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A review by johannalm
Beast In View by Margaret Millar
4.0
Beast in View, Margaret Miller
An unknown author to me, but an Edgar Award winner and quite well thought of in her time, Miller was considered a Mystery Writer Grand Master and this book clearly proves why. The twist ending comes as such a complete and unexpected surprise only a master story teller could pull it off.
Helen Clarvoe, an heiress, lives a secluded life alone in a hotel, cut off from the world and her resentful mother and brother. When Helen receives a strange crank call that scares her and interrupts her spinster existence, she turns to her family attorney for help. When Mr. Blackshear agrees to investigate he finds that a troubled young woman is hounding and harassing more people than just Helen, and that the young woman's link to Helen began when they were school girls together.
As his hunt for the young woman intensifies, he finds that her actions have a very sinister intent and her calls seem to deeply effect the people she talks to.
Touching on split personalities, callous uncaring parents, closeted gay men, absurd aspirations, and many twists and turns by this ingenious writer, this 1950's mystery set in LA is ahead of its time, engrossing and quite the find.
An unknown author to me, but an Edgar Award winner and quite well thought of in her time, Miller was considered a Mystery Writer Grand Master and this book clearly proves why. The twist ending comes as such a complete and unexpected surprise only a master story teller could pull it off.
Helen Clarvoe, an heiress, lives a secluded life alone in a hotel, cut off from the world and her resentful mother and brother. When Helen receives a strange crank call that scares her and interrupts her spinster existence, she turns to her family attorney for help. When Mr. Blackshear agrees to investigate he finds that a troubled young woman is hounding and harassing more people than just Helen, and that the young woman's link to Helen began when they were school girls together.
As his hunt for the young woman intensifies, he finds that her actions have a very sinister intent and her calls seem to deeply effect the people she talks to.
Touching on split personalities, callous uncaring parents, closeted gay men, absurd aspirations, and many twists and turns by this ingenious writer, this 1950's mystery set in LA is ahead of its time, engrossing and quite the find.