4:00pm peanut butter cookie

Critics may not rate W. Somerset Maugham as first-class but his stories are really very captivating. Even though The Painted Veil was recently made into a movie, it's worth trying the book first. It's not too long, easy to follow and a fascinating journey into China of a shallow British woman who discovers her own depths.
W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil
Knopf Vintage International Series 2004