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Take My Life
Why does disaster so often follow success?
This is the question that Philippa Talbot asks herself repeatedly in the dark days that follow her triumph at Covent Garden.
On that evening she sees her husband in conversation with Elizabeth Rusman, a young violinist from the orchestra. She discovers that they were once lovers, and she and Nicholas have a jealous quarrel.
But by morning Elizabeth is dead and Nicholas in custody, accused of her murder. As the evidence builds up against him, Philippa begins the fight to prove his innocence - a fight which gradually exposes her to terrible danger . . .
This is the question that Philippa Talbot asks herself repeatedly in the dark days that follow her triumph at Covent Garden.
On that evening she sees her husband in conversation with Elizabeth Rusman, a young violinist from the orchestra. She discovers that they were once lovers, and she and Nicholas have a jealous quarrel.
But by morning Elizabeth is dead and Nicholas in custody, accused of her murder. As the evidence builds up against him, Philippa begins the fight to prove his innocence - a fight which gradually exposes her to terrible danger . . .
- GenresMystery Thriller
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
2 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Winston Graham
215 books1,150 followersWinston Graham was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall, though he also wrote contemporary thrillers, period novels, short stories, non-fiction, and plays. Born in Victoria Park, Manchester, he moved to Perranporth, Cornwall in 1925 and lived there for 34 years. Graham published his first novel, The House with the Stained Glass Windows, in 1934 and married Jean Williamson in 1939, who inspired the character Demelza in Poldark. During World War II, he joined the Auxiliary Coastguard Service. Graham became a member of the Society of Authors in 1945, serving as chairman from 1967 to 1969, and was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, receiving an OBE in 1983. His Poldark series began with Ross Poldark in 1945 and concluded with Bella Poldark in 2002. He wrote 30 additional novels, short stories, and non-fiction works, including the acclaimed thriller Marnie, adapted by Alfred Hitchcock in 1964. Several other novels, including The Walking Stick and Fortune Is a Woman, were adapted for film. Graham also wrote plays, some adapted from his novels. His works have been translated into 31 languages, and his autobiography, Memoirs of a Private Man, was published posthumously in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 15, 2009
Graham seems almost forgotten now, but there was a time from about the mid-'60s onwards when he was (deservedly) regarded as almost the major practitioner of the psychological thriller. Among those the best remembered is undoubtedly Marnie, famously filmed (so-soishly) by Hitchcock, but my own favourite (of those I read) was The Walking Stick, which carried the true Winston Graham hallmark of keeping me up all night to finish it. But Graham served his apprenticeship writing more straightforward detections, and Take My Life is one of these. The husband of newly married opera singer Philippa Shelley is almost inadvertently framed for a murder he didn't commit, and -- Scotland Yard not being much interested in looking beyond the obvious suspect -- it's up to her to prove him innocent before the death penalty ends all discussions of the matter. Change the setting a bit and you'd have the story at the heart of various classic noir movies.
Not classic Graham, but good satisfying stuff anyway.
Not classic Graham, but good satisfying stuff anyway.
December 20, 2017
I found this book by chance while I was cleaning my bookshelf.Lost in the corner, full of dust and wear and tear, I don't even remember how or when it became a part of my treasure. The author was unknown to me and I picked it because of two reasons. One it was a small book and another the author labeled it to be a 'Novel Of Suspense'.
After her successful opera night opening, Philippa Shelley's world was bright until meeting Elizabeth Rusman in front of her dressing room, talking intimately with her husband Nicholas Talbot. A few words with Nick confirms Elizabeth to be his former mistress. After an uncomfortable silence and few harsh words between her and her husband, Philippa turns jealous and does something very out of her character. She hits Nick which results in a cut on his forehead and he walks out of their house in anger. A repenting Philippa clears everything which reminds their ugly fight and waits for Nick with an apology on her lips.
After late in the night, she is visited by not her husband but by a couple of police officers who reveals Philippa about Elizabeth's murder and the arrest of her husband who is doubted to plan the conspiracy. A witness at the crime scene saw a man identical in height and personality with Nick who is assumed to have a cut on his forehead as a result of the low beam in Elizabeth's house. Nick perfectly fits the bill of the criminal and Philippa fails to prove their fight due to her clean house.
With guilt in her conscious and love for her husband in her heart, Philippa starts investigating the murder by looking deep into Elizabeth's past. How she finds the truth becomes the rest of the story.
Take My Life is a small book and could be finished in a couple of hours. The most gripping aspect of the story is the screenplay. Though Graham calls it a Novel Of Suspense, there isn't much mystery to be solved as we know the culprit from the first few pages itself. But it is the narration which holds our interest and proves to be gripping until the end. An engaging read.
After her successful opera night opening, Philippa Shelley's world was bright until meeting Elizabeth Rusman in front of her dressing room, talking intimately with her husband Nicholas Talbot. A few words with Nick confirms Elizabeth to be his former mistress. After an uncomfortable silence and few harsh words between her and her husband, Philippa turns jealous and does something very out of her character. She hits Nick which results in a cut on his forehead and he walks out of their house in anger. A repenting Philippa clears everything which reminds their ugly fight and waits for Nick with an apology on her lips.
After late in the night, she is visited by not her husband but by a couple of police officers who reveals Philippa about Elizabeth's murder and the arrest of her husband who is doubted to plan the conspiracy. A witness at the crime scene saw a man identical in height and personality with Nick who is assumed to have a cut on his forehead as a result of the low beam in Elizabeth's house. Nick perfectly fits the bill of the criminal and Philippa fails to prove their fight due to her clean house.
With guilt in her conscious and love for her husband in her heart, Philippa starts investigating the murder by looking deep into Elizabeth's past. How she finds the truth becomes the rest of the story.
Take My Life is a small book and could be finished in a couple of hours. The most gripping aspect of the story is the screenplay. Though Graham calls it a Novel Of Suspense, there isn't much mystery to be solved as we know the culprit from the first few pages itself. But it is the narration which holds our interest and proves to be gripping until the end. An engaging read.
January 23, 2020
I tried to read this book a couple of times years ago, but now that I have read all the Poldark books, I thought I would try again. I saw immediately why I couldn't get into it before: the first page is almost unintelligible, full of somewhat obscure London and opera references. I laughed about it this time, as I have learned over the years to stick with bewildering sentences and foreign names until they (usually) give way to more understandable content. Once past the opening pretentiousness, I caught the rhythm of the story and settled down to read what was labeled "a novel of suspense." I don't think I would categorize it as "suspenseful," although the last few pages were probably intended to covey a sense of anxiety. I think it was more of a cobbled together love story/mystery that made quite a few leaps in logic while jumping to unsupported conclusions.
The plot was pretty thin: former lover murdered while husband of heroine was coincidentally in the same area. Through extraordinary set of circumstantial evidence, he is put on trial for his life.
The characters were flat and one-dimensional. So really all that drove the book along was the writing style. And, as I mentioned, one had to get past the gobbledegook before the style became readable. But once there, author Winston Graham is a formidable storyteller who makes us want more. The book held very few surprises, but it was a quick, entertaining read. And clean!
The plot was pretty thin: former lover murdered while husband of heroine was coincidentally in the same area. Through extraordinary set of circumstantial evidence, he is put on trial for his life.
The characters were flat and one-dimensional. So really all that drove the book along was the writing style. And, as I mentioned, one had to get past the gobbledegook before the style became readable. But once there, author Winston Graham is a formidable storyteller who makes us want more. The book held very few surprises, but it was a quick, entertaining read. And clean!
February 4, 2018
Good mystery. Easy to read.
July 14, 2022
Very good mystery. I did feel cheated out of experiencing the happy ending.
April 5, 2024
I quite enjoyed it. I'll have to try another.
April 20, 2024
An old fashioned whodunit without all the twists and turns, time forward and backward, and complicating subplots that you see in today's novels. Easy to follow. Refreshing!!!
May 25, 2021
Philippa's husband is accused of murder the very night they have a huge fight about the woman who is found murdered. It is Philippa, out of desperation and love who finds the true murderer. I think this would fit in the mystery genre, but it's not the typical mystery, either. Nobody sets out to solve a mystery nor are you left until the end trying to figure out who did it.
December 24, 2023
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As luck would have it, as I was reading Marnie, another novel by Winston Graham lept into my hands at a thrift shop. Take My Life is half the size of Marnie - a light mystery with succinct action that entertains.
Philippa Shelley made her name as an operatic singer in Europe before her return to the London stage. If all went well, there would be an American tour. As her husband Nick Talbot came to congratulate her backstage, he bumps into an old girlfriend, Elizabeth Rusman. At home Philippa and Nick have a jealous row over her, and he goes out to walk the streets. This is the night Elizabeth would be found strangled amidst a hotel fire, and the evidence found points towards Nick, who hasn't an alibi. When he is arrested, Philippa goes into detective mode to reveal Elizabeth's twisted past and clear her husband's name.
We also follow Mr. Sidney Fleming, a boarding school headmaster up north in Loch Penmair, whose wife has been missing for a period of time. Several wonder where she could have gotten to, including Philippa who believes his wife was in fact Elizabeth. With Nick's trial underway, she travels to meet Mr. Fleming posing as a prospective parent, racing against time directly into danger, to discover the truth before Nick hangs.
This is a strait forward detection novel, light on the suspense but tangled enough to remain engaging. It's a quick read at only 191 pages. The clues are well telegraphed, the danger well lit. There is the clock to contend with as time runs out to prove Nick's innocence, but also the knowledge that justice will prevail. Not a classic but a good yarn.
As luck would have it, as I was reading Marnie, another novel by Winston Graham lept into my hands at a thrift shop. Take My Life is half the size of Marnie - a light mystery with succinct action that entertains.
Philippa Shelley made her name as an operatic singer in Europe before her return to the London stage. If all went well, there would be an American tour. As her husband Nick Talbot came to congratulate her backstage, he bumps into an old girlfriend, Elizabeth Rusman. At home Philippa and Nick have a jealous row over her, and he goes out to walk the streets. This is the night Elizabeth would be found strangled amidst a hotel fire, and the evidence found points towards Nick, who hasn't an alibi. When he is arrested, Philippa goes into detective mode to reveal Elizabeth's twisted past and clear her husband's name.
We also follow Mr. Sidney Fleming, a boarding school headmaster up north in Loch Penmair, whose wife has been missing for a period of time. Several wonder where she could have gotten to, including Philippa who believes his wife was in fact Elizabeth. With Nick's trial underway, she travels to meet Mr. Fleming posing as a prospective parent, racing against time directly into danger, to discover the truth before Nick hangs.
This is a strait forward detection novel, light on the suspense but tangled enough to remain engaging. It's a quick read at only 191 pages. The clues are well telegraphed, the danger well lit. There is the clock to contend with as time runs out to prove Nick's innocence, but also the knowledge that justice will prevail. Not a classic but a good yarn.
June 8, 2012
This book was a fun and clean murder mystery. It didn't have all the trash like some modern murder books have today: gore, sex, language. I was very pleased with the whole thing from beginning to end as it kept me intrigued and guessing.
November 3, 2009
Good yarn - though I didn't find the story, and its characters, quite as captivating as I have found in other Winston Graham novels.
January 22, 2017
Author of PBS series Poldark. Good old fashion mystery set in England and Scotland.
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October 19, 2009Take my life by Winston Graham (1967), [1st ed. in the U.S.]
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews