Five Fatal Words

by Edwin Balmer

A young woman, Melicent, is hired by a woman, who fears that her family is falling victim to a curse, or succumbing to fate. Her family members are dying in succession, each after they receive a five-word message.

Melicent Waring, out of a job and desperate for a means of earning her living, answers an unusual ad in the paper and through it gets a position with an eccentric old woman, Miss Hannah Cornwall, who lives on a magnificent estate in Connecticut. At the same time, a young fellow named Granger is hired by Miss Cornwall. Granger tells Melicent that his job is to be ready to fly a plane kept on the place, although the pilot who preceeded him had never taken the machine off the ground. The first night in Miss Cornwall's house Milicent learns that her sole duty is to occupy the old lady's bed at night while Miss Cornwall, unknown to anyone else in the house, sleeps in Milicent's room.

305 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

1883-1959

Reviews

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A facinating murder mystery. Highly enjoyable.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Melicent Waring is hired by a woman because members of her family are dying after each receives a message.