Sliding over the Surface

sliding over the surface explores themes of obsession, guilt and the corrosive power of jealousy. a story of a doomed love affair and the discovery that even our smallest actions may have devastating consequences. the scene is divided between glasgow and cornwall in the late nineteen seventies. in her final year of study at glasgow university, raine maitland embarks on an affair with her married tutor with a careless disregard for consequences. raine's tutor; dr philip nichols, is increasingly obsessed by his young lover. when she tries to end the affair he becomes dangerously unbalanced; also, his wife has a secret of her own. when nichols discovers his lab assistant has invented a simple yet ingenious timing device, he finally sees a way to rid himself of his wife. as raine travels south for the summer, nichols secretly follows her. finding she is there with her new love; tom and haunted by his wife's murder, nichols finally loses control. he abducts raine, believing as she does, that no one knows the identity of her married lover. raine's flatmate; nell, has always known her secret. in a race against time, her friends have to convince police that nichols is a murderer and their friend is in terrible danger.