Uncle Paul (Black Dagger Mystery)

Uncle Paul (1959) was Celia Fremlin's second novel, and consolidated the success of her suspenseful debut The Hours Before Dawn. Fifteen years ago Uncle Paul was exposed as a murderer by his wife Mildred, and sent to prison. Now a seaside holiday for Mildred's half-sister Isabel and her family seems to be the venue for Uncle Paul's revenge. Mildred arrives at a lonely cottage near to Isabel's caravan site, and Isabel's urgent summons to her sister Meg brings the three women together to play out a drama of fear and suspicion, betrayal and revenge. "Beautifully played out to a startling and valid ending...Fremlin is here to stay as a major mistress of insight and suspense". (New York Times). "Fremlin puts a keen edge on the reader's curiosity and keeps it there ...the writing is so good throughout". (Times Literary Supplement).