Molly Fielding''s mother had been a terrible woman...''

A terrible woman indeed. One need only to look at the old sepia photograph to see a vision of nastiness. The look of cunning, the self-satisfied smile, the aura of hauteur as she watches the little Italian photographer go about his business. They say the camera never lies, but maybe this one did...

''Going into the Dark House'', the title story of Jane Gardam''s passionate new collection, brilliantly captures the subtly subversive qualities of her art. Quietly mesmeric and quite beautifully written, these ten stories are a delight.