I read this book several years ago and it has stuck with me since then. This is the basis for the creepy film starring Robert Mitchum that was made in the 1950s. Excellent book and movie!

Book Description
This superb, suspenseful novel formed the basis of the only film ever directed by Charles Laughton, a cult classic starring Robert Mitchum, Lillian Gish, and Shelly Winters. During the Depression, a psychopath masquerading as an itinerant preacher, begins a ruthless quest for ill-gotten loot, the whereabouts of which are known only by the young son of a dead thief and his younger sister. Inspired by serial killer Harry Powers, "The Bluebeard of Quiet Dell," who was hung in 1932 for his murders of two widows and three children. This best-selling novel, first published in 1953 to wide acclaim by author Grubb, (who like Powers lived in Clarksburg, West Virginia), served as the basis for Charles Laughton's noir classic. Renamed "Harry Powell," the lead character in this book, with LOVE and HATE tattooed on his fingers, is remembered as one of the creepiest men in book and cinema history.

See reviews at Amazon.com

I picked up this extra copy at a used book sale and may send it out as a bookray.

Starting a bookray for this book. Please PM me if interested. Bookray will remain open until last person reads the book.

This book appears to have been lost on its way from Portugal to the US! Hopefully, it will turn up at some point. If I happen upon another copy, I will continue this bookray.

Received this message from MyaStone on 12/17/07:

Hello perryfran,

So, good news and bad news. I received menalima's package, but there was
no book inside. Its clear from looking at the envelope that it was opened
and the book taken from it. I'm so sorry. I see you placed the book in
lost book island, and I guess that is where it will stay.

I will email menalima to let her know what happened.

sorry again,

MyaStone

Maybe someday this book will be found again and continue its journey. If I find a used copy of this, I may continue the bookray.

Participants so far:

. veleta from Spain (Europe preferred)
. Bookworm-lady from Spain (Europe/UK only)
. menalima from Portugal (International)
. MyaStone from New York, USA (USA Only)<----On its way here
. Irishcoda from New Jersey, USA (international)
. BellaMack (Australia - Australia only)

Note: Order is subject to change based on shipping preferences and others joining the bookray.

How the bookray works:
* Someone will PM you for your address, PM them back and provide your address
* When you receive the book, please make a journal entry letting everyone know that you received it
* Put the book at the top of your TBR pile (under other rings/rays that arrived first)
* Read the book (take your time and enjoy the book, don't feel rushed to finish it)
* When the end is in sight, check the book's journal and PM the next person to get their address
* Finish the book, make another journal entry and let everyone know what you thought of the book
* Send the book to the next person on the list (please use the cheapest shipping method available), make release notes (Controlled Release) or journal entry to let everyone know that it's in the mail
* END OF THE RAY, The last person on the ray could try and continue the ray or just give/mail the book to someone else who might like to read it, perhaps a RABCK - look at cliff1976.com wish list web site, or release it into the wild.

Please feel free to PM me at any time with questions

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to veleta in Spain.

Enjoy!

I got it this morning. A big thank-you to perryfran for sharing this book with me. Just looking at the cover I feel terrified.

Finished. A lovely book, so tender and so terrifying and the same time.
The language is perfect, with realistic poetic descriptions.
The dialogues are life-like, so vivid!

A perfect book. I'd recommend to anyone who read this novel to try A.C Andrews's Flowers in the Attick. They are so much alike!

I've already ask for next bcrosser's address.

Thank you, Veleta!
I received it last Wednesday by post.
Looking forward to reading it, as you seem to have enjoyed it so much...

It is beautifully written, though sometimes the punctuation is a bit "erratic"...
I thoroughly enjoyed it, a master study of child psychology (the reactions of the two children are very accurate)...
It made me remember the film I watched a long time ago (the original one, with Robert Mitchum; not the re-make with (of all persons!) Richard Chamberlain...
Sent yesterday to Menalima in Portugal...
Thanks for sharing!

Book safely in my hands, next to be read:)

Sorry I took so long with this book!! I really enjoyed every page of it:) Have asked MyaStone for the address so I can send it on.

12 July 2007...posted today to MyaStone:)

This book has washed ashore at the Lost Book Island after not being heard from for many months. This new arrival will be shown to a room and be allowed a bit of rest before being introduced to the many fun things to do here at the island.

All around there are books sipping cool drinks under shady palms while other books participate in a wide variety of beach sports. There is plenty of sand, surf and sun here for all of the lost and wayward books to enjoy.

It is hoped that very soon a new journal entry will come to rescue this book from the island and send it back out into the BookCrossing world so that it may continue on its journey. It is hoped that the new journal entry will tell all the interested parties where this book has been this long time and where it will be traveling to next.