on a tour of Ian Laidlaw's psyche, and as chilling as it is, it's even more addictive. It's written as he tells us (the police, presumably, though to my recollection it's never said outright) exactly what happened from the beginning of his journey with Alicia, to the end. How that journey ends I'll leave to you to find out.

I never once felt as though I was being talked down to as I savoured every last line of this fascinating story. It was intelligent yet accessible, clear and concise, and still descriptive to the point that every detail flashed before my eyes as I read.

This really is a stunning book, and I could never recommend it highly enough. I was utterly entranced by it from start to finish, and when I finished it I wanted to read it again and again. This is one that every person should read, if for no other reason than to let themselves read just one piece of literature that proves that writing really can be an art form.

Rating 5/5

Publisher, Black Swan
ISBN: 0552998281

Copyright © K Wakeman