This book is my second submission for the 1940 Club hosted by Simon at Stuck in a Book and Karen at Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings. This was Dorothy B. Hughes first mystery novel.
Griselda Satterlee currently lives in Hollywood, where she had a brief and successful acting career, then moved on to fashion design. She has returned to New York for a visit, and is staying in her ex-husband Con's apartment. Shortly after she arrives in New York, she is accosted by two beautiful young men while she walks home alone after dark. They call her by name and insist that she knows them. They are twins, almost identical, one with blue eyes and blond hair, the other with black eyes and black hair.
The men, David and Danny Montefierrow, enter Con's apartment, ask about a blue marble, and demand that she give it to them. They are menacing and scary but don't really harm her. The man in the apartment across the hall knocks on the door and they leave, telling Griselda that they will see her again. At that point her nightmare begins.
The Montefierrow brothers insinuate themselves into Griselda's life. She learns that their mother was a friend of Griselda's mother. Griselda's younger sister Missy, only sixteen years old, is friends with them and has also recently arrived in New York. Her older sister Ann is impressed with anyone in society and doesn't see the brother's malicious side. Everything moves so fast it is hard to keep up.
This book is unlike any other book by Dorothy B. Hughes that I have read. In a Lonely Place and Ride a Pink Horse are noir novels, with a much more serious tone. This one is also on the noir side but more fantastical, and requires a good bit of suspension of disbelief. In some ways this one reads like an espionage novel. You never know who to trust. There are several deaths and they are pretty gruesome, but not dwelt upon. Con, the ex-husband, does return to his apartment, but he is working with the police, and hints at some connection with the government. Everyone keeps asking where the blue marble is. The reason Griselda doesn't reveal what she knows to the police is to protect Con; she is sure that he will be harmed by the evil Montefierrow brothers.
I love the way Hughes writes; this is a strange story but her writing sucks me right in. She also is very good with creating memorable characters. In this book there are a lot of characters and it can get confusing. The focus is on Griselda; she is the point of view character and is the only character the reader gets to know well.
I especially liked the contrast between the three sisters, and their relationship.
Griselda is the middle sister, independent and talented and successful at a very young age. Yet in this situation she is in over her head and doesn't know who to turn to.
Her older sister, Ann, is very different. Married to a business man with plenty of money, mother of two young children, she is self-centered and not interested in anyone else's needs and does not approve of Griselda. She is oblivious to the bad side of the Montefierrow brothers; they can be very charming when they want to be.
Missy is the younger sister, eight years younger than Griselda. She went to live with her mother in Europe at six and Griselda and Ann have never spent much time with her. She is only 16, beautiful and well-dressed, but she is a horror in the true sense of the word. She is in league with the Montefierrow brothers. Scary and spoiled.
The setting is New York City primarily, although the characters take some trips out to the country. There are glimpses of the night life and ritzy restaurants in New York.
My copy of this book is the Pyramid Green Door Mystery edition. I collect Green Door Mystery paperbacks when I can find them.
There is a sequel to this book, The Bamboo Blonde, published in 1941. It may or may not be as good as this book, but I will certainly give it a try.
See other reviews at Clothes in Books, A Hot Cup of Pleasure, and My Reader's Block.
Publisher: Pyramid, 1965 (first publ. 1940)
Length: 157 pages
Format: Paperback
Series: Griselda Satterlee #1
Setting: New York
Genre: Mystery
16 comments:
This sounds like an unusual book, Tracy - perhaps more psychological tension than anything else. I think I understand what you mean about the link between espionage stories and the 'who is trustworthy' plot point, and I can see how that builds the suspense here. I don't, in general, go for books that require too much suspension of disbelief, but this one does sound interesting, and if the writing appeals to you too, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Tracy, I read In A Lonely Place many years ago and I still remember how excellent it was. Never went on to read anything further by Dorothy Hughes and that's a mistake. I should give Blue Marble a try.
This has been a really popular one for the Club, and it does sound really good! Thanks for taking part! :D
I'd never heard of this so was fascinated by your review, Tracy. It sounds like there's a real air of menace in the book, poor Griselda! I'm also trying to work out what that man is doing to her on the cover. Is that a sword? I like the wording on the cover too, 'The blood-red curse of a precious jewel - a story of evil and terror'. Wow.
Margot, I don't usually have problems suspending disbelief If the writing is very good, and this one moves at a fast pace which makes it easier. One of Hughes novels is a Cold War spy novel (sort of) where the main character is looking for a secret report. It is set in Hollywood. Hughes set her novels in varied places.
Kathy, The other books I have read besides this one and In a Lonely Place are The Davidian Report (a Cold War spy novel) and Ride the Pink Horse (set in New Mexico). The others are more serious than this one. I plan to read more of her books.
Kaggsy, I was surprised that so many people chose this book for the club. I have been putting it off for years because it is so different from Hughes' other novels but I am glad I read it now.
Hughes is an author that I'd really like to try someday. My library has two of her books to get me started. Great review of this 1940s mystery! :D
Cath, That cover illustration is something else. The man is pointing a walking cane at the woman and at the end it has a retractable blade. The other twin has some other device in his cane to put out a poison gas of some type. At only 160 pages, the story doesn't have time to get that terrifying though. Some of the characters and situations are humorous, but the story is still tense.
Thanks, Lark. Hughes is an interesting author and there is a lot of variety in her books. I hope you like her writing.
I found this one very different from the other books I've read by Hughes which, as you say, are more serious noir novels, but it was still very enjoyable. I was also interested in the relationship between the three sisters - Missy certainly was scary! I'm planning to give The Bamboo Blonde a try too.
Helen, I am interested to see how much The Bamboo Blonde resembles this book. Since it was the next book published after this one, it probably is like this one, but I guess the plot would be more standard. The next book I read will probably be Dread Journey or The Expendable Man.
I saw your review of The Expendable Man and I noticed that you said it is best to go in knowing as little as possible. I like that approach so I did not read all of your review.
Thought I'd pop in here and note, before reading the review above, that I caught the repeat of the pilot of the US version of THE ACCUSED, and thanks again for recommending it, and I thought I'd note this, in case you hadn't seen it:
https://www.blackgate.com/2023/04/15/goodbye-to-a-fellow-reader-rick-robinson-1945-june-30-2022/
Todd, thanks so much for pointing out that link to Blackgate. I had seen the post but never commented there. Reading it several days ago I was so emotional I could not think what to say at the time. It is a lovely tribute to Rick and I will go back over there today to add my thoughts.
I don't remember recommending THE ACCUSED but I went and checked out the series and it does look interesting.
I don't know this author and the book sounds incredibly creepy! However, I do like those old Pyramid covers and enjoyed the review.
Constance, it is sort of creepy but... it moves so fast that I did not notice that part of it so much. It also is somewhat dark and noirish but I had faith that it would not not leave me in a total downer mood. And, as you say, the cover is very nice. I also have this book in a Dell Mapback edition, but that one is hiding somewhere.
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