Reviews

Beast In View by Margaret Millar

paulataua's review against another edition

4.0

Helen is a rich recluse living alone in a hotel room when she receives a phone call from a woman, Evelyn Merrick, who claims to be an acquaintance of hers from way back. Ms. Merrick then forewarns Helen that she will soon be in a terrible accident. Merrick is to become her stalker, and on Helen’s request, Paul Blacksheer, her financial advisor, begins to search for the threatening woman before something bad happens. An intriguing noir in which everything is not quite what it seems , including an ending that surprises, though probably not half as much as it must have done in 1956. While reading, I was not always clear what was going on with all the red herrings, but my confusion was cleared up by the end. Most surprising, it was only much later that I began to realize how clever a novel it is.

threedoors's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No

3.75

colleenaf's review against another edition

3.0

Bought it entirely on a whim after falling in love with the original cover. http://www.flickr.com/photos/42080330@N03/4257767758/ 75 cents on ebay later and it was MINE! Unfortunately when it arrived from ebay it was a horrible 80's painting instead of a woman starring blandly out a window with a half smirk like she has gas and not some horrible problem/secret. (Well I guess if the gas is bad enough that COULD count, but still, not exactly the thriller I was hoping for.) If I had to give stars for the writing in this book it would be a five and a half. I would draw an extra star on my monitor. Margaret Millar is the kind of writer who has this brilliance moments that make you stop reading forward and instead wade back and forth in a single sentence. Really powerful. But unfortunately the mystery wasn't really much of one, and the romance side story came so out of no where I was just confused I had fallen asleep and missed thirty pages somewhere. Was surprised since it had won so many awards, but after reading this I'm going to hunt down a few more of Millar's books...and horrible covers...and give them a chance.

ashleylm's review against another edition

4.0

This was a real page turner for me. I liked the quality of the prose, it had a modernist, dry, spare tone that was easy to sink into and typical of the period. I was reminded a bit of Patricia Highsmith, if you've read her.

Because it's approximately 70 years old now, some of the incidents/characterizations/attitudes seem quaint, but that's to be expected. I was pleased to see a gay character rather prominently displayed (and seemingly unapologetic) which was nice, though, given the 1950s, not out-and-proud as we'd have now.

The mystery element was fairly unsurprising (I called it during chapter two, essentially, in most details) but it was still a fun, suspenseful read anyrway (I still enjoy Hamlet and I know what's going to happen).

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!

pharmdad2007's review against another edition

3.0

Interesting psychological thriller, with exploration of disorders and psychoses that were barely known of at that time. Worth the read.

annarella's review against another edition

5.0

A masterpiece: a great book that di not age and keep you hooked since the beginning.
Many thanks to Soho Syndacate and Edelweiss

affiknittyreads's review

2.0

This was also in Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1950s. I guessed the outcome about halfway through the book. Also, there's some pretty serious homophobia going on here, so be warned. At one point, the male protagonist/hero type suddenly seems to fall in love with our damsel in distress. Literally from one page to the next, you go from avuncular to wooing. Weird.

WOW. Just looked at some of the other reviews and can't believe this beat out The Talented Mr. Ripley for the Edgar Award. The writing is good, but the plotting is pretty weak. I will definitely read more by this author, because I did enjoy the language and the way she set a scene.

whatmichellesreading's review against another edition

3.0

Not the best, not the worst. Quick read that was entertaining enough.

abbystrohie's review against another edition

3.0

Definitely a product of the time (1956) it was written. CW for: homophobia, suicide, body shaming, racism and sexism. The writing was terrific, the characters interesting.

lvarble's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0