Falling is a 1999 novel by British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 writer Elizabeth Jane Howard

Elizabeth Jane Howard

Elizabeth Jane Howard, CBE is an English novelist. She was previously an actress and a model.In 1951 she won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for her first novel, The Beautiful Visit...

. It was later filmed as a drama for ITV

ITV

ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

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Plot summary

The book tells the story of a relationship that develops between Henry Kent, a sociopath

Psychopathy

Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...

 and fantasist who preys on lonely rich women, and Daisy Langrishe, an ageing novelist with two broken marriages behind her.

After meeting Daisy – who has recently bought a cottage in order to start a new life in the country – Henry quickly falls in love with her, and sets about tricking his way into her confidence.

He initially offers to become her gardener – something she reluctantly accepts – then later begins to correspond with her after she suffers an accident during a prolonged trip abroad. These letters start as run of the mill pieces, but as he perceives that she is taking an interest in him, Henry begins to weave her a series of elaborate stories about his life – all designed to gain her attention and win her affection.

When Daisy eventually returns home and Henry makes himself indispensable to her after she suffers a fall, they begin an affair. But when Daisy's family and friends learn about the nature of the relationship, they become concerned and start to investigate Henry. However, they soon begin to fear that the facts they unearth about his past might have come to light too late to save Daisy from harm.

Adapted for Television

In 2005, the book was made into a drama for ITV

ITV

ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

, starring Michael Kitchen

Michael Kitchen

Michael Kitchen is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series Foyle's War.-Early life:...

 and Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton

Penelope Alice Wilton, OBE is an English actress.-Life and career:Penelope Alice Wilton was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, to a former actress mother and a businessman father. She is a niece of actors Bill Travers and Linden Travers and a cousin of the actor Richard Morant...

 in the two leading roles. It was directed by Tristram Powell

Tristram Powell

Tristram Powell is a television and film director. He was educated at Eton College. His credits include American Friends, episodes of series five and six of Foyle's War, and adaptations of the novels The Ghost Writer and Falling.Powell is the son of the novelist Anthony Powell and Lady Violet...

, while the screenplay was written by Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies (writer)

Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...

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