A story of lust and love set in Hong Kong and Japan. An ex-pat academic, Stephen Mason, decides to turn his back on monogamous relationships and investigate his submissive side by writing masochistic fantasies in short story form, and acting them out with willing female partners. Like many controlled investigations, however, it goes awry when he falls in love with the one partner he can never have. A big, readable story of obsessive love and off-centre sex.