28 NOVEMBER 1981, Page 18

In good faith

Sir: The generous and easy-going malice with which A. N. Wilson accuses me, by insinuation, of plagiarism (14 November) hardly allows for debate. Simply for the record I would like to say that The Cement Garden is mine alone. Before and during writing it I had not read or heard of Julian Gloag's Our Mother's House, nor had I seen the film based on this book. My novel grew naturally out of the material of my short stories. It is impossible to undo the damage done by Mr Wilson's remarks. All I can do is assert my good faith as a writer, and hope to be believed by those who know my work.

Ian McEwan

36 Rectory Grove, London SW4