A modern classic by the award-winning author of Theory & Practice

'That rare treasure, a perfect novel' TIME A name is the first story that attaches itself to a life. Consider mine: Stanley Alban Marriott Obeysekere. It tells of geography, history, love and uncertainty. Stanley Obeysekere, a wealthy lawyer in colonial Ceylon, is a staunch believer in British justice. When the murder of a tea planter baffles the island, he seizes the chance to solve the case, securing fame as 'our Sherlock Holmes'. But his triumph comes at a price. With devastating precision, Michelle de Kretser traces the disintegration of a man, a family and a society as change arrives and the empire crumbles. A dazzling and savage novel.

"A novel so delicious that you have to keep stopping as you read, for fear of finishing too soon" - Sunday Telegraph

"An utterly captivating blend of intellectual muscle and story-telling magic" - Independent

"The Hamilton Case does enchant, certainly, but - more important - the book admirably and resolutely sees the world as it really is" - The New York Times Book Review

"Whatever the linguistic equivalent of perfect pitch may be, she has it: an extraordinary ability to write for the senses" - Sunday Telegraph