Moncrieff (Crest)

Rating:
Summary: Woman in Jeopardy 1970's Style
Review: I've been revisiting some old favorites that were origanlly published as gothics. I was surprised to realize that many of the books read like straight mysteries or suspense novels even if they were labeled romantic suspense or the cover blurb emphasized the romance aspect.

This one in particular is a woman in jeopardy story that would have made a pretty good movie.

Antonia Moncrieff is an editor working for a New York publishing house that is trying to fight its way back into the big time. Her boss has found an former Big Author (former Pulitzer Prize Winner) who has been out of circulation for a number of years due to a history of alcohol abuse culminating in a tragic accident. After years as a recluse the Big Author is ready to publish his third novel which both Antonio and her boss anticipate will be quite a blockbuster. However, her boss does not know that Antonia has some history with the famous author. At the time they had known each other she was known as Mary Leigh, her married name.

Antonio has just received an unexpected inheritance, an old brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. It's desperately in need of repair and her first impulse is to sell it. However, her young son, Ewan, convinces her that they should rehab the house and live in it. There's also a basement apartment that her boss talks her into renting to the Big Author.

Then MYSTERIOUS THINGS start to HAPPEN.

I'm not sure why the book still works as well as it does for me. It has a couple of themes that I generally don't like in contemporary books-- and can only buy because the book was originally published in the 70's and I can remember what things were like then and earlier. The writing and language are not dated and the characterization, while a little over the top is consistent and believable.

All in all well worth a reread.