The River in Winter

I was enchanted with this book when I first encountered it in 1992, and am still moved by this hard-to-find gem. This is a work of tight, concise writing and biting wit. The characters are unforgettable, particularly the grandfather. The bad guys of this novel were, I'm sorry to say, more stock characters than anything else -- esp. the bad cop with the no-see-um sunglasses. But in a way that generic quality only leant a certain originality to the rest of the cast. One hopes to see more by this gifted ecrivain. And soon!

This was a great stride forward compared to his other books. I think "the rive in winter" is a superb novel, much superior to his earlier work. This should become a classic.

A moving book, one that could be favorably compared to the fiction of A. N. Wilson or even V.S. Pritchett. I loved it, and can't wait to read more.