A Bit on the Side

Paul Halloran, Mark Hollingsworth Simon and Schuster, pounds sterling12.99, pp 231 ISBN 0–671–71350–7 It is often hard to know why one trusts some people and suspects others. In a close personal relationship the reasons are usually more obvious because there will have been time to observe, to confide, and to match words with deeds. With a patient, there is a chance to question and requestion, to check with relatives, to examine, and to perform sensitive tests. But in more distanced relationships, as for instance with a business or committee colleague or perhaps a politician, there may be little tangible on which to base judgment. Nevertheless, judgments must be made, and at some point one …