Customer Reviews

Alibi For Isabel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These short stories were written during WWII, and obviously the shadow of war lies in the background, with men leaving for Europe or South Pacific, and women working for their country, or just waiting for the men to come back. And with a bit of crime and murder everywhere. It's a medley of classic criminal detection, with the hard-boiled policeman (but with a heart like that!) and crime+love stories full of tenderness. A bit old-fashioned, of course, but so agreable to read and enjoy : the heroine always needs a man to help her, and generally falls in love with him, but why not ? Of course, the end of the short story "alibi for isabel" is'nt what we expected, but that's fine : heroines by Mary R. Rinehart do'nt kill their husbands cold-blooded. Nice stories to enjoy.

Of the half dozen short stories contained in the book, only one is mildly interesting. Every story deals with war time back here at home with all the discussions about rationing, blackouts, boys off serving etc. That in itself is not off-putting but the book is supposed to be mystery flavored-and it is not-it's a group of stories about not much of anything.

The ONLY little tale that is interesting enough to be recognized is "The Lipstick" that comes at the very end. It is a clever story that makes you wonder "did she fall or was she pushed?"

I bought this book because my taste runs to the quirky and a little out of the ordinary mystery and/or thriller. This was neither nor was it at all interesting. Don't even know why I finished reading it.