Nick, an international aid worker, suddenly, inexplicably and on impulse jumps ship whilst waiting to embark on his next mission. He makes contact with Pieter and Sara, the uncle and aunt of one of his friends, who has assured him they would be glad to have him visit them. And indeed they take him in, no questions asked, and he becomes more and more involved in their lives. Then he meets their son Riaan and for Nick everything changes, as he enters into an unarticulated but intense relationship with him. This is indeed a very intense book. Emotions, even if they remain unspoken, are at the core of it, and the author with insight and empathy explores how the characters are ruled by them. Extreme emotions, extreme conditions form the backdrop. Set in South Africa, with a simmering political conflict reflected in the simmering heat, it’s a novel almost overpowered by the sense of place and the intense heat. The descriptions of the African landscape are vivid and evocative. There’s a constant feeling of dread and danger, both in the characters’ internal worlds and the real world in which they live. Reading this novel is a totally immersive experience, and one I found largely compelling. Sometimes I felt I needed a little relief from the heat and intensity, but overall I found the book original, well-written and absorbing.