Reading List

January 31, 2012

The Spiral Staircase

Mary Roberts Rinehart

This was an interesting little mystery about a well to do little old spinster aunt who had become the “governoress” of two young adult children – ages 19 to 21 or there about.  She rented a country house while her house in the city was redone, and while there was nearly driven crazy by a mystery involving a string of breakins, a string of mysterious strangers, a string of secret chambers and passageways and , not the least, a string of deaths and murders – and all of them seemed to hinge upon her darlings and their intendeds.  She is a feisty champion of the right, and refuses to be swayed from her resolution to find the culprit or culprits, despite fire, fight and general mayhem, including herself almost meeting her demise.

So – was it great?  By no means.  But it was fun.  Read it but expect anything life changing or philosophical.  It could be a fun read for a book club.  If you recommend it, accompany it with The Red House Mystery.  They would be fun books to compare, and it would be easy to read them both in one month.