“The Stranger in the Car” is the fourth story that I have selected from Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives for Short Story Wednesday. The anthology was edited by Sarah Weinman and its subtitle is "Stories from the Trailblazers of Domestic Suspense."
This story focuses on Carrol Charleroy, husband of Susan, father of two boys and two girls, now all grown up. The youngest daughter, Julia, is the only child living at home. Susan is in the hospital with the flu, Julia is out dancing with friends, and Charleroy is feeling lonely. Miss Ewing, a music teacher who sometimes comes to stay and take care of the household, is staying with them while Helen is in the hospital, but she has gone off to bed. When Julia comes home in the middle of the night, she has trouble getting upstairs to her room and this awakens her father. He can see that she has been injured; the next morning she has a black eye. She says she remembers leaving with a man but little of what happened after that. The man brought her home in a taxi. After more discussion, Miss Ewing suggests that she and Julia go to the Charleroy's home in the country, Meadowsweet, and Helen won't have to be bothered with what is going on.
More mishaps happen and Charleroy ends up at Meadowsweet with a dead body. He is trying to get everything under control, but in truth it is the women of the family who are able to handle the situation and straighten it out.
The story is longer than most stories in the book, at 69 pages.
In the introduction to this story, Sarah Weinman says...
The famously prickly Raymond Chandler said of ELISABETH SANXAY HOLDING:
"For my money she's the top suspense writer of them all. She doesn't pour it on and make you feel irritated. Her characters are wonderful; and she has a sort of inner calm which I find very attractive."
I was intrigued by this story and I want to read some of Elisabeth Sanxay Holding's suspense novels.
Here are some links for the author:
- The Godmother of Noir: Elisabeth Sanxay Holding at Criminal Element
- Two reviews of The Blank Wall at the crime segments and Reactions to Reading
- Net of Cobwebs at crossexaminingcrime
- Death Wish at Pretty Sinister Books
- The Obstinate Murderer at The Passing Tramp
16 comments:
Elisabeth Sanxay Holding's mysteries were hard to find for years. Now, STARK HOUSE is reprinting her wonderful works in omnibus volumes. I have a few and intend to buy them all. Elisabeth Sanxay Holding is an underrated writer.
THE BLANK WALL is terrific and has also been made into a movie called THE RESTLESS MOMENT. And maybe a second one with Tilda Swinton. Ed Gorman who used to review on here loved her books. I'll post one of his reviews on Friday.
George, I had noticed that Stark House was reprinting a lot of her books. Right now all I have is The Blank Wall in the Library of America edition of Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s. That will be a good place to start.
Patti, I look forward to the Ed Gorman review you will be posting. I am interested in trying any and all of the books when I can. And I will start with The Blank Wall.
I have to confess, Tracy, I've not read her work, although I've heard of it. This one does sound intriguing; I can see how it might tempt you to read more. It makes me wonder about the family dynamics here, too.
I am glad I read this story finally, Margot, as it has motivated me to find more of her books.
When was this story first published? I have one of the Strak House doubles, but it went straight to the shelf instead of to the little TBR bookcase.
Rick, it was originally published in 1949 in The American Magazine. I have some Stark House reprints of other authors with 2 and even 3 books in them, but none of Holding's books, unfortunately.
There's no lack of Stark House reprints of Holding!
That this one was a novella is probably most of the reason it hasn't been reprinted too often, alas. I need to read and review more Holding, as well, as Ed, at least, can't beat the drum any longer.
https://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2011/09/ffb-too-many-bottles-aka-party-is.html
https://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2017/11/books-received-clingerman-files-by.html
http://olmansfifty.blogspot.com/2019/08/52-miasma-by-elisabeth-sanxay-holding.html
TM
http://doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/2020/02/forgotten-book-murder-is-kill-joy.html
http://doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/2019/12/forgotten-book-unfinished-crime.html
https://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/the-obstinate-murderer-1938-and-speak-of-the-devil-1941-by-elisabeth-sanxay-holding/
http://doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/2019/09/forgotten-book-innocent-mrs-duff.html
http://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=48359
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1877944449?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1
And I'll stop! Our circles of bloggers have not ignored her work!
1949! Yet it seems a contemporary plot.
Rick, I agree, I was surprised that the plot seemed so much like ones on current TV. Reviews of her other books have also noted that they seem very contemporary.
Todd, Thanks for all those links to other reviews of Holding's works. It will take me a while to go through them.
Thanks especially for pointing me to Olman's Fifty. It looks like he has lots of reviews there for Holding's books.
Nice cover. I'm reading some short stories again this month after missing out at the end of last year. Too much going on!
It is a nice cover, Col. I have a goal to read (an average of) one short story a day this year. I don't know how that will go but it can't hurt to try.
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