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In this classic noir tale of blurred guilt and flawed innocence, a cynical lawyer uncovers the desperate lives of a group connected only by a gruesome murder.
Eric Meecham is not an optimistic sort. An old-before-his-time lawyer, scratching out a living in courts and jail houses, he is no stranger to desperate cases and has little faith in anything or anyone. But his brand of existential nihilism isn’t without curiosity, and when he gets a chance to represent a local society woman who’s been arrested for murder under very scandalous circumstances, well, even he can’t help but be engaged.
Cold, austere, and used to having her way, Mrs. Hamilton is more than a little upset at having to travel 40 miles west of Detroit, in the dead of winter, to the small city of Arbana. But her careless daughter Virginia has landed herself in trouble again and Mrs. Hamilton will do anything to keep the family name out of a scandal. But she little understands the gravity of her daughter’s arrest. Virginia was found drunk and underclad in the midst of a white-out snow storm. She was also covered in blood. In a cottage not too far away a married man, father of two, lay brutally stabbed to death.
Earl Loftus is the definition of a hard luck case. Broke and terminally ill, Earl’s life has been one tragedy after another. But the spark of a thoughtful intellect still gleams in his eyes and when Loftus comes forward to confess to the crime that Virginia is accused of, Eric Meecham is instantly skeptical. Could a man like Loftus actually commit such an act? The more Meecham interviews Loftus, the less he thinks it’s possible.
Eric Meecham is not an optimistic sort. An old-before-his-time lawyer, scratching out a living in courts and jail houses, he is no stranger to desperate cases and has little faith in anything or anyone. But his brand of existential nihilism isn’t without curiosity, and when he gets a chance to represent a local society woman who’s been arrested for murder under very scandalous circumstances, well, even he can’t help but be engaged.
Cold, austere, and used to having her way, Mrs. Hamilton is more than a little upset at having to travel 40 miles west of Detroit, in the dead of winter, to the small city of Arbana. But her careless daughter Virginia has landed herself in trouble again and Mrs. Hamilton will do anything to keep the family name out of a scandal. But she little understands the gravity of her daughter’s arrest. Virginia was found drunk and underclad in the midst of a white-out snow storm. She was also covered in blood. In a cottage not too far away a married man, father of two, lay brutally stabbed to death.
Earl Loftus is the definition of a hard luck case. Broke and terminally ill, Earl’s life has been one tragedy after another. But the spark of a thoughtful intellect still gleams in his eyes and when Loftus comes forward to confess to the crime that Virginia is accused of, Eric Meecham is instantly skeptical. Could a man like Loftus actually commit such an act? The more Meecham interviews Loftus, the less he thinks it’s possible.
7 Reviews
4.0
Yen L
Created over 1 year agoShare
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annabelkarina
Created about 3 years agoShare
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Baroo
Created about 4 years agoShare
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Didu
Created about 4 years agoShare
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“I wanted to challenge myself this year so I’ve started this book journey with a vintage thriller classic. I’ve heard only good opinions about it so far, on Goodreads of course. Didn’t broke up with her yet. This classic starts with a mother and her friend going back to her hometown house to help her daughter Virginia get away with murder. Her daughter is in jail, acussed of killing a man she was seeing, even though she is married. We discover right from the start that the guy her daughter dated and killed has a family, a wife of his own and two children. We also find out that her daughter started drinking and acting up.
The story begins to shatter a little and oh my God how I’m enjoying it. A nice touch. The atmosphere is clearly comfy, cozy and old fashion kind of but it’s a good book so far. Virginia is out of jail at the moment because a random stranger confessed on killing her fling.
The book has a cozy vibe to it like I’ve stated before. Bad things are happening but the author conceal them to a point so the novel doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. A lot of characters are really sad people that don’t seem in charge of their life and that is a sad topic to read about but again, the book doesn’t get you in a funk. It’s entertaining although I hate the “main” character Virginia. I believe the real main character is the detective.
The plot thickens in this cosy winter noir and I’m here for it. Our detective finally met the victim’s wife and she is a speaker.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the book, it’s atmosphere, the vibe, the action and the ending. I love thrillers that take place in the winter time but this one was almost as engaging as reading Agatha Christie.
I will give this book a 4 star review because it was easy to read and super easy to understand and I’ve enjoyed my time with it. Mainly, that’s how I rate books.”
Shreya Punj
Created over 4 years agoShare
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About Margaret Millar
Margaret Millar (1915-1994) was the author of 27 books and a masterful pioneer of psychological mysteries and thrillers. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, she spent most of her life in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband Ken Millar, better known under the nom de plume of Ross MacDonald. Her 1956 novel Beast in View won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. In 1965 Millar was the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year Award and in 1983 the Mystery Writers of America awarded her the Grand Master Award for Lifetime Achievement. Millar’s cutting wit and superb plotting have left her an enduring legacy as one of the most important crime writers of both her own and subsequent generations.
Other books by Margaret Millar
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