NEEDLE'S EYE

Simon Camish is an unhappily married successful barrister who meets Rose Vassiliou at a dinner party given by friends in their London home. Rose has been made a ward of court by her wealthy parents in order to prevent her from marrying Christopher Vassiliou, a young Greek whose parents are considered unsuitable and who is only interested in Rose for her money. Now separated from her Greek husband, Rose lives alone with her three children and despite all the efforts and sneers of her friends, she refuses to move from her crumbling house in a decaying neighbourhood to which she has become attached. Simon becomes attracted to this woman of remarkable integrity and courage and unexpectedly meets Christopher Vassiliou at a drinks party and they fall into conversation. Simon starts to doubt whether Rose is being entirely honest with him. The novel explores the themes of identity, idealism, ambition, responsibility and personal morality in late 1960s London. 482pp, paperback.