Richard B. Wright, although he's been writing good books for forty years or more, and is very highly respected in Canada, is still kinda new to me, but I admire his work tremendously after reading only THE WEEKEND MAN. And now here's THE TEACHER'S DAUGHTER (1982), a deceptively simple story, but the central characters are as tangled and complex in their thoughts and emotions as any you might find in the work of the old masters.

The title character, Janice Harper, is a high school English teacher in the Toronto suburb. On the brink of "old-maid-hood," Janice is trying to rebound from a summer affair with a married man. She becomes involved with an unemployed and uneducated man several years younger. James Hicks, compared more than once in the narrative to "that actor, John Travolta," has an estranged wife and young son. A high school dropout with a prison record, he aspires to a better life. He latches desperately onto Janice, hoping she can help, but his own brutishness and lack of sophistication dooms their affair from the beginning. Aided and abetted by a superb cast of supporting characters from the pasts of both principals, the story moves briskly along and drew me quickly in. Janice, who lives in a basement apartment of her parents' house - her teacher father has died two years before the story open - feels life passing her by and longs for change, which Hicks certainly supplies.

Janice Harper reminded me in some ways of Rachel Cameron, the teacher heroine of Margaret Laurence's classic Canadian novel, A JEST OF GOD. Wright's tale is, however, considerably darker and injects elements of danger and physical violence not found in the Laurence book. In fact, the get-rich-quick plans and plotting of Hicks and his shady friends also brought to mind the noir fiction of Jim Thompson. An odd comparison perhaps, but sorry, there it is.

The ending of THE TEACHER'S DAUGHTER rather surprised me, but actually, it is perfect. I won't say any more. Except that I enjoyed this book very much and will be reading more of Richard B. Wright. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER ( )

This is classic Richard B Wright who combines depth of character with a gripping story that you can't put down. I can't say enough good things about this author. Try him and you will be hooked. ( )