This slim little book is the companion volume to 'Old Filth' (which I must have forgotten to review). 'Filth' is the nickname of Sir Edward Feathers, a successful international lawyer. If FILTH was once a scathing acronym used by London lawyers after the war (standing for Failed In London Try Honkong) by the time the action of the book takes place it's simply become Edward's name.
The original book looked at things from his point of view. This one is written from the perspective of his wife, Betty, who meets him in Hong Kong and marries him because he looks a safe bet and it's about time she settled down. But he's boring. Unlike his hated rival at the bar - the caddish Veneering, to whom she is attracted.
It's very gentle and often very moving, but for some reason it didn't grip me in the same way as the original story. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it when I read it.
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