Thursday, May 25, 2017

Friday Forgotten (or Overlooked) Book: PUT OUT THE LIGHT (1931) by Ethel Lina White


I'm kind of venting today, so please bear with me.

Author Ethel Lina White has a major failing - she's not very good at creating the nuts and bolts of an actual setting. That gene is missing from her make-up. So when I'm reading her stories, I'm kind of floundering around trying to find my footing.

I've read several of her books perhaps trying to find one that I'll love. I liked FEAR STALKS THE VILLAGE though it was not as solidly grounded as I would have liked. It was set in an English village which failed to coalesce in my imagination. A generic setting which certainly does not come anywhere near the visually well conceived English villages created by Agatha Christie.

(Read, though didn't love, THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE. Extremely disappointed in THE WHEEL SPINS which is the basis for THE LADY VANISHES, one of my very favorite Hitchcock movies.)

It is my belief that in these sorts of books, the setting is almost as important as the characters. To my way of thinking, if you can't stabilize the surroundings for a mystery novel, it's half over right there. Some writers can pick you up and drop you down in any setting almost immediately, even within the first opening paragraph. They have the knack. Christie had it. She could transport me immediately to wherever and whenever with just a few sentences.

But Ethel Lina White just can't quite do it. She creates a place for her story but doesn't give it any foundation - no toe hold for the reader. I'm usually left trying to visualize and failing. Occasionally that doesn't matter in a book, but most of the time it does.

Some of you may know that I don't write negative reviews if I can help it and this is not really one. I read PUT OUT THE LIGHT all the way through which I would definitely not have done if I'd hated it. It's just that this is one of the stranger mysteries I've read lately and I guess I need to share its strangeness.

Cause here's what I'm thinking - maybe it's just me.

PUT OUT THE LIGHT concerns the murder of a woman named Anthea Vine, wealthy owner of Jamaica Court, an estate perched on a hill above an English town. In that same town live a bumbling Inspector of police and his concerned and keen-eyed sister.

Now, one would think that a policeman with the last name of Pye would be kind of a humorous character, but in this book he is, maybe, just mildly amusing. Pye desperately wants to solve the only murder he's ever been faced with, hoping against hope that Scotland Yard won't be called in by his superiors. But all this is lacking any real connecting charm which is key for this sort of character. The sister, Florence, is supposed to be the one with the brains, but she too is charmless. She helps her brother (whose old fashioned notion that women should be seen and not really heard rankles a bit) by sort of 'directing' him without his being aware he's being directed. He's not a boob exactly, he just needs a bit of guidance.

Florence Pye also likes to tell fortunes. This time out the cards presciently read: 'Death to an old woman.'

Anthea Vine (our pre-arranged victim) is such a strange character that I kept thinking, wait - what? She is apparently a grotesque old woman who wears tons of make-up and likes having young men about her. She preens, she parades around like some young femme fatale, pretending that the men indulge her because she is still beautiful and alluring. Vine is ridiculous in her conceit but enjoys the sense of power and manipulation. And because she is extremely wealthy nobody likes to call attention to the absurdity of it all.

She is a woman who has convinced herself that she is still wickedly sexy and attractive and here's the main problem: it's difficult to take her seriously. (And oh my God, her laborious nightly beauty ritual is outlined in detail.) In some scenes, Anthea comes across as younger than she's supposed to be so that when she's referred to as 'old' the reader is taken aback. She is written in an oddly inconsistent way which is off-putting and VERY theatrical. But then I realize that back in the day, a 40 year old woman was considered 'old' and forget about someone already in her 50's - she would be at death's door. Unfortunately, in some scenes Anthea seems like someone who might be geriatric then in others, she suddenly seems younger. It's almost like the author loses track.

And another thing: here's this woman ripe for murdering and she doesn't get bumped off until well into the book. She's just not THAT interesting a character that we need to be in her company for so long before she gets her just deserts. The other characters, some young people who live in the house with Anthea Vine are not any more interesting in my view. They are her three wards, dependent and hoping to profit upon their malevolent benefactor's death. All have been under Anthea's thumb, including her plucky secretary and the local young doctor.

Anthea pretends (or is she pretending?) that she has ulterior designs on the doctor and even one of her wards - an idea that only revolts them. (Maybe we're supposed to sympathize with Anthea's fading attractions and frenzied need for attention but I didn't.) It's all about control and money.

Though why these youngsters can't tell Anthea to go to hell then go out and get jobs, is beyond me. But in those days that may have been harder than it is today. Also with big money at stake, it's not always easy to walk away even at the sake of your self-respect.

Anyway, a couple of small odd burglaries occur locally and Inspector Pye is called in to try and find the culprit. In the meantime, up at the big house on the hill, Anthea Vine continues to bully those around her, relishing her power and behaving like someone just begging to be murdered.

She does have moments of gothic discontent though - late at night, she imagines shadows lurking about and closing in on her. Very unsettling in that dark and moody old mausoleum of a house for sure. But even that goes on too long.

Eventually, of course, she is murdered and we get down to sleuthing.

In the end, Inspector Pye (with the behind the scenes nudging of his sister) solves the case, putting together a quirky set of curious clues.

Not one of Ethel Lina White's best, but maybe not her worst. I'll probably read one or two more of her books because she did write quite a few and I remain hopeful.

Edgar and Anthony award nominated author Patricia Abbott is taking a blog hiatus until June 12th so Todd Mason at his blog, Sweet Freedom is doing hosting duties. Don't forget to check in and see what other forgotten or overlooked books other bloggers are talking about today. 

29 comments:

  1. Yvette,

    Why are you going to read more by her?

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    1. I don't know, Fred. Maybe because she was writing during a time when lots of my favorite writers were also writing. Or maybe it's that I don't hate her work and I keep thinking that the next one will be the keeper. The books aren't bad (well, except for THE WHEEL SPINS which was SO disappointing, considering how wonderful Hitchcock's movie is.) and, let's face it, once you've read the great mystery writers, the rest all kind of do fall short. Or maybe I'm just contrary. :)

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    2. Yvette,

      Reminds of something I just did. William Gibson has written some great SF novels. His first one, Neuromancer, began the cyberpunk SF subgenre, and he's considered the father of cyberpunk. I read a number of his novels, but have lost track of him in the past decade or so.

      Recently I found the titles of his latest trilogy and got them from the library. I read the first one for it was OK, but it lacked the excitement of his earlier works. It was really a hi-tech action oriented tale, with ex-KGB and CIA types, the Russian Mafia and devious corporation CEOs running around. No real SF. I am returning the second and third books in the trilogy--unread. As I said, they're probably OK, but I have this huge stack of books, all frantically waving at me . . .

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    3. I've heard of this author, Fred. And NEUROMANCER. It's on one of my longer lists somewhere. I read Neal Stephenson's CRYPTONOMICON (on Nancy Pearl's recommendation) and loved it. But I'm having trouble getting into REAMDE.

      Yes, I have tons of books waiting to be read so why am I wasting my time? Ethel Lina White is not rocket science - easy enough to read in an evening or two, while at the same time I'm also reading something else. I usually read more than one book at a time unless I'm completely RIVETED. :)

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  2. "It is my belief that in these sorts of books, the setting is almost as important as the characters. To my way of thinking, if you can't stabilize the surroundings for a mystery novel, it's half over right there." I couldn't agree more. If I can visualize the setting, regardless of whether what I see matches the author's idea, then I'm floundering about throughout. I'm really not sure I understand why you gave continued to read her books.

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    1. Fred asked me the same thing, Rick. I guess I'm just hopeful that I'll maybe discover some long hidden gem among her books. Her work reminds me a bit of Christianna Brand, though Brand is the much better writer and plotter. I get perverse sometimes with authors who are on the cusp of being really good, but fail the test.

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    2. Yvette,

      Right now I'm waiting for Christianna Brand's The Crooked Wreath. The local library doesn't have it, so I'm getting it through InterLibraryLoan.

      And yes, she is a good writer.

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    3. I will repeatedly give bad writers, such as TC Boyle or Jeffery Deaver, another shot if they are consistently collected in anthologies or magazine I read anyway, as those two are, and so far I have found one good story by Boyle. Still waiting for a good Deaver...or for that matter a good Evan Hunter, though he did get close with "Malice in Wonderland"...

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    4. My favorite Christianna Brands books are TOUR DE FORCE and GREEN FOR DANGER, but I've read several others and enjoyed them. Haven't read THE CROOKED WREATH though. Let me know how you like it.

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    5. Yes, there are just certain writers you give more than one or even two chances to. Although there are certainly some writers where it's one book and you're done. :)

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    6. Yvette,

      I've read GREEN FOR DANGER and have seen the film version also. I also read TOUR DE FORCE and thought it was good but not as good as GREEN FOR DANGER.

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    7. Agree with you there, Fred. I also enjoyed DEATH OF A JEZEBEL. But avoid like the plague, CAT AND MOUSE, which is dreadful!

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    8. Yvette,

      Duly noted. Thanks for the warning, but I must admit I'm curious about what she could write that could be so bad.

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  3. Patti also Anthony Award-nominated!

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  4. i have somewhat the same problem with Joyce Porter... her Inspector Dover is a humorous creation, and the conflict between him and his serjeant MacGregor is well done and funny, but, as in White's work, something is missing and it's difficult to say exactly what... but i think it has something to do with what you refer to above: a certain aimlessness or inexactitude concerning the locale and surrounding scenes of the plot... i'd be really interested to hear what you thought of one of her books... tx for the post, it illuminated my self-generated opinion a bit...

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    1. Not familiar with Joyce Porter's work, Mudpuddle. I'll have to pick one up just to see. How come I've never heard of her? Well, truth is, there seem to be MANY authors I've never heard of. And here I thought I was so knowledgeable. Ha.

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  5. Started to read one Ethel Lina White book and couldn't stick with it a few years ago. I have one old paperback on the shelf and will give it a go. Picked up 3 Joyce Porter books but have not read them yet. Don't buy one, Y Etta, I'll get reading mine and send them to you!

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    1. Thank you so much, Peggy Ann. That is so sweet of you. I'd never heard of Joyce Porter though she was writing at good time for mysteries. Where have I been?

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  6. Keep reading her books, Yvette--I love your rants!

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  7. Excellent review! I wouldn't have finished the book. It really sounds boring on so many levels.

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    1. I can only claim in my defense, that there must have been something that kept me reading which I am unable to identify. :)

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    2. I'm a little like this with the Hamish Macbeth series and the Fethering series. Neither one is that wonderful, but somehow I keep on reading them.

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    3. I was that way too with the Hamish MacBeth series. Until I picked up one of the later books and it was so badly put together that I suspected a computer had done the 'writing' on its own. That stopped me forever. Still, some of the earlier ones were entertaining for awhile. :)

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  8. This is an author I have not read, but have been intending to. I have only one of her books, She Faded into Air. And I have been wanting to read the book that The Lady Vanishes is based on, as you mentioned. (Maybe I have that on the Kindle, but I keep avoiding the Kindle.) I will keep your thoughts on her books in mind when I read something by this author.

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    1. Read FEAR STALKS THE VILLAGE, that's a pretty good one - with reservations. I haven't read SHE FADED INTO AIR yet myself.

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  9. I have only read a couple fo hers to be honest, thought they were OK but I know some really love her work. Sorry this one wasn't nearer the top of the treet though!

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    1. Not top of the trees, but not staggeringly bad either. As I mentioned, I'll probably read one or two more and then that's it. :)

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