NEW BOOKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 65, 27 December 1928, Page 7

NEW BOOKS

"A TALE THAT IS TOLD." In "A Tale That is Told," S. L. Bensusan presents his first novel .after more than 30 vears of literary activity in many parts*of the world in the service of nearly all the leading papers. The story is written in part round the marshlands of the East Coast of England, and for the rest is laid m the London of the late Victorian and early Edwardiani eras. .The plot deals with a scoundrelly factor who robs his employer and escapes punishment because he is in possession of the latter s secret concerning the identity of a woman he has befriended. Finally tragedy comes, and the lawyer cousin of the'landowner unravels the tangle. While the plot is a good one, the charm of the book lies in the fine portrayal of many of the country types that have appeared in the authors sketches of East Angha, books of "Village Idylls" and "A Countryside Chronicle," t hat haye achiev6d noteworthy success*. •- - • t "STEADFAST HEART."

High courage and a dogged loyalty to principle marks the character ot Angus Burke, who in Clarence Budington Kelland's "Steadfast Heart" is handicapped from boyhood by the fact that at the behest of a drug-maddened mother he killed the sheriff. He is acquitted on the charge of murder and befriended by two men, whose teachings, however, have not as much influence as have the caustic advice ot a little girl who resides in a rich home. One of his benefactors becomes ill and the lad, at the suggestion of his girl critic leaves College and assumes control of the newspaper. How he makes good against the unkindly attitude ot the country town, stirred up by a bitter rival, makes a story of the most interesting character. There is much pleasure to be obtained also from the telling of the struggle that the woman in the case experiences between inclination on the one hand and hereditary and, early training on the other. THE ARCH VILLAIN.

Francis Beeding has. made a specialty of the secret services of the machinations of world-wide plotters, one ot the most active of the latter being Professor Kreitzemark, of "The House of Dr. Edwardes" and "The Seven Sleepers." The arch villain reappears in "The Hidden Kingdom." Here he is again planning a coup in Mongolia, by working upon the traditional beliei of the natives that a deliverer acconv panied by a white maiden will lead them on a march similar to that ot Attila. The maiden was the daughter-in-law of one of the gang of wealthy plotters, and, of course, her practical abduction was especially resented by Gaston de Blanchegarde, the French secret service man, who in his search for and pursuit of the gang was ably assisted by Etienne Rehmy and Thomas Preston. As a thriller "The Hidden Kingdom" ranks with any of Mr Beeding's previous stories.

RUSY M. AYRES' NOVEL. Ruby M. Ayres has such a long list of books to her credit that she requires no introduction to readers. Her latest, "The Family," is quite in keeping with her previous works, and will be sure of a warm welcome from her admirers. "The Family" dealt with a young woman's love for a baby whose father and mother both died in Africa Her natural honesty prompts her to take the child, "Chuckles, 'to his father's family, but her love tor him tempts her to keep him. She compromises by going to England as his mother. Arrived at the palatial home of "The Family," complications at once arise. Finally for the sake ot "Chuckles" she leaves him, but circumstances cause her to return, with the result that "Chuckles" finds himself with both father and mother.

"TO-MORROW'S TANCLE." "To-morrow's Tangle," by Margaret Pedler, is a love story in which the hero and heroine have many differences before the finale is reached. A woman engages herself to two men, with the result that one takes his own life and the second loses his faith in women. He meets an artist however, who restores his faith, hut she declines to give up her work. Finally she yields, but the two drift apart, until both realise the error of their ways. Of course, the faithless woman does not disappear from the life of the hero, nor does the artist become entirely free from a persistent lover. One of the most likeable characters in the book is an understanding old lady who, while having her own. way with her husband, yet feels for him an affection born of a long faithfulness hefore she would yield. All the above books are published by Hodder and Stoughton, Limited.