The Birthday Present
The Birthday Present by Ruth Rendell, published by Penguin in 2009, is a novel that explores the complexities of a clandestine love affair set against the backdrop of late spring 1990. The story follows Ivor Tesham, a rising star in Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, and Hebe Furnal, a North London housewife seeking excitement beyond her mundane marriage. As Tesham prepares a memorable birthday surprise for Hebe, the narrative delves into themes of ambition and moral ambiguity, reflecting the turbulent socio-political climate of the time.
Readers will find a compelling exploration of desire and deception as the plot unfolds around the controversial practice of “adventure sex.” The novel captures the tension of a relationship marked by risk and the consequences of choices made in pursuit of thrill. With elements of mystery and suspense woven throughout, The Birthday Present presents a vivid portrayal of a man embodying the contradictions of his era, set against a backdrop of crime and political intrigue. This edition spans 273 pages and is available in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
It`s late spring of 1990 and a love affair is flourishing: between Ivor Tesham, a thirty-three year old rising star of Margaret Thatcher`s Conservative government, and Hebe Furnal, a stunning North London housewife stuck in a dull marriage. What excitement Hebe lacks at home, however, is amply compensated for by the well-bred and intensely attractive Tesham – an ardent womanizer and ambitious politican. On the eve of her twenty-eighth birthday, Tesham decides to give Hebe a present to remember: something far more memorable than, say, the costly string of pearls he`s already lavished upon her. Involving a fashionable new practice known as `adventure sex`, a man arranges for his unsuspecting but otherwise willing girlfriend to be snatched from the street, bound and gagged, and delivered to him at a mutually agreed venue … Set amidst an age of IRA bombings, the first Gulf War, and sleazy politics, The Birthday Present is the gripping story of a fall from grace, and of a man who carries within him all the hypocrisy, greed and self-obsession of a troubled era.
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