The Unsuspected

by Charlotte Armstrong, Otto Penzler (Introduction)

To catch a murderous theater impresario, a young woman takes a deadly new role The note discovered beside Rosaleen Wright’s hanged body is full of reasons justifying her suicide―but it lacks her trademark vitality and wit, and, most importantly, her signature. So the note alone is far from enough to convince her best friend Jane that Rosaleen was her own murderer, even if the police quickly accept the possibility as fact. Instead, Jane suspects Rosaleen’s boss, New York theater impresario Luther Grandison. To the world at large, he’s powerful and charismatic, but Rosaleen’s letters to Jane described a duplicitous, greedy man who would no doubt kill to protect his secrets. If Rosaleen stumbled upon one such secret, it could have led to an untimely demise―and Jane risks a similar end when she takes a job with Grandison’s company, tangling with one of Broadway’s deadliest actors in a desperate play for the truth. A playwright before she turned to crime fiction, Charlotte Armstrong drew from her experience in the theater for her fourth novel, The Unsuspected . The book inspired the 1947 film of the same name.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Book Club, Historical

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Full name Charlotte Armstrong Lewi. Wrote 29 novels, plus short stories and plays under the name Charlotte Armstrong and Jo Valentine. Additional writing jobs: New York Times (advertising department), Breath of the Avenue (fashion reporter).

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect antidote to 115 degrees outside, and Trump on TV.

[Carla Remy · Rating 3 out of 5]

From 1946
This has good elements, but there are too many. The plot lost me at some point. The books I love by Charlotte. Armstrong (Mischief, the Albatross) are from the 1950s and are simpler in plot. Simpler, more powerful.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unsuspected by Charlotte Armstrong
4★'s

From the Book:

Why did Rosaleen Wright hang herself in a soundproof room? She left an unsigned note, peppered with stiff religious references and no trace of her trademark vitality or wit. The police believe it was suicide, but Rosaleen’s best friend, Jane, is suspicious. To prove Rosaleen was murdered, she takes a job with the man who killed her. Luther Grandison, Rosaleen’s boss, is a New York theatrical impresario with a lethal charm. To the world at large, he’s powerful and charismatic, but Rosaleen’s letters to Jane described a greedy man who stole from his adopted daughter when his bank account ran low. Jane thinks Grandison killed her to protect his secret, but to prove it she will have to face down one of the finest murderers Broadway has ever seen.

My Thoughts:

Although the plot seems a bit improbable, you are so involved with the story that you don't really think about it. The main character, Grandy, is one of the most unique creations that I have encountered in some time.... and the bewildered heroine was quite...bewildered...but appealing also. Overall, it was a delightfully enjoyable work of fictional intrigue. Just suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride. You will be amazed how much you'll enjoy it.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 102 (of 250)
Hook=3 stars: On page 2 a young lady has committed suicide by hanging. But a friend suggest murder. Not original, but good enough to keep going.
Pace=3: Over-extended descriptions of the house and rooms are fascinating and a nice atmosphere is created but this serves to interupt the story at places.
Plot=3: Jane suspects her friend Rosaleen didn't hang herself at all, but had been murdered because of something she must have realized about her employer. Jane recruits Francis, a freshly minted veteran suffering from a case of today's PTSD. Jane and Francis cook up a plan to get inside the employer's home and investigate. It's a bit on the Hardy Boy side at first but turns into an interesting investigation and a great climax.
Characters=4: Grandy is a rich old man from the theatre: he likes to stage every scene, from perfect lighting for dinner to opening a door in the manner of a staged florish. He is so, so very kind he's an immediate suspect. Grandy is the gaurdian for 2 ladies: Mathilda/Tyl (rich) and Althea (beautiful) and that sets up a house of jealousy. Then there is the afore-mentioned Jane, on the shy side and Francis, having seen the worst of humainity, is surprised by nothing. And the very poor Oliver, set to marry Mathilda but goes for the beauty, Althea., at the last moment. Many conflicts in this house!
Place=4: Grandy's theatrics provide great set pieces."[Grandy sat in the big yellow chair, and Tyl put herself on the yellow ottoman at his feet. They were together in a little pool of light from the tall lamp over them. The room was warm. It had an expensive smell. She'd (Tyl) had time to get into her own long warm robe of rose-colored wool. The soft fabric felt luxurious." That expensive smell is no doubt due to luxurious leather-covered furniture, cigars, a man's expensive cologne, all a stage set by Grandy. Then there is Grandy's house: a huge kitchen faces walls of glass from floor to ceiling and extends along the entire back side of the house. Above the kitchen is Grandy's 'famous' massive bathroom also of a floor to ceiling glass wall for a splendid garden exposure.
Summary: My rating is 3.4. The first chapters are rushed, and like I said, border on a Hardy Boy "let's investigate" tone. But the final chapters provide some tense moments one expects from a suspense novel.

[EuroHackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This certainly was a ride! There is so much gaslighting going on (in the true meaning of the word) that it practically gave me motion sickness.

Rosaleen Wright is found dead, hanging from the ceiling of her boss's office. Everyone believes its suicide, except for Rosaleen's friend, Jane, and her fiance, Francis. Jane is determined to prove that Rosaleen's boss, Luther Grandison aka Grandy, murdered her. Francis is determined to help. He was away at war when Rosaleen died and will do anything to prove the choice to end her life wasn't her own.

Jane already snagged Rosaleen's job as Grandy's private secretary; Francis decides to get into the inner circle as well, by claiming to be Matilda Frazier's husband. Matilda is one of Grandy's wards and is presumed lost a sea after her cruise ship was caught in a storm in the Caribbean. Francis shows up at Grandy's house as her husband and is welcomed with open arms into the family, where he perceives that things are just as strange as Jane says they are. Grandy has some sort of mercurial hold over everyone in his household, and they dance like martinets on strings according to his whims.

Turns out Matilda isn't dead, but very much alive; when she returns to the States, she is met by Francis, who tries his hardest to persuade her that they were indeed married after a whirlwind courtship in New York before she set off on her cruise. He has an answer for every question she asks, produces witnesses, the minister, and even their marriage license. Matilda is adamant, however, and immediately runs home to Grandy. Only - it's not quite as she remembers; she can see certain things now that she couldn't before. As hard as she rails against Francis's attempts at gaslighting her, she returns to Grandy's sway again pretty quickly. She's hurt, confused, and distressed, especially when others begin dying around her - and then Francis disappears.

It was pretty painful to be in Matilda's head for most of the novel, because Grandy has been gaslighting her for the entirety of her life and still holds sway over her. She keeps telling him things that give him the advantage he needs to ensure that he is the ultimate Unsuspected person: he's the center of attention at all times, everything revolves around him, he has enough people dancing to his tune that he can quite literally, openly murder them and get away with it. He certainly tries his hardest, even when Jane and Francis enter his orbit, to continue with his evil deeds. It's only when Matilda breaks enough of the spell to put herself in danger that events start going some way other than the way Grandy is directing them.

Ultimately, Matilda ends up being an incredibly weak character. Even at the end, when its all over and the spell is broken, she is still under Grandy's sway. I get that trauma is hard, but come on. This is already a ridiculous plot; why try for realism at the end? Break the spell, make the character stronger for all that she's gone through, really serve up some justice! The ending really soured this for me.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you believe that I never knew this book existed before a month or two ago. I had no clue that one of my favorite Claude Rains movies happened to be based on a book. I can't begin to tell you how often I'm surprised when I find out a movie I love, started life on the printed page. I think that says something bad about me, but I've lived with it so long, I guess it's just time to accept it.

There is really no way for me to talk about this book without giving the whole kit and caboodle away. I would have to explain how awesome Grandison is, and how much I envy the mind the man has, even if it's towards the pursuit of death and destruction. I would have to explain why I think Althea (played by Audrey Totter in the movie) is one of the most interesting characters in the book, and that I'm glad she didn't share the fate her movie counterpart did. I would need to compare and contrast the role of Jane, and how I prefer the Constance Bennett version over the book. Then I would need to deconstruct the romance element and why I think that the way the relationship between Matilda (Joan Caulfield) and Steven Francis Howard (Ted North), progressives at a more natural level in the movie, but I prefer the book's ending. Despite the trickery and down right lying that Steven had to do in order to get into the Grandison household, it's nice to know that faking a marriage to a dead woman, doesn't necessarily make the marriage a dead idea when the woman comes back alive.

This is another example of the issues I had with reading The Thin Man for the first time. I love the movie so much, it's hard to separate the movie from the book, and most of the time, the book is found lacking just a bit. It goes without saying, that it normally has more to do with the actors than the storyline itself. Though the movies does have a higher body count.

Whether you decide to read the book, watch the movie, or do both (what I think you should do), you are going to be treated to a wonderfully entertaining story of murder and deceit. Both the author and the director are able to surround the events in a hazy cloud of suspense that you will forget you know who the bad guys are. You won't remember until it's too late that you aren't supposed to like Grandison, that he is capable of being the unsuspected.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the 1947 movie sometime back (or most of it) and then found a used paperback from 1967 (cover price: SIXTY CENTS!). I've been familiar with Armstrong's name for many years but never actually read her - this is more 'psychological suspense' than mystery, which makes it a good fill-in for this Ruth Rendell fan.

02/28/10: A good read. Interesting because you known from the beginning who the perpetrator almost certainly is - but he's so convincingly beyond reproach, so cunning and manipulative, that all and sundry are suitably deceived until it's almost too late. Claude Rains was perfectly cast in the film version, because he had that ability to keep the audience on the edge - the likeable villain.

[Randee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I own and read two Charlotte Armstrong omnibuses when I was a teenager and loved her style of writing and the mysteries she created. She reminded me a bit of Agatha Christie. I noticed that several of her stories which I have not read were being offered on Kindle and I bought as many as I could find. This is the first one I 'read' of the bunch and I am loathe to review or rate it because it was such a stop and go read for me. I got jammed up on some library books that could not be renewed and had to read them as they came in (I put books on hold and your turn comes up on new ones sometimes quickly, sometimes not.) Then, after I had turned the corner on that situation, I got sick and didn't read much for three weeks. I did enjoy this story but I don't think I was fair to the book. Needless to say, I recommend any Armstrong highly and am happy that some of her work is available again through Kindle.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Otto Penzler edition includes an introduction to the author and her other works. She writes in the style of the inverted detective story, in which the perpetrator is known up front and justice will be served for the victim. She writes drama and peril, mostly to a young victim into every novel. Fine example of classic crime and I plan to read more of her books from this collection and my own personal collection in near future.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more novels I read by this author the more amazed I am with her talent. She was amazing. This one takes a different approach from the two previous novels that I have read. From the beginning the reader knows who did the deed. He is cunning, manipulative and seemingly devoted to the young women that he destroys. It all begins with the death of Rosaleen, who apparently saw through his facade. When she is found dead from an apparent suicide, her BF Jane, cannot believe it. She knew Rosaleen well and how much she loved life. To discover what really happened Jane manages to become an employee of Luther Grandison, a charismatic and charming man who deceives just about everyone.

Grandison directs and presents innovative thrillers to movie and theater goers alike. While he is well known what the public and those close to him do not know is that he has siphoned much of his ward's wealth from her account. As she nears the age of taking control of it herself it becomes obvious that she will be the next to die. Can Jane and Francis prove what they in their hearts believe? It's an exciting and well though out plot. Certainly this is one lovers of well done mystery/thrillers will want to read.

[David Rickert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read "A Dram of Poison" and really liked it, so I turned to "The Unsuspected" next. I didn't like this one as much - there were some parts that just didn't flow well for me, but I'm not going to give any spoilers as to what didn't quite make sense. The set up is this: Rosaleen has been found after an alleged suicide in the home of a film producer named Grandy for whom she worked. Her friends Francis and Jane (who also works there) believe that Grandy murdered her. They decide to investigate. Grandy's adopted daughter Mathilda has been missing after a boat shoe was on sank - Francis poses as Mathilda's husband to get close to the scene of the crime. However, Mathilda is still alive, putting Francis in the uncomfortable position of trying to convince her that they were married all along. And this is only the first three chapters. What could have been a light-hearted romp like "Poison" is actually played straight. A little too over dramatic for me taste, but it is one of her earlier novels.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book thinking that it would be a mystery, but it was more of a suspense novel. It begins with a conversation between a man and his aunt (actually, about the same age as him), discussing the supposed suicide of a female relative. The aunt does not think it was suicide, and wants her nephew (who may have been in love with the deceased woman) to help her investigate. They both manage to become part of the household in which the deceased was working as a private secretary. An unexpected development makes it difficult for the man to maintain his ruse, which adds a lot of interest to the story. The suspect is identified early on, so the question is not whodunnit, but whether they can get the evidence they need to prove it, and how many more will die before they do. Of course, it works out in the end, and there is a nice love angle, as well. I enjoyed this book.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Classic mystery, this one written in 1946. I am really enjoying these classics. You know who the villain is from almost the first page, but that sure does not make him less villainous. I would have been suspicious of him in real life, but to people he 'rescued' and took care of, maybe not so much. Took just a little bit to be really drawn into the story, then it was difficult to put down.

[Cindy Ladensack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic “inside out” plot — we know whodunnit but the thrill is in discovering whether the murderer gets away with it. I loved the pacing and the characters — the denouement may have been a bit far-fetched, but this one qualified as an “un-put-downable” for me.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winning thriller from Charlotte Armstrong. NYRB Classics needs to bring her books back into print!

[Ian B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I’m reading a novel, and a particular aspect of it snags my disbelief in such a way that it sets me back in my experience of the story. In The Unsuspected, it was housework. A young woman has apparently hung herself in the home of media personality Luther Grandison; two of her friends believe he has murdered her, and inveigle their way into the house to investigate. We are told that it is not a large house. However, it sits in an acre of garden, has four bedrooms, at least two bathrooms, and all the usual downstairs rooms as well as a study; there is also a guest cabin at the bottom of the garden. Grandison keeps no servants. We get occasional scenes where he or his two wards or his secretary are cooking or making beds or arranging flowers; but are we really supposed to believe that a house and grounds of that size could be looked after to the satisfaction of an emotionally abusive, grandiose narcissist by a set of part-time dabblers, who seem to spend most of their time either doing the job they’re actually paid for (the secretary) or sitting around (everyone else)? Who is doing the laundry, who is buying the food, who is scrubbing the toilet, who is washing the windows, who is mowing the lawns? Other than to suggest that Grandison may have money difficulties which he chooses to dress up as whimsical self-reliance, the absence of staff has no bearing on the plot. I found it obstructively unbelievable.

Aside from that, the portrayal of Grandison as a manipulative, middlebrow, artistic phoney – a rich voice and a bundle of vicious impulses – is very well done; and there is an exciting nick-of-time climax at the municipal dump.

When I began, I was reminded of the work of Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, but I’m afraid as I read on, the comparison became less and less in Armstrong’s favour: one of the things ESH does so well is to include the stock characters – attractive young people solving a murder – she knows the consumers of genre fiction will expect but give them a few subtle twists to bring them idiosyncratically to life. The three leads in this book were rather flat and everyday; I never felt that concerned for them.

[nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was surprisingly good! the main reason i bought this and picked it up to read it is because i thought it was going to be one of those shitty old mysteries. the ones that don't really stand to the standard set by the great mystery writers of the time, like sayers and christie.

however, this was nothing like that! it was actually quite good, even though i would say it's more of an anti-mystery, where you know who committed the crime, and it was quite thrilling. i really like armstrong's gripping beginning and the level of excitement and thrill throughout is pretty good; we're immediately thrown into the problem and, as we go along, we get to know these characters and their motivations for this investigation.

something i rather liked was the social commentary that i am not sure if it was intentional or not. the way that the murderer is a rich man, and people are choosing to believe him over the people bringing (slightly flimsy) proof against him, i found that very interesting. there was also a certain passage towards the end of the book, something that francis was thinking of, that i also really liked because it was a very interesting opinion and criticism.

another thing that i really liked was that we got a good amount of the story from matilda's perspective, and, i have to say, i think armstrong did a wonderful job at capturing the utter horror that tyl was going through in this book. her situation is understandably frightening and her feelings are captured and written in a great way; you, the reader, can really feel and see, you can visualise, why she's thinking this way.

i would say that the character writing isn't necessarily impressive, but it's decent enough for a mystery or for a thriller, where the characters are playing a role in a storyline than just- existing normally.

overall, this was quite nice! i can understand why this got a movie adaptation, i think it would translate really well into that medium because of its pacing and the thrilling events that take place. i think i'd recommend this to people who already like mysteries and thrillers; i don't think that this would make a good introduction to these genres per se.

[Eden Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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"You can't foresee it - You can't forget it" cries the 1947 film of this novel, starring Claude Raines and Joan Caulfield. This classic mystery really satisfies.

Young Jane is upset by the death of her cousin Rosaleen, secretary to famous director Luther Grandison. She hung herself at his Connecticut home, leaving a note that she was in love with him, please forgive her. Rosaleen's Air Force fiancé Francis doesn't believe it, neither does Jane who begins investigating, posing as the new secretary.
Grandison has two young ladies as wards - the beautiful Althea, married to Oliver, and Mathilda, who will inherit a fortune when she marries. Weeks ago, Mathilda was to marry Oliver, until he jilted her with his surprise marriage to Althea. Heartbroken, Mathilda went on a cruise which sank, and she was presumed drowned at sea—but actually rescued and returning to New York. Francis has the incredible idea to meet Mathilda at the dock and convince her they married after a whirlwind romance before she sailed. She is completely dubious, but hotel staff call her Mrs., and the justice who married them claims it is true. Francis knows all about the family, but she can't believe it. When there is another death in a locked room in the home, Tom Gahagen of the Detective Bureau arrives, but everyone has a solid alibi. Again, a suicide note for forgiveness was left. The rule is misfortunes come in threes, and before Mathilda can figure out why Francis was there, he mysteriously disappears!

Your five senses feel it - the presence of death! Clever Grandison plays everyone, even lecturing on the masks people wear every day. The unsuspected can commit crimes in plain sight. It's clear from the start he likes to make people think what he wants, and they are under the spell of a great director. This combines a clever 'amnesia' story with a fortune, and a killer operating in plain sight. Well drawn with a thick plot and solid characters.
Republished and widely available in all formats.

[Diana]

This is the second Charlotte Armstrong mystery I've read. Here, two family members go undercover to prove that their cousin did not, in fact, commit suicide. The plot is an inverted detective story: that is, we know who the murderer is (or, at least, who the amateur detectives suspect); thus, the tension arises from the howcatchem as Francis and Jane unknowingly place themselves in great danger to avenge Rosaleen.

Many of the author's usual tropes are present: a single location; a familial cast of characters; non-professional investigative figures; an evil antagonist (here, Svengali-inspired); an MMC who does questionable things; and strong, active female leads.

We are also treated to:

1) Several truly outlandish twists that defy disbelief;
2) Narrative ellipses (many major plot points occur off-page, such as Francis's initial introduction to the family and his capture);
3) Unlikely and/or contrived occurrences (including Francis's expectation that Tyl would suddenly and magically believe anything he says and the candy wrappers as clue;
4) Unresolved plot points (we never find out, for example, exactly what prompted Rosaleen's suspicions or who the Press couple murdered;
5) Plot holes (If Jane is married, how can she and Francis share the same last name? And how would anyone know since she is going by a different last name)?

I assume that omitting some portions was done to highlight the climax, which contained most of the suspense; while the outcome was never in doubt, it was well-done.

Like "Mischief," this was made into a film (by the same name, in 1947 by Michael Curtiz). Note: The blurb of the edition I have (American Mystery Classics) is A) ungrammatical, and B) gets plot points wrong.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-series - This 1946 novel by author Charlotte Armstrong is quite interesting. It is an inverted detective story, where the villain is known almost from the start leaving the protagonists the task of proving guilt without being caught out and killed. After a slow opening chapter, the novel provides an absorbing read. The age shows a bit during the climax which has a search worthy of Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.

The note discovered beside Rosaleen Wright's hanged body is full of reasons justifying her suicide--but it lacks her trademark vitality and wit, and, most importantly, her signature. So the note alone is far from enough to convince her best friend Jane that Rosaleen was her own murderer, even if the police quickly accept the possibility as fact. Instead, Jane suspects Rosaleen's boss, New York theater impresario Luther Grandison. To the world at large, he's powerful and charismatic, but Rosaleen's letters to Jane described a duplicitous, greedy man who would no doubt kill to protect his secrets. If Rosaleen stumbled upon one such secret, it could have led to an untimely demise--and Jane risks a similar end when she takes a job with Grandison's company, tangling with one of Broadway's deadliest actors in a desperate play for the truth.

[David Dunlap · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 'mystery' has an unusual structure. The two protagonists -- Jane and Francis -- are convinced that the death of their friend Rosaleen was not suicide; they believe that Rosaleen's employer, radio personality Luther Grandison, has murdered her, and they set out to prove it -- Jane by taking over Rosaleen's position as 'Grandy's secretary, Francis by presenting himself as the widower of the elder of Grandison's wards, Mathilda. Complications ensue almost from the outset, when Mathilda turns up: she had been shipwrecked and out of communication. Of course, she has no recollection of her 'marriage' to Francis; she is convinced he is a fortune hunter and is eager to expose him to her loving guardian. Meanwhile, Mathilda's sister, the flirtatious Althea, and her husband Oliver (Mathilda's former fiancé) further stir the pot. Who can be trusted? Who is not to be? When Althea turns up dead, Francis is convinced that Mathilda may be next: can he somehow get her to see the danger she's in? -- The presentation of this mystery is intriguing and, for the most part, effective. (I thought the climactic scene in the town garbage dump was a bit over-the-top.) Still, I would recommend this as a better-than-average suspense story.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The female body count of retired theatrical impresario Victor Grandison's young women temporarily shrinks, when his ward, the wealthy young heiress, Matilda, turns up alive. The resurrected Matilda is angered and bewildered by a new husband she cannot remember and saddened by the inexplicable suicide of "Grandy"s kind young assistant. Poor Matilda also cannot believe she could be the next to die.

I came to this slight (121 page) mystery via its film version on TCM and the 2019 reprint of the novel (originally published in 1946) as part of mystery maven Otto Penzler's American Mystery Classics. The Unsuspected was the type of romantic suspense that got snapped up by Hollywood. The 1947 film ultilized Armstrong's trademark suspense and strong plot. Given that foolish female protagonists wear me down, I was happy when Director Michael Curtiz allowed his villains to become delightful contrasts to Armstrong's handsome but somewhat bland endangered couple. Curtiz's nearly noir film is much more vivid and satisfactory thanks to a tighter plot, superior black and white atmosphere, and its actors, including Claude Rains and Audrey Totter.

[Saloni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

What a crazy ending. The prose is a bit tell not show esque (ie. she looked shocked, he was angry, etc.), but the story was so bonkers I didn't mind it too much. Mathilda's characterization was really interesting too; she's definitely a victim of Grandy's shenanigans, but it's to the extent that it seems like she has no independent thoughts, which comes off a bit odd. I like her character though, and I don't know enough about grooming/manipulation to call this portrayal unrealistic or not.

Jane is also such a good character. When she told Mathilda to get up and start thinking I felt like she conveyed what every reader wants to tell a meek female character in 40s/50s books (yes I understand the sexism and all, but sometimes obvious conclusions are glossed over to make a book longer; Jane was kinda in the wrong for that too because how was Mathilda supposed to piece that all together). Also, Francis is so funny because who tries to gaslight a girl into thinking she's married to him and doesn't immediately fail.

One last thing for future Saloni to ponder: Were people in the 30s/40s/50s really falling in love in two days? Why is this seen as plausible??

[Sapphire Detective · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first introduced to the concept of this story watching the film version I'm going to say about half a decade ago. I'd always been meaning to revisit it, especially knowing that there was a book version and it was being put out by American Mystery Classics. Well, the time's finally come around. And it's pretty good! It doesn't have quite the je ne sais quoi to push it to the full five--maybe leaving the true nature of what's going on in the dark for a bit longer would've pushed it up and above, something that the movie gets right--but as it stands it's still an incredibly strong thriller. Worth the read.

My rating: 4.5/5 (rounded down)
Would I own/re-read?: Sure!
Would I watch the film version?: Absolutely.
TW: Murder, Death, Suicide (supposed), Alcoholism, Marital Troubles, Gaslighting, Corruption, Financial Abuse
Does the animal die?: No animals are harmed by the Unsuspected.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG, this was a God awful book. I’m so confused by why Jane thought Grandy was the murderer simple because of one letter and seeing him at the train station. Did I miss something Rosaleen mentioned in a letter? Just because she thinks he is greedy enough to kill doesn’t mean he did. I know a lot of people who could kill for money doesn’t mean they will. And Francis and Mathilda are so stereotypical characters from the 1950s. A book good when the characters are close to real people but this isn’t the case.

If Francis thinks Mathilda’s life in danger then he should explain who he is and why he thinks Grandy murdered his fiancée instead of thinking she should just know.

So disappointing...

[Emma A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un de mes coups de cœur 2020! Livre très différent des mystery de l'époque considérée comme le "Golden Age of Murder" (entre les deux guerres) car nous savons dès le début qui est l'assassin et oublions vite l'habituel Whodunnit? Malgré la connaissance immédiate du tueur l'intrigue ne perd rien de son peps et nous emporte avec ses personnages dans la recherche de preuves et de ruses pour faire payer le coupable. L'histoire est très bien ficelée et je comprends très facilement le succès de cette intrigue par Charlotte Amstrong. J'essayerais d'autres de ses oeuvres ainsi que différents American Mystery Classics.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't understand the status of this book as a "classic" mystery. The culprit is identified five pages in (not necessarily a showstopper; see Malice Aforethought), the credibility of the Svengali hold the villain holds over his household is VERY questionable, the people in that household are as dumb as rocks, and the denouement in an incinerator plant is hard to take seriously and is very sketchily presented, presumably to allow readers to imagine the worst. This is a very dated and largely suspense-free suspense novel with little to recommend it beyond some capable writing. Great for your 68 year old maiden aunt.

[Ben L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really strong plot, delighted the two ladies became the heroes, especially the weak and watery Tyl finding her feet (knee deep in garbage.)

Good characters, Grandy a particular highlight (little creep.)

Writing pretty good, had to reign my eyes in at the end as they were desperately trying to skip paragraphs due to the suspense and tension.

Probably just lacking a je ne sais quoi that would secure it 5*.
(This comes after an attempt to "normalise" my good read scores, reducing the number of 5*s I give and saving 5* reviews for books that will live with me forever. Pre normalisation this would have probably got 5*)