Books

Cincinnati homicide detective Will Borders is a wounded hero living out every day as though it might be his last. He leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of a bald-headed villain who has a penchant for sharp knives that are used to slice women from the inside out. The author paints us a craggy picture of Will Borders—as a man in recovery from a spinal tumor that has left him partially crippled. His shuffling gait and reliance on a cane is a sharp reminder that the deadly tumor would have killed a less resilient man. Sacked from being a detective and relegated to a desk job as the P.R. spokesperson for the police force, Borders is intent on nabbing the bald-headed villain.

Doris Lessing is a brilliant writer who casts a pall on light, joy, happiness—the up side of human life. Her storytelling technique, (crafting of excellent sentences, narrative description, and keen ear for dialogue) is superb. If only she saw a bit of human goodness, every now and then, instead of being mired in the dark swamp of hypocrisy.