SOME NEW NOVELS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 22

SOME NEW NOVELS

A FEW OF THE LATEST

The spring 'and- early summer months in England usually see a good output of novels, and the time is a busy one for publishers. Although this season has not fen the publication of anything really outstanding in the way of fiction, quite a number of tho new novels are likely to be widely read. Owing to tho sensation ho icieatcd with his first novel, "Hatter's Castle," a new novel by Dr. A. J. Cronin is naturally welcomed. This is called "Grand Canary" and is published by Gollanez. "Grand Canary" is quite a different vein to any previous novel by Br. Cronin, and, although excessively emotional, is a better novel than the majority published in these days. The hero of the story is a doctor who discovers a new and wonderful serum. But deaths follow'its administration and he is discredited. He goes to the Canary Islands, there to have a strange meeting with the. heroine and to find that his life's, work is by no means finished. The story is a strange...medley, of characters and episodes, and perhaps rather confusing and disjointed at times. ■'-.'..'■■ A pleasantly-told tale with a peaceful' setting is "Vicar's Walk,", by Horace Anncsloy Vachell. (Hodder and Stoughton). Its setting is an old cathedral town, but the story is universal in its application. The author quietly draws aside the curtains that hide the lives of those dwelling in humble homes under the shadow of the cathedral, but discloses nothing. that could hurt or offend. The book is in the main the story of tho life of Enoch Saint, his adventures and misadventures- as chorister, soldier, and Dean's verger, and the influence upon'him of two girls who giow up with him. These stand in the foreground of a story, tho backgiound of which is richly peopled with living chaiacters, from the high dignitaries of the cathedral to the humblest dwcllcis in Vicar's Wajk. "Peng Weo's Harvest;." by Louise Jordan Miln (Hodder and, Stoughton), is a tale of China with a very topical setting. Helen Conway is a selfish and wilful schoolgirl who holds in great contempt all coloured people, particularly Peng Wee, a Chinese Girl in her school. She leaves school, marries Tom Thornton, a fine Englishman, and has to go out with-him to China, where his business lakes him. In China tho Thorntons get into great trouble, .fust in-the Yantso floods and then at the hands of bandits. Their little son is appaiently lost but, at the last, they lind him happy in the care of a Chinese woman, none other than Peng ,Wee; and Helen's one time contempt ■■of "coloured (people" is turned into "admiration and love. Many will - welcome ' "Knock-Qut," (Hodder arid Stoughton), a new Bull-' <log Druminond novel, by "Sapper."' In. this'new adventure a meeting takes place between Hugh Druminond - and Ronald Standish, of the Secret Service^ in a Joncly house at Hampstcad; and seeing that the*, jtopm was dark find neither 'knew j/t the presence of .the other, it'was a pretty* forceful .meeting. But once met, they prpve ono of Sapper's finest combinations in tho game of "hitting first and talking after," to use Standish's own description of the Drummond method. And 'they need all their strength and skill to knock but .the,sinister Denionico, whose villainies are'no less far-reaching than, those of the' latelamented Carl,Peterson. ' FOB LIGHTER MOMENTS.' As -may be gathered from' its title, ."Tlio Prime Minister's Pyjamas," is a book for lighter moments. Tlio joint authors,'. Frances Evelyn, Countess of Warwick, and -Mr. Langfoi;_ Heed, call it a "political,extravaganza." . It is* a rtiost amusing sl-fit on'present-day poli-, tics, and politicians.■ The Prime Min-' iSter of England, having in his possession' an important draft'treaty on a single slip of paper, ..accepts tho invitation of an old friend, Lady Mainchance, to spend a few days at her country house. For safety, he makes a secret pocket in his pink-and-white striped silk pyjamas, and sews the draft -treaty therein. In endeavouring for* k -moment to revive a sentimental association long since dead, Lady Mainchance persuades the Prime Minister to step into her room. A cat-burglar seizes that instant*to enter the Prime Minister's room, but' hearing a noise, he batches up the only things' of value he can [see —namely, the silv-dr-backed hair brushes on the dressing .table—'and wrapping them hastily in the pyjamas, makes a dash across the park, hotly pursued by the Premier. The catburglar escapes. The pyjamas are sold, and the Prime Minister offers" a reward of k £3oo for their return, before a certain date. ' Tiie pyjamas/ adventures, are many-and .varied, and the Prime. Minister's political opponents move heaven and earth'to discover the mystery enfolding tliem and' the reward, With the object of discrediting the Premier. The foiling of the Opposition, the recovery of the missing garments, and the ultimate signing of the treaty make hilarious reading. DALE COLLINS AGAIN. Those who read and enjoyed Mr. Dale Collins's "Ordeal" will not be/disappointed in "Lost." The captain of a liner bound for Capo Town goes wad, murders .the wireless operator, smashes tho apparatus, and diverts the ship tb search for-an island in the Antarctic. The island has only been sighted twjee before, atid its exact position is uncertain. Tho captain discovers it, howover, by wrecking his ship pn it. - At first the castaways are sunk in depression,' but in time civilised habits reassert'themselves, and they begin to organise their little'community. Work is allotted to each'member of the community in proportion to his or her ability, and finally, being certain that all hope of rescue must ibe abandoned, the men and women'pair off and arc married. IJcre Mr. Collins's sense of fun gets the. upge* hand, and when a few weeks later an aeroplane appears, the rescuers find an English peer married to a fat and futile widow, a famous prima donna married to a boatswain, a' society gill married to a Mormon elder, and an actress married to 4 a ship's apprentice!