THE RECONSTRUCTIONIST

Hart's clever fifth novel (after Damage; Sin; Oblivion) explores the lingering influence of parents on their children. Jack Harrington, a well-to-do London psychiatrist, immerses himself in the familial problems of his patients' pasts, while admirably repressing his own childhood trauma. His sister, Kate, a seductive writer of "fluffy things," is less able to cope with that trauma, and readers learn early on that Jack's good-natured protectiveness toward his sister belies a far more disturbing sort of sibling bond. Jack and Kate's smart-set lifestyle threatens to unravel when the family estate suddenly comes up for sale at the same time as Jack's ex-wife suffers a heart attack and Kate's impending marriage plans bring her to the brink of nervous collapse. Forced to confront his demons at last, Jack retakes possession of the family homestead and reconstructs the story of his parents' marriage and its sudden, horrifying disintegration. Hart has packed this little gem of a novel with sparkling aphoristic insights befitting Jack's profession, and her sketches of fragile, childlike characters masquerading as capable adults are deftly drawn (as is that of Rose, Jack's hysterically venomous mother-in-law). The book's title takes on a multitude of meanings as the plot unfolds, most appropriately during the surprising resolution of events in the finale. (Nov. 15)

Forecast: Damage, which was made into a popular film (1992), was a bestseller, and Overlook is committing serious resources to The Reconstructionist, ordering a 30,000 first printing and budgeting $30,000 for advertising. Sales should be solid, though they won't match Damage totals.