A novel about a man who spies on his neighbours and keeps files on their activities. We learn that he does this to help cope with a personal crisis: his wife has had a stroke, he is her sole carer and – as a result of his grief – he is keeping this secret from his friends and family.
The premise is intriguing, but elements of the plot never have the ring of truth about them so the characters and their motivations rarely convince. Even the dog seems unbelievable. Sometimes you’re not sure if a scene is meant to be funny or slightly disturbing. There’s a “suburban whimsy” aspect that could have been mined for comedy but which doesn’t really work.
But, surprisingly, as the book progressed and I continued reading I found myself becoming more and more engrossed in the peculiar story. You do want to find out how it will end. Yet ultimately it articulates such a bleak scenario that you’re left wondering why the author felt the need to share this with the world.
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