Janet Frame

The Adaptable Man: a Novel Janet Frame

Beneath the seemingly tranquil surface of an old English village lie murder, incest, and mystery. Alwyn Maude, a handsome young man, commits murder for no particular reason other than to kill. The senselessness of Alwyn's crime is contrasted with the antiquated ways of his father and uncle. The tensions between past and present are explored and the shortcomings of both exposed.