RECENT FICTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23885, 12 August 1939, Page 4

RECENT FICTION

The Woman Colonist There is a charming serenity about Elizabeth Coatsworth’s “Here I Stay,” despite the crude primitiveness with which it deals, that makes it an outstanding novel of its kind. In it is presented all the love of the soil, the faith in the future and the confidence in one’s own ultimate destiny which have been the impelling forces behind pioneer husbandry ever since there were new worlds to be discovered and colonised. The story of Margaret Winslow Is the story of countless pioneer women in a score of countries the world over. The scene is set in the Ohio country in the spring of 1817. A rude settlement has been carved out of the still undeveloped State of Maine, but scarcely has the little company of farmers composed itself for the struggle against adversity and the .seasons than news comes of a better, richer country to the west. The exodus once begun becomes universal, except for the indomitable daughter of John Winslow, who a little earlier had died on his tiny farm still protesting his faith in the new country and his confidence in the land. The narrative of Margaret’s lonely life as the last survivor of the original settlers in a region scores of miles removed from the nearest human habitation is not actually exciting or unusual. The circumstances can readily be imagined, but it gain* compelling quality from the manner of its telling, its sensitive and quietly effective style. The decorative chapter heads by Edwin Earle are in perfect keeping with the tone of the book.

“Tiger- Standish Again Sydney Horler can spin a good'yarn even if it be, byordinary standards, Incredible. In “Tiger Standish Takes the Field ” he tells of an attempt made by Rahusen, a person well known to , Mr Horler’s constant readers, to secure a completed fighting aeroplane of a new and extremely powerful design. The works in which the machine is being made are carefully guarded, the workmen picked and watched jeal-

ously. Just: the same, information leaks out and secrets are known to people who should not know anything about them. Sir Barker Bellamy calls "Tiger.” to his aid, and at once events begin to move. Standish makes the most foolish errors, but even so he drop# on the essential facts and finally saves Old England once more..

Frumpton of the “Yard” “ Two Men from to East ”is a welltold story of tfie traffic in drugs. Jack Somers, a rollinig stone, meets on _ a steamer a young woman whom he ' knows has been treated harshly by ' Joseph Tenman, a man noted for his ' kindness and good deeds. For some reason Tenman seeks to bring Somers within the power of the law. This proves his undoing, for Somers .fights back and, point by point, exposes this master-mind of the underworld. The whole story Is quite impossible, but it makes an interesting thriller ]ust the same, and few readers will put the book down until they have finished it. Andy Frampton appears once, more, and proves himself a man with vision and courage. Channel Islands Mystery ... "‘The Channel Mystery” is concerned with the plotting of one Paul Meyers to secure from Dr Lindsey, a scientist of repute, the details of an ‘ invention which is likely to revolutionise warfare. The villain of the piece has obtained possession of one of the ’ islands of the Channel group, and there, by the expenditure of much money, has established an . elaborate .. . base for submarine warfare. He makes ... a serious mistake, however, when he . indicates to ■ certain people that their presence is obnoxious to him. , This causes Tony Gerrard and. his doughty friends to be consumed with, desire to .. know that Meyers is about—a desire that is gratified after many exciting adventures. Our copy is from Whitcombe and Tombs.Am Australian Mystery Readers of Arthur Upfleld’s “The Bone is Pointed” will remember Napoleon Buonaparte, the half-caste detective-inspector, who is again the hero in “The Mystery of Swordfish 1 Reef." A retired Scotland Yard Official goes out fishing for swordfish to the launch of Bill Spink3..H.:Neith«r, launch nor men come.toack, yet; the sea was calm arid there was no known reason for this untoward happening. Later, the . head of the 1 fisherman is brought up in .a trawler’s net and the suspicion of foul play becomes aJtoertainty. Napoleon is sent down, ta.ihvfistigate, and when he hdsjcharted with accuracy the of, eveiy known vessel- out on rtne* -j-dsy inquestion he realises & that'; ,tn e owner '. of a certain vessel / is m,o're„'/than likely to be worth wa'tchlpg. Exactly what did happen Is well concealed and the reader will be surprised when he reaches the climax of this mystery.--'' • . M

“Here I Stay.” By Elizabeth Coatsworth (Harrap). “Pink Faces.” By Betty Inskip (Chatto and Windus), “Tiger Standish Takes the, Field.” By Sydney Horler (Hodder and Stoughton). “ Give Me Liberty.” By John Kent (Ward, Lock). “The Mystery of Swordfish Reef.” By Arthur W. Upfield (Angus and Robertson). 6s 6d. “Two Men from the East.” By T. Arthur Plummer (Paul). “The Channel Mystery.” By W. F. Morris (Joseph). “The Sagebrush Bandit.” By Forrest R. Brown (Ward, Lock). 4s.' Each 7s 6d, unless otherwise stated.

Prize-winning Mystery When Sir Montague Pose (previously Posenbaum), ex-smuggler, white slave trader, and drug trafficker, is found dead in a flat in New York in circumstances which suggest suicide even his most intimate acquaintances are unanimous in agreeing that his demise has contributed materially to the purification of the world. The police, however, in spite of the neatlv tabulated case which is presented to them, are not satisfied that suicide is the correct verdict, and as the death of an English knight, no matter how much it is to be welcomed from the moral standpoint, is not a matter which can be officially glossed over, they institute Inquiries which implicate several persons. Chief among the suspect are the dead man’s w’fe, who because of illtreatment had ample cause to desire his death, and a man whom Pose had cheated in an earlier criminal association. One feels, however, that the case against these two and sundry lesser suspects is too good to be true, and this, conviction is proved to be justified in a surprising climax for which one can heartily endorse the judgment of the experts who awarded the book a handsome prize. The Author: John Kent had a long career with the British Army in Mesopotamia and India, and subsequently as an inspector of the Albania Gendarmarie. He subsequently lived in New York for a period, this experience providing him with part of the background for the book. “Give Me Liberty,” which was awarded the first prize of £250 in a competition conducted by, the, London Daily Mirror.

Austrian Romance “Pink,Faces”- is a shrewd and Intelligent study of character, set in the romantic and charming lake , country of Austria. Added interest is lent to the tale by the intriguing admixture of nationalities among the youthful characters. The principal figures are Serena and Vicky, young English sisters left to fend for themselves at a mo#t difficult and susceptible age by the death' of their guardian.' Around these two the author has gathered a collection of Austrian and American personalities whose impact on the totally opposite aims of the sisters provides the material for an absorbing story. Serena is the constant nymph, and the self-appointed guardian of her younger and more mercurial sister, who creates a host of problems for herself and her friends by her intense capacity for enjoyment and the indulgence of a strong will.* The characters In "Pink Faces” . have . been cleverly motivated, and are drawn with precision and understanding, while to add to the enjoyment of her readers the author has furnished an Austrian background of colour and brightness which coincides perfectly with the freshness of her style. The highly satisfactory ending to the story is not the usual " happy-ever-after ’’ type of thing, but rather a natural and logical climax to a well-reasoned theme. “The Sagebrush Bandit” A feature of too many Wild West novels- is the abrupt fashion in which the., reader i$ plunged into a maelstrom of intrigue, six-shootings, hatreds, and undying feuds. This book Is a typicdl example, and the reader might like, about-halfway through, if not earlier, to obtain an idea of what the real trouble ■ is.. ' Unfortunately, no such indication-is given. Who is this Sagebrush Bandit? Is he Trent? What particular place has Patricia Helm in the story? She has no idea! When, however; Windy Rivers tells the Taggestown leaders that Marshall Ramon - Diaz is coming, to clean up the banditry that has beeh prevalent, it .is clear that things are about to happen. They do. The amount of lead that flies about, not indiscriminately, will .please the .most bloodthirsty, even if the reader' who likes a sustained plot is disappointed. V. ,y. L.