It all started with a stray cat. Sophie Bentwood wanted to treat him with milk, to share with the unfortunate man a little of her well-being, so unattainable for many of her neighbors in Brooklyn. And the cat bit her hand. And a series of ordinary, but sinister events begin to torment the Bentwoods. Waiting for rabies tests becomes a real torment and test for everyone: for Sophie herself, her husband, and their friends. All the cracks and abysses of the Bentwoods’ “exemplary” marriage are exposed, as are the problems in Sophie’s relationship with the world and with herself. The novel immerses the reader in the disturbing atmosphere of Bergman's psychological films and Hitchcock's thrillers and keeps in incredible suspense until the very end. First published in 1970 and widely acclaimed, Desperate Characters is rightfully considered the pinnacle of American realism.