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A review by whatmeworry
Mischief by Charlotte Armstrong
4.0
I’d never heard of Charlotte Armstrong until someone recommended to me the Library of America women crime writers collection that this novel features in. Given the quality of this book, the number of books that Armstrong published, and the fact that many of them are available on Kindle Unlimited, I’m very glad to have made her acquaintance.
‘Mischief’ is a short, tight suspense novel about a troubled babysitter, her unfortunate charge and the people around them. It’s set over the course of a single evening and the pace spot on, with an air of menace throughout that makes you believe that anything could happen. What really stands out though is the believability of the characters and the skill with which they are drawn. The central family and their interactions with each other are beautifully done, but all the characters ring true. I liked it so much I’ve dived straight into another of Armstrong’s books, her Edgar award winner ‘A Dram of Poison’.
‘Mischief’ is a short, tight suspense novel about a troubled babysitter, her unfortunate charge and the people around them. It’s set over the course of a single evening and the pace spot on, with an air of menace throughout that makes you believe that anything could happen. What really stands out though is the believability of the characters and the skill with which they are drawn. The central family and their interactions with each other are beautifully done, but all the characters ring true. I liked it so much I’ve dived straight into another of Armstrong’s books, her Edgar award winner ‘A Dram of Poison’.