The Caller

by Mary-Rose Hayes

Βιβλιοθήκη Του Τρόμου #20

306 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1979

About the author

I lived in a remote English country rectory during and after World War II with limited radio, obviously no TV, and frequent power outages. Entertainment was story-telling, play-acting, reading aloud. I began to write stories when I was six years old, and never stopped.

My new novel, WHAT SHE HAD TO DO, draws to some extent on this background. It concerns a young woman’s desperate choice in post-war England, and its catastrophic effects through three generations of a family. It was fifteen years in the writing, with several lengthy interruptions including two 'time-outs' for political thrillers written with Senator Barbara Boxer. These 'time-outs', however, proved to be blessings and let in the light. I realized I’d broken a major rule of story-telling and the characters, drawn far too close to real people, seemed lifeless. They are now created from whole cloth and hopefully are credible and sympathetic.

Other matters: I'm married and live in Northern California, love choral singing, theater, off-the-grid travel, and especially sailing in a small boat far from land!

Reviews

[Marj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Searching for a new life, Julia leaves New York and heads to California. She meets Fox, a rich young artist, son of a faded movie star. Unfortunately, she is noticed by a psychopath who thinks she is a girl from his past. He becomes obsessed with her, phones her repeatedly calling her Lisa and telling her what he is going to do to her. Fox comes to her rescue. Good story.

[Laura Talley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as intense as I was hoping but for the time period it was written it’s a decent read. I enjoyed it.

[Μιχάλης · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty much a run of the mill psychological thriller about a psycho rapist stalking a young woman he calls Lisa (even though her name is Julia - but he calls all the girls he picks up Lisa).
Meanwhile Lisa, recently dumped by her husband, has moved to San Franchisco from NY and is looking for a job. Well, she takes some life drawing lessons and meets Fox, who is the son of a now dead millionaire and an ex-movie star (with whom he has a very cold relationship) who is a talented rebel and loves fast cars. Meanwhile the stalker calls her on the phone.
There is also Fox's jealous brother in law and an orgy and... really, nothing important. It is yet another page-turner from the 70's that never quite sticks and more of a soap opera than a thriler.