New fiction sees Trevor’s edge remain unblunted

CHEATING AT CANASTA. By William Trevor, Penguin, €23.

T here are two types of writers: those who produce a book every decade amid hype and fanfare, and those who quietly and consistently get on with the business of writing, often receiving less attention for that fact.

Jennifer Johnston is a classic example of the latter, producing taut novels laced with darkness every three years, which often do not get the praise they deserve ...