World War II has come to an end and Nick Jenkins, the narrator of Anthony Powell's 12-volume A Dance to the Music of Time has taken a job in a publishing house and is writing a biography. Goods are scarce and the nation is tired, but everyone is moving forward with their lives.

Books Do Furnish a Room begins the final trilogy/season/movement of the series.

The ambitious, but insufferable Kenneth Widmerpool has been elected to the House of Lords, which should make him happy; but, as expected, his marriage to femme fatale Pamela Flitton presents many personal difficulties.

This book is mostly about Pamela and the newly-introduced X. Trapnel - an enigmatic author, who becomes infatuated and entangled with Pamela - again with predictably disastrous consequences. Pamela is cruel and manipulative and unfeeling and fascinating. She draws men to her and poisons them, before leaving them damaged.

As always, Powell does an excellent job at building characters and evolving them as they age.