Light Fiction for Week-End Reading
GANGSTER REFORMED In "The Earl of Chicago" a gangster is released after a term of imprisonment to find that he lias been usurped by his riv.nl in mora ways than one. The Kid's methods of revenge are thorough and drastic, but not in accordance with the principles of the law, and it is only the timely discovery that ho is the heir to a title and wealthy estates in England which saves him from a second arrest. Although this is an amusing picture of a one.-time gangster cleaning-up his family affairs with startling efficiency, it is the pace which Mr. Brock Williams can put into his writing and the tension of the dramatic moments which make the reader hope for more books from the same author. "The Earl of Chicago," by Brock .Williams. (Harrau.)
I Baffling Mystery j ■ Mr. Anthony Gilbert can always ■ : be relied upon jor a baffling mystery : ■ story, and his new noOel, ''The Man ; : Who Wasn't There," is well up to : • standard. It tells of the death from • : poisoning of the husband of an \ • actress, the wife being charged with • : murder. In an effort to find the real : ■ murderer and thus save his client, • : the wife's lawyer narrowly escapes : • death, and the story works up to • : a pilch of intensified mystery and : ■ excitement which should satisfy the • : most jaded reader. : • Mr. Gilbert's gift for portraying : : character is seen at its best in this : • novel. jj : "The Man Who Wasn't There," : : by Anthony Gilbert. (Collins.) :
dsf
ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT In "Royals Free," Elinor Mordaunt has written a good story. Jimmy Crowther, the hero, with his unusual family background, remains tho only simple character in the hook. Ho is a cheerful, adaptable lad, who is mucn happier doing things than thinking about them. His running off to sea was entirely unpremeditated, but he had an adventurous spirit which gloried in freedom of life on board ship. In Jimmy Mrs. Mordaunt typifies tho independent spirit. He fills 'the book with his unfailing good humour, Yet the portrayal of his character lacks the life-giving touch. Strangely enough it is tho smaller portraits, that of his socalled father, his sisters and shipmates that remain in the memory. "lioyala Free," by Elinor Mordaunt. , (Mkkacl Joseph.). |
Light Fiction for Week-End Reading
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22741, 29 May 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.
Log in