I’m a big fan of the Library of America series (I own most of the volumes) so I was looking forward to reading this latest release: Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1940s. I had seen the Otto Preminger movie of Laura starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb. The novel plays a lot of games with multiple narrators. The movie is better than the book. I’ve had a copy of The Horizontal Man for decades. It’s set in an academic setting. I enjoyed the usual college politics in the novel, but figured out what was going on very early in the novel.
Dorothy B. Hughes’s In a Lonely Place focuses on a series of strangulations. The best novel in this collection is Elixabeth Sanxay Holding’s The Blank Wall. A woman whose husband is fighting in World War II finds her family under siege from blackmailers. A couple murders and plot twists keep the action moving at a break-neck pace.
I’m glad women suspense writers are getting the attention they deserve. Next week for FFB I’ll be reviewing the companion volume: Women Crime writers: Four Suspense Writers: Four Novels of the 1950s.
What, no grade?
Bob, I’d give it a “B.”
All four are terrific reads in my view and well worth re-discovering, though apart from the Eustis I would have thought these were fairly well-known (not least for their film versions)
Sergio, this is a nice package of suspense novels. I hadn’t read any of them before.
Holding’s novel originally appeared in THE LADIES HOME JOURNAL and was filmed as THE RECKLESS MOMENT in 1949.
Dan, thanks for the info!
I’m so glad Holding is “having a moment” right now. Her books, aside from the criminal elements, are perfect time capsules of upper-middle-class Anerican life in the early-to-mid-20th Century.
I think IN A LONELY PLACE is good too–although, unlike the movie, there isn’t much ambiguity as to the narrator’s guilt.
Deb, I have a number of Holding’s mysteries. She certainly is underrated.
Ed Gorman has been championing her over the years.
Todd, Ed Gorman is right on the money. I’m hoping this series gets continued with future volumes.
I figured you’d be reading these. I’ve read a couple – LAURA and THE HORIZONTAL MAN – and have been meaning to read the Hughes for years. All the recent reviews of Holding’s book got me to pick up a copy a couple of years ago and this recent spate of publicity may finally get me to push it to the top of the list.
Jeff, this was my first Holding mystery, but it won’t be my last. I’m glad the Library of America is bringing back classic crime fiction.
Think Laura the novel underrated. The multi-narration works, and certainly makes the title character more interesting. And it’s funny to read Mark’s thoughts on how he nailed Waldo as insane almost from the outset, consenting to go on dinner dates(!) with him to determine motive and actual weapon.
Bill, good point. The Library of America may continue this series if enough people buy these books.
I’ve already been impressed by LOA’s offerings, and I’ve been both surprised and impressed that they have published so many books featuring “genre” authors. The Hammett and Chandler books along with the noir collections are special favorites of mine. Thanks for highlighting what sounds like another worthwhile collection. All the best from R.T. athttp://thesimpleartofmurder.blogspot.com/
R.T., these two WOMEN CRIME WRITERS volumes should ignite more interest in writers of that era. I’m hoping the Library of America continues this series into the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties.
Good packaging concept. This one especially. Thanks, George.
Mathew, I’m impressed with most of the Library of America volumes. They take care in their selections and the packaging is first-rate.
If I had the money and the space I’d buy a lot of these. Maybe not as many as George, but I like the LOA volumes a lot.
Jeff, I wish that the Library of America would use a slightly larger font…or have Large Print editions. Other than that, I’m very happy with the LOA format.
They also did a version of THE BLANK WALL with Tilda Swinton, I think. Can’t remember the name. I really liked this novel when I read it not long ago. It IS a perfect embodiment of that time and how women were viewed by their husbands and children.
Patti, I felt the same way you did about THE BLANK WALL. The mother was trying to protect her family and that led to some horrific decisions.