Hush, It's a Game

Rating:
Summary: An Australian Charlotte Armstrong
Review: Originally published in 1967, this novel is very reminiscent of the works of Charlotte Armstrong (whose book "Mischief" was made into a movie starring Marilyn Monroe.) As in many of Armstrong's stories, a young child is menaced by a killer and only accidental knowledge stumbled upon by strangers can save her. But will the disinterested outsiders care enough to interfere?

In Carlon's novel, a six-year-old girl is locked up in the kitchen by her babysitter, Isobel, when an ex-boyfriend comes to call. During that visit, Isobel is murdered and the murderer leaves without ever knowing that another person was in the apartment. Will the child attract someone's attention? Will the right person came to free her? Several people see the child in the kitchen window of the apartment complex, but for various reasons choose not to respond to her pleas for help. And then the murderer returns to the scene of the crime.

There are a few dated moments (a six-year-old who doesn't know how to use the phone?) but overall this quick read has some great touches. I especially liked the scenes written from the point of view of the murderer, Alden, who has the egocentric reasoning of a true sociopath. A good, but not great, little thriller.

Rating:
Summary: An Australian Charlotte Armstrong
Review: Originally published in 1967, this novel is very reminiscent of the works of Charlotte Armstrong (whose book "Mischief" was made into a movie starring Marilyn Monroe.) As in many of Armstrong's stories, a young child is menaced by a killer and only accidental knowledge stumbled upon by strangers can save her. But will the disinterested outsiders care enough to interfere?

In Carlon's novel, a six-year-old girl is locked up in the kitchen by her babysitter, Isobel, when an ex-boyfriend comes to call. During that visit, Isobel is murdered and the murderer leaves without ever knowing that another person was in the apartment. Will the child attract someone's attention? Will the right person came to free her? Several people see the child in the kitchen window of the apartment complex, but for various reasons choose not to respond to her pleas for help. And then the murderer returns to the scene of the crime.

There are a few dated moments (a six-year-old who doesn't know how to use the phone?) but overall this quick read has some great touches. I especially liked the scenes written from the point of view of the murderer, Alden, who has the egocentric reasoning of a true sociopath. A good, but not great, little thriller.

Rating:
Summary: Would someone, please, break down the door !?!
Review: Patricia Carlon's writing style is clean, engrossing & timeless (I was quite surprised to dicover this book was written in 1967).

The novel centers around a little girl who has been locked in a kitchen by her caretaker, who is then murdered before she can let the girl out. It takes the murderer sometime to figure out that the little girl is stuck in the apartment with the body. The rest of the book is filled with endless near misses as the girl tries to find a way of escape & the murderer tries to find a way to kill the little girl.

The problem with the book is that the near misses keep piling up & become more & more frustrating. I kept rolling my eyes at the pages. "Would someone just go get the girl for goodness sake?" I wanted to shout.

The book is brimming with great characterization. Carlon knows how to get into the minds of everyone from a small child, to a nasty custodian, to a confused old man & so on.

I will absolutely read more of her books. I have a feeling she's written something better than this.