Description

‘That rare treasure, a perfect novel’ TIME

A name is the first story that attaches itself to a life. Consider mine: Stanley Alban Marriott Obeysekere. It tells of geography, history, love and uncertainty.

Stanley Obeysekere, a wealthy lawyer in colonial Ceylon, is a staunch believer in British justice. When the murder of a tea planter baffles the island, he seizes the chance to solve the case, securing fame as ‘our Sherlock Holmes’.

But his triumph comes at a price. With devastating precision, Michelle de Kretser traces the disintegration of a man, a family and a society as change arrives and the empire crumbles. A dazzling and savage novel.

Publisher Review

One of the most remarkable books I’ve read in a long while — Hilary Mantel A novel so delicious that you have to keep stopping as you read, for fear of finishing too soon — Jane Shilling * Sunday Telegraph * An utterly captivating blend of intellectual muscle and story-telling magic — Boyd Tonkin * Independent * The Hamilton Case does enchant, certainly, but – more important – the book admirably and resolutely sees the world as it really is — William Boyd * The New York Times Book Review * Whatever the linguistic equivalent of perfect pitch may be, she has it: an extraordinary ability to write for the senses * Sunday Telegraph *