The Heart of the Matter

Set in a West African coastal colony during wartime, The Heart of the Matter follows Major Henry Scobie, a devout Roman Catholic serving as a colonial police officer. Striving to do what is right for both his unhappy wife and the community he polices, Scobie becomes trapped in an increasingly tragic web of pity, responsibility, and compromise.

When his wife departs on a journey, Scobie is drawn into an affair with a young, recently widowed survivor of a shipwreck. Unable to sever his emotional commitments upon his wife's return, he wrestles deeply with his religious convictions and personal integrity. Greene's celebrated work offers an unforgettable meditation on conscience, pity, and the painful conflicts between human love and spiritual devotion. A rewarding choice for lovers of classic mid-century literature and drama.