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After his release from psychiatric prison due to insufficient evidence for his charge of sexual assault, Jonathan returns to live with his mother. He finds that he has a new neighbour - a young girl. The controversial subject matter is treated with subtlety and intelligence by Schilperoord, who uses her experience as a criminal psychologist to weave a tense and unsettlingly believable story.

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Dark and shocking psychological suspense about a man at war with himself. This is a skillful and assured debut about a deeply unsettling subject.

Jonathan has returned from prison to his largely deserted, run-down neighborhood. He has returned to his mother, to his dog, to filling the hot days with walks on the dunes and caring for the fish he keeps in an aquarium in his bedroom - struggling, like him, to survive the oppressive summer heat. But there is a young girl with a chipped front tooth living next door, and feelings he thought forgotten are coming back to Jonathan. His growing obsession with Elke threatens to overwhelm his whole life, as well as hers, but he is determined to make the most of this second chance he has been given. He is determined not to let it happen again...

Tench is criminal psychologist Inge Schilperoord´s daring first novel: unnerving, morally complicated and utterly gripping, it moves brilliantly through true darkness.

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"Austere, powerful and thought-provoking, it is a book that deserves to be read and one that lingers with you, simmering, for many hours afterwards." - The Idle Woman (blog)

Reviews from the UK:

- "A dark and powerful read, underpinned by a growing sense of terrible tension." -- Daily Mail
- "Stunningly accomplished ... claustrophobic and compelling ... deeply unsettling, strangely beautiful ... an extraordinary debut." -- Daily Telegraph
- "Tench is a mesmerizing read. I cannot recommend it highly enough." -- Asymptote Journal
- "A brilliant, necessary novel." -- De Morgen
- "A dark and impressive feat." -- De Volkskrant
- "Takes your breath away." -- Antwerp Gazette
- "A book your eyes stick to like magnets." -- NRC Handelsblad
- "A flawless novel." -- De Telegraaf
- "A portrait of a good person with dangerous tendencies - more terrifying and infinitely sadder than a portrait of a monster." -- HP / De Tijd

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