Painting the Darkness [Hardcover]

Robert Goddard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1989

A novel of mystery intrigue and love from the author of `Past Caring' and `In Pale Battalions'.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When a strange man appears in William Trenchard's garden in St. John's Wood, one evening in 1882, and claims to be the former fiance of his wife Constance, Trenchard's whole life is overwhelmed. James Davenall had been missing, declared a suicide, for 11 years--and his younger brother Hugo had inherited the Davenall baronetcy. Yet, if James "Norton," as he calls himself, is not the missing man, who is he? And why does his mother Catherine call Norton an imposter while Constance recognizes him as her lost love? A sensational trial that threatens to eclipse the famous Tichborne Case looms as Trenchard (who's fighting to hold on to his wife and his mental equilibrium) and Richard Davenall--a cousin, who may be Hugo's father--certain that Norton is a phony, carry out their own investigations. The outcome of the trial is tragic and explosive, and the surprises and mystery continue as Richard changes his mind about James, and as the tight and intricate plot moves back and forth in time. A large cast of characters plays a part in the mystery, as becomes clear in the shocking denouement. Goddard ( In Pale Battalions ) goes from strength to strength in terms of invention, and this exciting story, with its careful complexity and completeness--no loose ends--is a joy to read. Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Is he or isn't he? The year is 1882 and London is buzzing with the news that James Davenall, missing for 11 years, presumed dead, and now calling himself Norton, has come back to wrest the baronetcy and family fortune from his younger brother, Hugo. James also plans to reclaim his beloved Constance, once his fiancee, and now another man's wife. The Davenalls vehemently reject Norton's claims, and so begins a sensational court battle fraught with a myriad familial mysteries and peccadillos going back 40 years. The narrative shifts continually between past and present, and the reader's curiosity heightens as the characters' motivations and the twists in the plot unfold. An unusual, well-written page-turner, highly recommended for most fiction collections. Literary Guild alternate.
- Maria A. Perez-Stable, Western Michigan Univ. Libs., Kalamazoo
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 449 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Dell Pub Group (Trd); 1st Am. edition (June 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0593014138
• ISBN-13: 978-0593014134
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,504,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unfamiliar British Writer Who Hides His Light Under a Bush, July 28, 2001

By 

"golftour1" (spring hill, fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Painting the Darkness (Paperback)

I discovered Robert Goddard by accident when I took a random choice book (Caught in the Light by Robert Goddard)off the shelf in my local library about three months ago. Since then, I have devoured everything I can find that he has written. He takes a fairly simple story and weaves events and characters into his tale which keep the reader fascinated until the very last page.It turns out that one has read, in fact, a wonderful mystery story in the true sense of the word. Why is there not more publicity about the author? Do his books have large sales? A new reader only has to read his/her first Goddard novel and they are hooked forever. A modern Trollope whom the world should know more about.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first Goddard novel I read, March 18, 2000

By 

Cresley (Norwich, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Painting the Darkness (Paragon Large Print) (Paperback)

This book was recommended to me by my mother. She always gives good advice. After I read this book I went on to read all the other titles as soon as Goddard publishes them.

The plot is superb, a real gripper. Is he or isn't he James? You make up your own mind throughout, but you never really know until the conclusion. It is beautifully, intricately unravelled - it's just got to be read!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read Nonstop On A Long Road Trip, May 26, 2000

By 

carol irvin "carol irvin" (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Painting the Darkness (Paperback)

I couldn't put this book down, dying to know the truth about whether this man was the one who supposedly killed himself years earlier or an imposter. What really made this book was that the chapters alternated between a first person point-of-view and a third person point-of-view. I previously thought it was impossible to pull off shifting point-of-views in a novel but this one proved to be the total exception. It was an experiment that was an unqualified success. All writers should also read this book to explore the outter reaches of creative possibilites open to them.