An auctioneer by profession, Rilke is an acknowledged expert in antiques but also considers himself something of an expert in many other fields.When he comes upon a hidden collection of violent, and highly disturbing, erotic photographs, Rilke feels compelled to unearth more about the deceased owner who coveted them. What follows is a compulsive journey of discovery, decadence and deviousness.With echoes of the great novels of Hammett and Chandler, and yet in a voice very much her own, Louise Welsh has produced a glittering debut with the widest appeal; and in her hero, Rilke, one of the most interesting characters in contemporary fiction.