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Sandra works in a zoo, studying the inside of the minds of chimpanzees, mankind's nearest living relatives. Her involvment with the animals starts to affect her own relatinshipsrelationships, in particular that with her new boyfriend Corin. His energy stimulates her, his passion excites her and his work as a TV producer fascinates her. But are his feelings real, or does he want to control her? As her feelings preoccupy her, Sandra continues her research into the emotions of chimps and whether or not they are capable of empathy. During a visit to the zoo, Sandra meets a strange and isolated child, Paul, son of one of the keepers, and she also meets Kim, a scientist who has built a killer instinct into the robots she makes. As Sandra worries about her friends and her relationship, things race to a thrilling climax - putting much more than Sandra's emotions at risk.
Author Sanjida O'Connell studied Zoology at Bristol University, and works as a science writer and TV producer, also contribuitng to The Guardian. ''Theory of Mind'' is her debut novel, and was initially published in 1996, winning the Betty Trask Award for Best First Novel.