SOME RECENT NOVELS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1934, Page 18

SOME RECENT NOVELS

"Expensive Lady" (Collins), a new romance by May Edginton, tolls the story of a girl who thought sho could get on better with another man than she could with her lawful husband. Tho latter conveniently disappeared for a time, but when he returned a changed man then the lady in quostibn changed her opinions.

Mrs. Henry Dudeney has written a charming story, "Portrait of Ellen" (Collins). Ellen Waitrose had two passions, love of'money and lovo of land. Left a widow with four daughters to bring up, she seeks to manage their affairs so as to bring them material wealth and happiness. Her efforts are concentrated on retaining her property of Cobbler's Holding, with its orchards and meadows and beautiful gardens, which sho has come to regard not only as her home, but as her sheetanchor in life. Cobbler's Holding, however, is-much sought after by covetous estate agents who wish to develop a housing estate on her land. Tho story of Ellen Waitroso and her daughters, with the underlying theme of the conflict between the new and the old, the lovers of beauty and tho vandals and despoilers of the countryside, gives Mrs. Dudeney splendid scope for her gift of character delineation, while her charming vignettes of- Sussex, a beautiful land of birds and little farms, and pasturing sheep and fleecy sheep, arc not the least delightful feature of an outstanding novel.

"Yesterday's Danghter," by Frances Mocatta (Herbert Jenkins), is the story of the only child of a selfish and ,I'ealous mother and of what becomes of her.

There is plenty of'humour in "You Can't Depend on Ladies," l>y Vivien Hobkirk (Herbert Jenkins). *Six girls about to leave school, each with a very different outlook on the world, agree to meet again in five- years' time. What happened to them in the meantime and the fate of the proposed reunion makes amusing reading. There is humour, too, in "AVinslow Moult," an amusing idiot created by B. L. Jacot. This story, which is published by Rich and Cowan, brings out the lighter side of life.

From now onwards tho well-known Catholic publication, "The Month," will bo appearing fortnightly under the title of "Zoalandia." It will retain all those features which have mado it so welcome in many homes, and at tho same time new features of general interest will add to its wide appeal.

Among writers of novels and plays who are qualified medical men are Somerset Maugham, Warwick Deeping, A. J. Cronin, and James Bridie.