Fremlin won an Edgar for The Hours Before Dawn and has been described as Britain's Patricia Highsmith.
In all she had 16 novels published between 1958 and 1994. She died in 2009.
The Hours Before Dawn (1958)
Winner of the 1960 Edgar Award for best mystery novel
'A lost masterpiece.' PETER SWANSON
'A flawless masterclass in tension from the talented Ms Fremlin.' SARAH HILARY
Louise would give anything - anything - for a good night's sleep. Forget the girls running errant in the garden and bothering the neighbours. Forget her husband who seems oblivious to it all. If the baby would just stop crying, everything would be fine.
Or would it? What if Louise's growing fears about the family's new lodger, who seems to share all of her husband's interests, are real? What could she do, and would anyone even believe her? Maybe, if she could get just get some rest, she'd be able to think straight.
In a new edition of this lost classic, The Hours Before Dawn proves - scarily - as relevant to readers today as it was when Celia Fremlin first wrote it in the 1950s.
The Long Shadow (1975)
Jolted from sleep by the ringing of the telephone, Imogen fumbles through the dark, empty house to answer it. At first, she can't quite understand the man on the other end of the line. Surely he can't honestly be accusing her of killing her husband. Ivor died in a car crash two months ago - she may not be adjusting to widowhood very well, but Imogen certainly didn't murder him.
As the nights draw in, Imogen finds her home filling up with unexpected Christmas guests - but they may be looking for more than just holiday cheer. Has someone been rifling through Ivor's papers? Who left the half-drunk whiskey bottle beside his favourite chair? And why won't that man stop phoning Imogen, insisting he can prove her guilt?
New to me. They look worth a gander.
ReplyDeleteI would say so. Look forward to hearing what you think, if you do get acquainted.
DeleteI loved both of these books and would strongly recommend them. I've reviewed both of them on my blog. Fremlin crafts her sentences with a great deal of skill.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate, I'm looking forward to these two (and Uncle Paul).
DeleteI have not read anything by this author either. I have heard of The Hours Before Dawn but not the other one. That is a "Christmas" book so I may seek it out. I do have one of her books on my shelves, Appointment With Yesterday, which I will try someday.
ReplyDeleteOooh AWY is another good one too! (I'm a bit of a fan, if you couldn't tell lol)
DeleteInterestingly all of the three books mentioned focus on a certain time in a woman's life. The Hours Before Dawn is the time of the completely exhaustive mother of multiple young children/babies. The Long Shadow is the time of the recently widowed woman and Appointment with Yesterday is the time of woman whose husband has left her for another woman. Each time of course there is an appropriate mystery weaved in.
Tracy, I'll be interested to see how you get on. Some of her other books seem interesting.
DeleteHa Kate, loving your enthusiasm! Another one to look up then and thanks for the detail.
DeleteThis is a new-to-me author, Col. The stories do sound intriguing, though, and I hope you'll enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteCheers Margot. I did wonder if you might have crossed paths with her work.
DeleteCount me in as another Celia Fremlin fan - I think she's fabulous. Might be a bit domestic for you? (and by that I do NOT mean cozy!) But you should try one - she's great on atmosphere and tension and recognizable characters.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed I like her. Still only three books burnt if I don't, not three hundred like usual.
DeleteAwards and comparison to Highsmith are high praise, but I don’t think these are for me, Col.
ReplyDeleteElgin, maybe a review might convince you otherwise. Nah maybe not. Stick with your gut instinct.
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