Book summary

Murdoch tells the story of the effect on two families of Blaise Gavender, who inhabits two households, one that of his "legitimate" family--his wife and son--and the other that of his mistress and their son. These shifting relationships are hauntingly observed by a widowed and jaded novelist named Montague Small.

Media reviews

"I would not miss a single one of her novels. And I always feel, when I'm reading them, as if I'm learning something of great value. But afterwards I can never remember exactly what it was...[This novel], though it lacks the coarse salt of recklessness and wit that distinguishes some its predecessors, is enthralling."