Down by the River by Edna O'Brien (Phoenix £5.99 in UK)

What the blurb calls a "crime of passion" in rural Ireland lies at the core of this book - meaning, it seems, a combination of rape and incest. Edna O Brien does not appear to be greatly interested in writing novels on other than sexual subjects, but this one is notably more up to date both in tone and theme, instead of the partly mythical, partly obsolete Ireland which has featured in so many of her books. It is also well plotted and compact, probably her best fictional performance in some time, even if the characters are almost all unpleasant or un sympathetic and the emotional colouring is curiously monochrome. Though hardly what used to be called family reading," it nevertheless seems geared to sell well.