+- Gothic Romance Forum, a Community for Gothic Romance Fiction and Literature Lovers (https://www.gothicromanceforum.com)
+-- Forum: Gothic Romances (https://www.gothicromanceforum.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Forum: Gothic Book Reviews (https://www.gothicromanceforum.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=21)
+--- Thread: "Do Not Disturb" by Helen McCloy (/showthread.php?tid=141)
"Do Not Disturb" by Helen McCloy - paigenumber - 02-08-2008
Although this was published as a mystery, I believe that it should be included in the Gothics list, for the same reason that Mary Roberts Rinehart's, Rae Foley's and Mary Stewart's books are. This book was written contemporarily during WWII. As you can probably guess there was political intrigue. McCloy's writing style was very appealing, at least to me. It flowed so naturally without the long monotonous breaks. Definitely a page-turner.
The story is about a young divorcee returning to New York to find work during WWII. She checks into a shabby hotel and unwittingly witnesses a man being tortured. Not realizing the import of what she sees, she becomes the target for murder. She is on a race for her life as three different groups are chasing her, to retrieve an important piece of paper which they believe she carries.
The story is written in the first person narrative and the reader is taken along on a thrill ride. There is high tension and life-threatening suspense until the last page. The heroine is relatively strong, but after having suffered a nervous breakdown in London before returning to New York, she is a bit paranoid, panicky and gullible. Had she been able to sit down and analyze everything, she might have picked out all the suspicious people readily. She presents the story in a way that the reader would have guessed the villains before she did.
A highly recommended read. "A"
RE: "Do Not Disturb" by Helen McCloy - tamtam - 03-07-2008
I read it and it was good. But I got this anti-foreign sentiment from it and though it was written during WWII when this was common, it did put me off a bit.
RE: "Do Not Disturb" by Helen McCloy - Bellatrix - 05-28-2008
Thanks for the recommendation and review! I prefer 3rd-person storytelling, but will jot this down and look for it.
paigenumber Wrote:Although this was published as a mystery, I believe that it should be included in the Gothics list, for the same reason that Mary Roberts Rinehart's, Rae Foley's and Mary Stewart's books are. This book was written contemporarily during WWII. As you can probably guess there was political intrigue. McCloy's writing style was very appealing, at least to me. It flowed so naturally without the long monotonous breaks. Definitely a page-turner.
The story is written in the first person narrative ...
A highly recommended read. "A"