Falling

Rating:
Summary: Beware of charming old men
Review: I haven't heard the tapes, but I've read the book. I couldn't find a listing for the book, so I'm putting my review here.

I can just imagine those fine actors, Alan Bates and Dianna Quick giving these characters voice - Bates, especially, is perfect casting.

Henry is in his 60s, without financial means, and caretaking a small houseboat on one of England's canals. He sees himself as handsome, charming and sexually gifted - a real ladies man. He thinks he knows what women want and does his best to give it to them, but on the wrong side of 60 and with little money, his opportunities are limited. Without a partner, and burnt by experiences from lonely hearts columns, he refuses to give up, and sets his requirements down on paper. However, on a walk to the village for provisions, he notices a local cottage has been bought by a reasonably attractive woman of mature years with, most importantly, obvious signs of money. Successfully offering his services as a gardener, then caretaker of the cottage when Daisy's work takes her to America for some months, he immediately begins planning a strategy to make Daisy's money his. He rearranges his life story in a way that he thinks will make Daisy sympathetic to him, and slowly, relentlessly inveigles her into his web of deceit and lies.

Written in alternate chapters from both Henry's and Daisy's viewpoint, we read of him setting his bait, then her unknowingly taking it, then his derision of her neediness. We find out about Henry's past, or rather, the past he prefers to remember. We find out about Daisy, her two failed marriages, her estrangement from her daughter and her unexpected success as a playwright.

Despite being badly let down by two husbands, Daisy allows herself to be drawn in by what she sees as his selflessness, caring, admiration, and sexual prowess, not realising that it's all a calculated act. But fortunately for her, she's not without friends, and even though Henry eventually has her in his thrall, they are not so easily deceived.

I almost put this book down several times. I had a sour taste in my mouth most of the time I was reading - I felt something nasty was going to happen and I wasn't sure I wanted to know about it. It didn't quite happen that way, due to the intervention of people who really loved Daisy, but this could so easily be the story of many people looking for love. Beware of con-men with good stories, listen to your friends, and trust your initial instincts - all advice Daisy could have used.

Rating:
Summary: Nervous making!
Review: The previous reviewer,judithb,has written a perfect precis of the story so I won't bother repeating the story.It's the old(unfortunately) story of a lonely,vulnerable woman of sixty,still attractive and with a good,solid writing career,meeting an attractive,sexy(even at 65) man who knows a good thing when he sees it and promptly decides to make the moves on her.A con man with considerable charm,he lulls and woos her into a state of submission,and if it were not for her canny friends and daughter,would have undoubtedly destroyed her life. I became uneasy with him right from the word go and this spoiled my reading of the book as I was just waiting for the inevitable to happen.One hopes that all women will have good friends to give them a good shake if they're unfortunate enough to succumb to late life"love affairs" and rescue them before too much damage is done.