"One of our great writers, of the calibre of Graham Greene and Nabokov." - Beryl Bainbridge "He deserves the widest possible readership." - Melvyn Bragg, Punch "Mr. King is, of course, an extremely skilful writer. All his characters are credible, all worth observing." - Auberon Waugh, Evening Standard "No one writes better prose than Francis King." - Ruth Rendell Hugh Craddock"s idyllic childhood in India comes to a sudden and violent end when his parents are murdered by natives hostile to British occupation. Abruptly snatched away from every happiness he has ever known, the young orphan is packed off to England to live with distant and uncaring relatives. After experiencing so much loss, Hugh hopes things will get better when he goes away to school, but he finds it difficult to fit in with the other boys. His only source of solace is his friendship with Brian Chorley, with whom he forms a mutual and intimate bond. But when Chorley falls dangerously...