First Impressions

This week's First Impressions, the competition in which you have to identify a book from its opening line, comes from a novel, the film of which was described by its author as "the finished state of the story": "One never knows when the blow may fall."

Entries should be submitted to First Impressions, The THES, Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY, faxed to 0171 782 3300 or emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk The winner receives a Pounds 20 book token and the closing date is June 24.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, is Timothy Bewes of London W1.