The Most Intimate Place

Rosemary Furber

This demanding novel, about a young reporter hoping to uncover a Church of England sex scandal, has a bit of everything. It's funny, sexy, violent and sad. Patrick is a very appealing hero and the other characters are larger than life. The best bits are the really witty conversations. Interesting Biblical studies add weight and are a good contrast to the overall anti organised religion theme. A unusual and enjoyable read with a tragic end.

Extract

'Have you ever been to church, Patrick?' Her eyes were on me like power drills.
I was about to go Excuse me missus, I do the questions here, when in a musty place at the back of my head my mother squinted at her red leather Bible at the very end of her outstretched arm. 'As the sparks fly up the chimney,' she whinged, 'I am born to woe'. Maybe that's why my mother took to religion so happily, so that she could indulge her taste for gloom.
'My mother does,' I said holding her gaze. 'Not me'
'Very wise,' Helen said, letting our eyelock drop. 'And the church you don't go to, is that the Church of England?'

Parallels