The Child in Time / The Cement Garden / The Comfort of Strangers

Award winning author Ian McEwan is known for his stories dealing with dysfunctional families and deviant sexuality. Collected here are three of his bestselling stories.

The Child in Time: Life can change in an instant. Stephen Lewis is a successful author of children's books. It is a routine Saturday morning and while on a trip to the supermarket, Stephen gets distracted. Within moments, his daughter is kidnapped and his life is forever changed. From that moment, Lewis spirals into bereavement that has effects on his relationship with his wife, his psyche, and with time itself.

The Cement Garden: When they are suddenly orphaned, four siblings encase their mother's body in concrete in the basement to prevent the outside world from discovering her death and placing them in foster care. This book tells a dark and disturbing story that deals with themes of familial love, boundary-crossing intimacy, and isolation.

The Comfort of Strangers: Colin and Mary are lovers on holiday in Italy, their relationship becoming increasingly problematic as they become increasingly alienated from one and other. While Mary and Colin indeed rediscover each other in ways during this time--an erotic attraction to each other that was below the surface--they also find that their relationship/friendship with another couple takes turns that are likewise erotic and violent in nature.


Genre: Mystery