NEW ENGLAND GOTHIC

by Addison J. Allen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 28, 1960

Presumably an actual case has been reconstructed more for the sake of sensationalism than sensibility and accounts for the actions of Paul Andrews, a nice, clean-cut boy, Barbara Merrill, the girl he loves, and her father Frank who is a menace to both of them--- (He had raped Barbara at fourteen and now threatens to have ""unnatural relations"" with her younger sister). In his fear of Merrill, Paul confesses to the murder of the local doctor Chamberlain (found in the trunk of his car) and Mrs. Chamberlain-after the good man had been called in to see whether Barbara was pregnant or not (by her father? by Paul?). A later arrest of Merrill, for incest, brings Paul safely to the witness stand so that he can testify against him and be cleared... Maine is the scene for these inbred incidents and there are many regrettable details of feminine hygiene and mixed intimacies but one can question whether they are really in the interests of authenticity.

Pub Date: Sept. 28, 1960

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Chilton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1960

Categories: FICTION