A Dark-Adapted Eye
by Barbara Vine
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Book Summary Information
Author: Barbara VineEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1986-06-01
ISBN: 0553051431
Number of pages: 264
Publisher: Bantam
Book Reviews of A Dark-Adapted Eye
Book Review: A mystery behind the mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an atypical mystery. From the start, you are told who and how it was done; but, not why it was done. Why it was done grips the reader from start to finish.
The main character, Vera Hillyard, is a complex character. She is no cardboard villainess. Her personality is such that you can recognize facets from people you know in the real life. There is the arch respectability coupled with openly raising a child that may be illegitimate. The same is true of other the other characters; her younger sister Eden, her niece Faith Severn, and her eldest son Francis.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the suspense builds right to the last page. I particularly liked the setting in East Anglia with the rich description. This along with "The Nine Tailors" by Dorothy SayersThe Nine Tailors are fine examples of a British mystery in an East Anglian setting.
With Vera Hillyard, you as reader wanted some reason for her to be found innocent. She is no fantastical perpatrator found in other crime novels. In fact she could be that neighbor who keeps the beautiful garden, brings you cookies at Christmas, but, at the same time puts you on the defensive if you hire someone to mow your lawn. Even up to the end you can't judge her to be a psychopath. This is a testament though to the author's superior characterization skills. It drives home as well that murderers are othen not people on the margins of society, psychopaths with fiendish intelligence, or random street thugs.
I will explore other works by this author after reading this book.
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