A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell

In Ruth Rendell's dark and contemporary universe, innocent dreams can turn to the most terrible nightmares. Teddy Brex emerges from a loveless, isolated childhood as a handsome but autistic young man. Francine Hill, traumatized by the murder of her mother, grows into a beautiful young woman who must endure the over-protectiveness of an increasingly obsessive stepmother.