Margaret Millar - The Soft Talkers Allison & Busby pbk £6.99
Margaret Millar, who died at Easter in 1994, wrote her first mystery
"The Invisible Woman" in 1941. Numerous crime novels followed as did
awards in recognition of the quality of her writing and a reputation for producing
books which have enhanced the profile of her chosen genre. "The Soft
Talkers" was originally published in 1957 in the USA as "The Air That
Kills." This re-issue in paperback by Allison & Busby is very welcome.
The claim by one of the critics quoted on the book cover, that the
book is " one of the most impressive additions to mystery literature - and the word
‘literature’ is used in its fullest sense" is a valid claim.
Here you see a master of her craft in operation. She makes
writing look deceptively easy.
Ron Galloway owns a lodge on Georgian Bay and a fishing
break for a group of "the fellows" has been arranged. His wife Esther is
not pleased that she is being left with the children again and she and Ron part on rather
a sour, disgruntled note. The "fellows" gradually arrive, settle in and proceed
to delve into the contents of the liquor cabinet.
Time passes and when midnight eventually strikes it at last becomes
likely that Ron, a stickler for punctuality, is not going to show up at all. He
doesn’t.
As the search for him proceeds, details of relationships
between some members of this group of friends emerge. Illicit love and lust, deceit,
betrayal guilt and murder are ingredients in the plot - a plot which is constructed with
skill and finesse - a story which is a real page turner - where the reader is kept in
suspense and led up the garden path in a very clever way.
Characters are drawn in detail with an accurate eye on human
psychology which makes them wholly believable in their thoughts, emotions and in the ways
that they interact with each other. A classic whodunit. An enjoyable and satisfying
read.
