Book Review!

Mary Roberts Rhinehart is an iconic American author. I've seen her referred to as "the American Agatha Christie," high praise, indeed, for writing mystery novels which are logical and entertaining. This book certainly fills that bill.

THE YELLOW ROOM
by Mary Roberts Rhinehart
copyright 1945
In WW2 New York City, 24 year old Carol Spencer sat aboard a train bound for Newport, Rhode Island, with her mother, a peevish, fretful society woman, and three servants. Her fiance having been shot down and presumed dead, Carol had wanted to join the armed forces as a nurse, a plan vetoed by her mother. With her 32 year old brother Greg embarking upon a month's leave, during which he was to receive a commendation and be married, Carol was dropping her mother off at her sister's house in Newport, from thence to continue to Maine with the three servants to open the family's vacation home at her mother's behest.

Upon her arrival in Maine, Carol finds George, the gardener, hospitalized with appendicitis and the yard overgrown, and Lucy, the housekeeper, not in evidence. When one of the NYC maids opened the linen closet, a body fell out. And thus begins a tale of murder, AWOL service men, and mysterious newcomers set in a close-lipped New England town. Some things seem odd to us today, such as the power being shut off by the utility company to all vacation homes (hello? frozen pipes?), gas and food rationing, and, of course, the "society" people who really don't exist today. But this was a good, entertaining read, fast paced and lively. Mrs. Rhinehart is able to make us feel emotion for each of the characters, which is essential to real enjoyment of a book.

This is available on Amazon - be sure you get the one by Mary Roberts Rhinehart, and not one by any of several different authors (including "Anonymous"). It's a fun book.

And a memory of our Thor, the day he got his cow tail from Debbie Cook. He did enjoy it!