The Deadly Travellers

by Dorothy Eden

Pretty, vivacious and alone in the world, Kate Tempest always enjoyed an unexpected adventure. When she was hired to escort a small Italian girl from Rome to London, she was delighted. But little Francesca, speaking not a word of English, mysteriously vanished into thin air on the Paris Express, and no one would admit to seeing her board the train...

Treated as a victim of hallucination, Kate tried to find the child on her own. Her probing led her to two attractive men, both of whom offered their help and their love.

By the time Kate discovered that one of them meant to kill her, she was caught in a terrifying web of deception and betrayal, unable to tell which was the friend and which was the enemy...

Genres: Mystery, Gothic, Romance, Romantic Suspense

191 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Aka Mary Paradise.

Dorothy Eden was born in 1912 in New Zealand and died in 1982. She moved to England in 1954 after taking a trip around the world and falling in love with the country. She was best known for her many mystery and romance books as well as short stories that were published in periodicals. As a novelist, Dorothy Eden was renowned for her ability to create fear and suspense. This earned her many devoted readers throughout her lifetime.

Reviews

[Danielle Klassen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't let my three star review fool you, I actually kind of love this book for all that it is and all that it isn't. I'm actually glad that I did manage to find the clinch cover art that my copy has because it really does tell you almost everything you need to know. For one, this is a pulp read. The pacing and the characters and the scenario are all very much a part of that genre and it's well worth it if you can get your hands on a copy. It's a fast read, as they are meant to be and intriguing people that you don't mind piggybacking on to.

What the cover art does not tell you, however, is anything about the story. I think this is why this cover is important, particularly if you know or like anything related to pulp fiction. If you are a fan, you already know if you will like it or not and you come expecting that the picture has nothing to do with the story. (It really does have nothing to do with anything which I find delightful.) What might also be a bit on the disappointing side, however, is that this is not so much a romance as it is a detective story. If you were hoping for a good, lurid read about a teary-eyed heroine looking to tame the devil, you will be a little disappointed because the devil is a bit of a disappointment in this one. You'll also note that instead of milk maid who might just fall to pieces if you don't like her haircut, you have the main character who is much more spunky and, frankly, nosy than is usually good for a romance but perfect for an amateur detective.

I do suggest you read this if you are looking for something quick and fun. The story is fun and it moves as fast as the train that Kate Tempest is on.

[Jacqui H. Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally read this book many years ago when I was young and into gothic romances and mysteries. I'm old now and read these as a sort of "pallet cleanser" between longer and more in-depth novels, for the easy page-turning, read-it-quick quality.

I enjoyed this one for the gothic romance quality (although I think she ended up with the wrong guy) and the Hitchcock style mystery. Some of the characters I thought were good guys turned out bad, and vice versa. Quick paced, left me guessing the whole time.

Good book for a rainy day!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't seem like a gothic to me but rather a mystery story of who took the little girl. I enjoyed the fast pace but as the story moved forward I felt a lot of things were not fully explained and I finished the story with questions. I have questions about the husband, also about the jolly fun guy, the mother of the little girl, more about Kate's boss at work and why the author had her contemplating the dark mystery guy for a love interest but had her end up with someone else. A mystery usually answers all the questions.

[Gypsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate takes a job of escorting a seven-year-old from Rome to London. When the little girl disappears on the train, it starts a series of dangerous adventures for Kate as she seeks to find answers.

This mystery/suspense was completely enjoyable, if far-fetched, and kept my attention gripped so that I read it in less than two days.

[Suzanne]

Wow! I wish I could give this book 10 stars!

This would have made a great Hitchcock movie! Hitchcock is even mentioned in this wonderfully satisfying novel. It's a definite YES in my book!

[Dramatica Darmody · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery was interesting enough, although Kate constantly getting gaslighted was extremely aggravating.
The book could have done without the racism, of course.
I found the romantic ending decidedly unsatisfying as William is thoroughly unlikable.

[🥬 ab · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS 🇮🇹

[Myfanwy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look, all I’m saying is, if you’re going to call it ‘romantic suspense’ or ‘gothic romance,’ you can’t have the heroine wind up with her boring, dependable boyfriend when there’s a perfectly respectable darkly mysterious stranger standing by.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by Dorothy Eden. A girl is lost while being accompanied by a hired woman who begins to search for her lost charge. She is "helped" by two different men, one of which may be trying to kill her.