- 'Death Has Four Hands' aka 'Composition for Four Hands''
- The Bleeding House' aka 'The House'
Two Gothic novellas of which the first works fairly well and the second not so well. In 'Death Has Four Hands' Nora Manson is paralysed and unable to communicate after a fall following her son's death. The rest of the household believes the death was due to suicide and the fall was an accident -- but Nora knows better. Will she be able to convey her suspicions to the trusty nurse and her boyfriend before the murderer gets a chance to finish the job? A familiar plot, but well done; although the gimmickry that gives the story its name is really unnecessary in a tale of this sort.
In 'The Bleeding House' Isobel Ford is recovering from the suicide of her father, burned beyond recognition in a crashed car. Most GAD-ers will be able to fill in the rest of the plot for themselves, I imagine, and there are few surprises. Isobel is more or less neurotic, and a much less sympathetic character than Nora from the first story.
One particularly lurid cover describes the novellas as 'two mysteries', which is stretching the point a bit; but by all means read 'Death Has Four Hands' if you get the chance.
One out of two.
Jon.
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