Emma and Julian are house-sitting In Athens, while Julian does some research for a paper he is writing. Emma has left her job and is unsatisfied with life in various ways. She has not properly got over a miscarriage some years previously and is beginning to find Julian predictable. However, a few days previously, in Corfu, she saw Julian asked to dance by a strange woman and found herself aroused by the experience. In Athens, with the days to herself, these thoughts return.

Then, Emma meets Lena and invites her to have sex with Julian and, at this point, the story moves up a gear. What follows becomes increasingly complicated, involving not only Lena but her erratic and violent brother, Darius and, ultimately, descends into violence. Emma and Julian survive but their relationship does not.

The first part of the novel is quite erotic, if you like that kind of thing, and the back stories of both characters are interesting but the second half flags. The couple have failed to see the exploitative aspects of events and are surprised, perhaps naive, when things don’t turn out well. The ending is also a little too convenient involving the disposal of the other characters.

As a read, the first part might turn you on but the ending leaves a bad taste. However, the pace is maintained and the good and less good aspects of Athens are well described. If you see your wife, reading this book on the sun bed on the first days of your Greek holiday, well, you have been warned!