Rendell does it again, giving us a perfect portrayal of madness and how people can end up trapped by circumstance and biology. What I like most about the way Rendell develops characters is that no one is completely one-sided. Sure, Philip is a bit of a dolt, but only a bit. In many ways he’s a normal bloke just trying to get out from under his lower-middle class situation. He’s got a decent, entry-level job and a close knit family. He’s not inexperienced as far as women go, but he is inexperienced with real craziness. When Senta starts to say strange, unbelievable things, he treats her with skepticism as anyone would. Then when some things she says turn out to be true, he falls apart. His carefully constructed idea that her fantasies are harmless turns out to be just as illusory as her connection to reality.

Philip’s indecision and anguish over his circumstances is very palpable. He’s confused and only wants to do right by everyone. There are some family crises simmering at the same time and those provide some supporting drama that adds to the feeling of coming apart. Work problems boil over a bit, too, and I really felt empathy for Philip’s plight. We can see he’s being played, but are still powerless to help. Not that many writers can pull this off.

Again, the ending is more ambiguous than many thrillers. Ideas are muted, conclusions implied only, leaving the reader to put things together independently. Love that. She skillfully draws our eyes off the ball for long enough that when it smacks us in the head, we’re stunned, but not really surprised. I had to go back and read some things over again just to make sure my final thoughts were justified. A well-done and memorable story. ( )