Structure

The novel Running Wild by J.G. Ballard has a non-linear plot structure. The narrative takes the form of extracts from the forensic diary of Doctor Richard Greville. The plot follows Greville’s investigation, but sometimes moves backwards in time as he reconstructs past events. At the end, the narrative jumps five years into the future, to relate an event which connects with the murders which are the focus of the novel. 

The narrative begins when Doctor Richard Greville is assigned to the Pangbourne murder case, on August 28, 1988. This is two months after the murders took place. The novel starts with a short introduction that informs the readers on the subject of the narrative:

Where to start? So much has been written about the Pangbourne Massacre, as it is now known in the popular press throughout the world, that I find it difficult to see this tragic event with a clear eye. In the past two months th...