Double Door

by Theodora Keogh

Candy de Tudelos, the lovely young daughter of a degenerate, self-styled Spanish aristocrat was cloistered from the realities of the world by her lonely existence in an imposing New York mansion. One day she ventured into the sinister house next-door, which her father had peopled with a corrupt and decadent group of associates. There she met an earthy young laborer, and in a brief and bitter love affair learned the meaning of the ugly secrets which had poisoned her life.

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

A granddaughter of president Theodore Roosevelt, Keogh wrote nine novels during the period of 1950 to 1962. Her novels tended to focus on characters with psychological conflicts and often dark sides to their personalities. In this regard, her themes are similar to those of novelist Patricia Highsmith.Theodora’s works explored such dark areas and themes as rape, incest, double lives, and a doctor’s psychological and emotional fascination with a child criminal. Her novels were also noteworthy for exploring gay and lesbian themes, which were daring topics for the era in which she was writing. Such themes brought Theodora a measure of notoriety in her day. Her novels were largely neglected after the 1960s but have recently been rediscovered and reissued. (summary ex Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Double Door exists in the office of a man who is an imposter. The titular door connects two houses in New York City in a neighborhood of private homes that is being extinguished by the encroaching Rockefeller Center. The imposter, who married a woman for her money by which he bought a Dukedom, is the first character introduced. He is quite mad. His wife and daughter live in the other house, both are emotionally challenged, though the daughter, Candy, is one of those precocious teens which Theodora Keogh writes so well.

Many revered and famous writers have exposed the dark undersides of the rich in lofty prose. Ms Keogh did the same but amongst her frightening psychological character studies, she brings the dark side to the fore. She does this shamelessly, for which she was labeled as a pulp writer.

This is the third of her books I have read, the second one published. She was “rediscovered” in recent years and her books dug out of obscurity. If one ever gets nostalgic for some good old days in the mid-20th century, reading her books will disabuse one of such a fantasy. I admire her courage in telling these tales. Patricia Highsmith was a fan.

If you are looking for her books, forget the library. Used booksellers are the way to go.

[Tom Loomis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book — crystalline imagery, fully imagined characters in an extremely dysfunctional family, dark and twisted. It’s a Romeo and Juliet story for the 20th century.

[Katarzyna · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Podwójne życie" - WTF?!
To jest kompletnie BEZ FABUŁY I BEZ SENSU.........WTF