A Field of Darkness
Cornelia Read, . . Mysterious, $22.95 (308pp) ISBN 978-0-89296-023-1
Read's impressive debut stars the unusual Madeline Dare, a jumble of contradictions who comes from an old-money Long Island family but is married to Dean, a railroad worker, in Syracuse, N.Y., which our heroine likens in a moment of exasperation to "some mental dust bowl." Dean's job requires frequent travel, while Madeline writes fluff features for the local newspaper. Nothing in her background prepares her for trying to solve the bizarre 20-year-old murder of two young women, a crime that her cousin, Lapthorne Townsend, might have been involved in. Read writes with verve and passion as Madeline sets out to clear her cousin's name, an effort that develops into a much larger, life-changing struggle. Some readers may find Madeline's volatile character less than credible, but the fine supporting cast—notably husband Dean and flaky, flamboyant friend Ellis—consistently delights. The author's sharp social commentary on everything from the idle rich to the environment adds to the pleasure.
Reviewed on: 02/13/2006
Genre: Fiction
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-0-7861-4662-8
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-0-7861-4465-5
Downloadable Audio - 1 pages - 978-0-7861-5427-2
Downloadable Audio - 978-1-4417-8763-7
Hardcover - 531 pages - 978-0-7862-9017-8
Open Ebook - 308 pages - 978-0-446-19790-8
Open Ebook - 978-0-446-19793-9
Open Ebook - 211 pages - 978-0-446-58581-1
Other - 978-0-446-19792-2
Other - 978-0-446-19795-3
Paperback - 336 pages - 978-0-446-69949-5
Peanut Press/Palm Reader - 978-0-446-19794-6
Pre-Recorded Audio Player - 978-1-4332-6822-9
