Thursday, June 23, 2011

The appeal of romantic suspense.

The unknown editor on the Mysterious Matters blog discusses the appeals of the Gothic, mentioning Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, and Phyllis A. Whitney along the way. I think this sort of book makes for
Hayley Mills in
The Moon-Spinners
(dir. James Neilson, 1964)
excellent relaxing beach reading. My particular Stewart favorites are The Ivy Tree (with one of the greatest reader fakeouts of all time) and The Gabriel Hounds, although you can't go wrong with The Moonspinners; Madam, Will You Talk?; This Rough Magic; and My Brother Michael. Those looking for the books that started it all can consult Valancourt Books' many selections; others who want a more modern take might enjoy Susanna Kearsley and Lillian Stewart Carl. Another invaluable resource is Dean James's Mystery Scene appreciation.

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