a literary hoax comes to life and haunts its creator even to the extent of kidnapping a child. Nicely done but not as gripping as one might expect. Daniel Mason’s Piano Tuner is in much the same vein.

Although I’m a fan of Carey’s, I think this one’s a disappointment. There does seem to be a plot, but it seems to be meandering down its own path with no clear direction. Definitely not his best work. I give up!