PICTURES IN THE DARK

by Ian Stuart ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 1986

Here, Stuart (The Garb of Truth, 1984) again plodding his understated way through a mildly interesting plot. Farmer Clive Fordham, a 30-ish widower, is intrigued by the actions of his art-dealer neighbor Harry Bridgeman when a small plane crashes on his property; pilot Derek Graham is killed in the resulting fire. Clive idly picks up an antique silver snuffbox thrown onto his land in the explosion--and this leads him to pompous, blustering Colonel Williamson, recently robbed of two valuable paintings. The plot thickens. . .and Graham's attractive Indian widow, Rekha, isn't shocked to hear that her late husband might have been involved in some crooked scheme. Eventually, our dogged hero finally puts it all together, suffering various beatings and torture in the process, then saved for Rekha in a last-minute rescue by a lethargic Scotland Yard. There's a mechanical air about most of the action and characters in the story here. All in all, a little passion and sparkle would have gone a long way.

Pub Date: May 2, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1986

Categories: FICTION