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together. True there are some twists to the plot, but most are so unexpected, or patently obvious, that you are left caught between trying to balance ideas that come out of the blue, and ones that you've seen coming 50 pages away.

Where 'Savage Tide' comes into it's own is in Chandler's exploration of the characters' psychologies. Chandler examines and portrays the various natures and reactions of the characters to their situations with finesse and style. You do feel that you're getting inside the thoughts of actual people, which makes an otherwise dull read quite compelling; even if it does outshine the detective part of the fiction somewhat. In a sense the novel becomes less about Madden trying to solve his son's murder than about his attempts to come to terms with his son's lifestyle. Perhaps if this had been taken out of the context of a detective fiction it would have made a better novel.

'Savage Tide' would make a better television episode than it has a novel, although it is sometimes entertaining; even if just for its accurate portrayal of Brighton. A detective fiction that challenges homosexual issues and is willing to accept alternative lifestyles, 'Savage Tide' is perhaps a step away from the tired detective cliches for the genre as a whole.

2/5 Passable reading for the plane or beach.

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