Chloe Johnson-Hill 11 November 2010

The Dancer Upstairs tells the fictionalised account of the pursuit of an enigmatic Peruvian guerilla leader in the 1980s and 1990s. Narrated by a police detective, Rejas, we are drawn straight into a world that is completely unnerved by political instability, and the constant threat of radical and violent insurgents. But at its heart it is also, as many of the best novels are, a love story. Rejas seems to live on the fringes of his own life, focussing on his job and his wife (who longs to go to America) and his daughter, who loves to dance. Until he meets his daughter's dance teacher who brings out desires in him that he simply can't ignore.

Brilliantly researched, tense and frightening at times, and yet thoughtful and moving, this is a fantastic novel that I continually recommend to friends. Fans of John Le Carré and Graham Greene will love this book, but equally this is a beautifully written and utterly compelling novel that will appeal to all those that appreciate quality literary fiction.