THIS is a book reminiscent of Greek tragedy, originally written in Spanish and set in modern Mexico.

It tells the story of Ramon Castanos, an insignificant shop-boy whose life takes a dark turn when he discovers the body of Adela, a local beauty he has long admired from afar.

Such is his distress at her violent end that the rest of the villagers assume he was her lover. At first he relishes his role as the bereaved boyfriend, but his attitude turns to pulsating dread when he realises he is expected to avenge her murder.

This dark, relentlessly violent story, written by Arriaga in 1994 before the more recent success of his screenplays Amores Perros and 21 Grams, hurtles towards its inevitably bloody conclusion like a runaway train.

You know the carnage is coming, but you just can't look away.

Updated: 09:45 Wednesday, October 22, 2003