‘Untrammelled love’ is the story of two young Gambian gigolos who hustle tourists on the beach. In ‘Far from home’ a lecher from the ‘better’ part of Amsterdam finds the virginal love of his dreams in exotic places. The longest story in this collection, ‘Entry in a dossier’ is a gripping account of a young Amsterdam drug addict who fathers the child of his social worker and is given the push.

Ellen Ombre depicts the current trade between Europe and her former raw-material suppliers with murderous accuracy. She contrasts the self-satisfaction of lip-smacking liberals and their longing for exotic delights with the sale of skin, hair and soul for a small bit of western prosperity. A moving and challenging book.