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Thank you for picking up this book. I'd love to see an entry letting me know it is safe with you. Do with it as you please... read it (or not!), give it to a friend, keep it, leave it in the wild - it's up to you! Enjoy! If you like you can mention me, Ring88, as the one who referred you.
Well have a great day and enjoy the book
Dane
AKA Ring 88

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Will be put in to Sweet pickles book box

Taken from Trekwoman's mom-orium bookbox.

I like your stamp, ring88!

I vaguely remember reading books by Charlotte Armstrong years ago. This one, originally printed in 1965, even has a cover painted specifically for the book (no "Getty images" here). It isn't the cover shown on this page, unfortunately.

It's an odd sort of book, something of a mixture of suspense and mystery, although there doesn't seem to be much mystery to who dunnit. The question is, will the perp(s) get away with it? For much of the book it appears that they just might.

Edie Thompson is visiting her only relatives, with whom she lived for a few years when younger (after her parents died), for a few weeks when her uncle's second wife Myra is found unconscious, beaten, in her room. The next day she opens the door to a young man, Harold, who had been married to Edie's cousin Wendy a few years back, and who had been divorced under trying circumstances. He had been accused of beating Wendy and was sent to a mental institution, from which he had been released a few days before.

After the discovery of Myra, Wendy proclaims that she saw Harold running down the driveway the night before. The family, except for Edie, believes her. So when Harold shows up, Edie does not want him to be sent away once again for a crime he did not commit. She hides him in the turret room, the room where she has been staying.

Harold goes along with the plan but continues to insist that he can handle whatever comes his way, he does not want to hide. However, he has hurt his foot and is in pain and is weak so lets Edie take care of him.

The story continues from here, with suspicion settling seriously on Harold when his bag is found nearby. Will the truth out? Or will the family have its way?

It's a curious bit of work, written from several points of view, switched back and forth. Each person's thinking pattern tends to be abrupt, almost simplistic. Nevertheless, I did find myself getting fond of the oversensitive Edie and wanting the best for Harold.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Adding to Princess-Peapod's latest ABC bookbox.

This sounds potentially interesting. Might be keeping this one.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Decided not to keep this one.
Putting back into princess-peapod's ABC Bookbox.

Taking this book from princess-peapod's Spring ABC Bookbox.

I've never heard of this author, but it looks like an interesting read.

My Review: I had never heard of this book before I saw it in the bookbox. I like a good suspense book. This story reminded me of a paper I would write so quickly that it didn't make sense in places. I had to re-read parts of it because I didn't understand it the first time. I did like it, I was interested to see what would happen to Cousin Edie and Harold Page. This story seems like a stage play.

If you like this you might try Barbara Michaels, she writes a good suspense story.

This book is reserved for a bookbox.

Putting this book into Nattabee's Potpourri Bookbox.

I actually hadn't intended to take this one from nattabee's bookbox, but it got overlooked when I was repacking the box so here it is! I do like a good old-fashioned mystery and have Charlotte Armstong on my (non-virtual) shelf so I guess it feels at home here. I will keep it available for anyone down the bookbox list.

Well, since it's here and demanding to be read, I had a go at it. Have to agree with previous posters, it's not your usual mystery/suspense. It definitely does read like a play--the limited setting of the Whitman's front parlour and adjoining rooms would make it quite stageable, and the exaggerated poses, exclamations, and choreography of the characters simply screams "theater!" Which is not to say I didn't like it. It had its interesting psychological moments, and guessing how it was going to end was never a sure bet (just what you want in a suspense!) But I could never quite get that "it's a play!" feeling out of my mind and lose myself completely in the story. I also never quite matched up the cover art with a moment in the story, (but I guess that's kind of petty, lol). Maybe the next reader can help me figure that out. :-)

Going back out in a bookbox, this one hosted by Affinity4books.

This came home in my Cozy Mystery Box. Thanks for sharing! A new author for me. I may include it in the next round of the box or share it with another BCer.

This is my first Charlotte Armstrong. It felt a but dated and now that I read the other journals I agree it felt a bit stiff and play-like. I think it would make a good play! I was interested to find out how it ended. I like gothic novels and this definitely had some elements of those. Thanks for sharing!

Taking this from the cozy mystery book box.

This book isn't a mystery per se, it is really more of a farce. I don't mean that in a negative way, I mean it more like the classic French farce with people going in and out of doors unbeknownst to the others, a 'quick, hide in the closet' type of farce. This farce has nothing to do with sex as the French farce usually does. This farce concerns a young man who is thought to be a "madman", has already been accused of beating his ex-wife and spent time in a mental institution being analyzed to the nth degree, as a result of the accusations of his ex-wife and her family. After being released from the hospital, he shows up at his ex-wife's family home, having walked 75 miles to get there, and is lucky enough to encounter a poor cousin of the family who is a social worker and is familiar with his ex-wife. She believes the young man innocent and hides him in her turret bedroom. Let the farce begin! I thought it was amusing, well-written and had a much happier ending than if this happened in real life. I can indulge in happy endings.

I am reserving this for wild release.

Actually not sure of the LFL # but it is on 39th St. between 68th and 70th NE in Seattle.