MYSTERY

Damage

by Josephine Hart
Pegasus. Jan. 2023. 256p. ISBN 9781639363087. pap. $16.95. SUSPENSE
COPY ISBN
Twenty years before E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey had readers all bewitched, bothered, and/or bewildered, a less salacious but equally passionate tale of sexual compulsion written by Josephine Hart, aka Baroness Saatchi (1942–2011) swept through the literary world like a fever, or at least a hot flash. The swift, taut drama of the successful middle-aged narrator’s hopeless fascination with his son’s fiancée Ann Barton, an enthrallingly damaged woman who seems equally in thrall (or is she?), is perhaps best consumed in a single sitting, the better to lose critical distance and submit to the novel’s hypnotic pull toward a catastrophe with the terrible inevitability of classic noir, minus the tough stuff.
VERDICT Next to the often-contrived twists and revelations of today’s psychological suspense, Hart’s spare tale of all-consuming obsession is refreshingly straightforward. Louis Malle directed a 1992 film adaptation of the same name; a limited series for Netflix is currently underway, so anticipate demand.
Reviewed by David Wright , Feb 01, 2023
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

The Library Thief
by Shenjé, Kuchenga
FICTION

A Punishing Breed
by Frost, DC
FICTION

Still See You Everywhere
by Gardner, Lisa
FICTION

Love Letters to a Serial Killer
by Coryell, Tasha
FICTION

An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder
by Freeman, Dianne
FICTION

Requiem for a Mouse
by James, Miranda
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?