Cover Her Face (Published in 1962) - Authored by PD James - The first Adam Dalgliesh murder novel

Born in 1920 in United Kingdom, P. D. James has been acclaimed as “the greatest living mystery writer” by People’s Magazine. Having worked in the British Police and Criminal Law Department for a large part of her life, and also as a result of being a magistrate and Governor of BBC, P. D. James has an appealing sense of mystery writing. As a writer of crime novels, it is essential to keep the reader in suspense and try surprising them with an unusual or unexpected end, and P. D. James does exactly that. Original Sin and Death in Holy Orders are some of her more well known works.
Cover Her Face, is P. D. James’ debut novel into the realm of crime and mystery. The novel is the first in the Adam Dalgliesh Series, which recounts the deductive skills of the dashing Scotland Yard detective. The book opens with a dinner party being hosted at a medieval manor house by Mrs. Eleanor Maxie at Martingale. Her dinner guests include her son and daughter, Stephen Maxie and Deborah Riscoe. Among the other guests are Dr. Charles Epps, Bernard Hicks - the vicar, Miss Liddell - the warden at a Refuge for girls and Catherine Bowers, who had been in a relationship with the owners son Stephen Maxie. Serving at this dinner party is Sally Jupp - the help, hired at the recommendation of Miss Lidell.
Sally Jupp, both beautiful and headstrong, has her sights set high, and believes in doing anything to get there. She catches the eye of Stephen Maxie. He is all praises for Sally. However, this does not please the other house guests. Especially Deborah, who feels that Sally is going to cause trouble and Martha Bultitaft - Maxie’s long time domestic help. A few days later, when Deborah goes to visit her brother at a hospital, she sees him talking to Sally. Sally claims to be visiting on the pretext of returning Stephen’s father’s medicines. Stephen is once again all praises for the beautiful Sally.




On returning to the manor, Sally behaves highhandedly and taunts Martha for not taking proper care of her husband. Not doing a very good job of keeping herself in her master’s good books, Sally adds more fuel to the fire by turning up in the exact outfit and accessories as Deborah on the day of a fete. This does not go down well with anyone. Later, Sally announces that Stephen has asked her to marry him. Everyone is shocked and Miss Liddell especially, is distraught. Words are exchanged between Sally and Liddell. The next day, Martha goes to wake up Sally, incorrectly assuming that Sally has overslept. Instead, she finds Sally dead in her bead, strangulated and apparently drugged. The local police call for Scotland Yard to send an experienced homicide detective. Enter Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh. He interviews the family and friends.
The Detective unearths a lot of secrets pertaining to Sally Jupp and the Maxie family. In spite of many twists and turns, Detective Dalgliesh discovers the identity of the murderer, who is then convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. Even though the book is not as descriptive as P.D James’ other novels, the story is a good first novel in crime and mystery. It helps the reader create images and scenes in their minds, and build on the descriptions provided. As a mystery the book is brilliant. It creates a level of suspense till the very end, and surprises everyone with an unexpected ending.
For readers who enjoy a good detective novel, “Cover Her Face” is definitely a must read. With plentiful suspects, and twists and turns throughout, the book keeps the reader enraptured to the very end.

Where Love Has Gone (published in 1962) - a book that resembles a murder story

Harold Robins is one of the most prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures, which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus out came “Never love a Stranger” which courted controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over 20 books which are translated into 32 languages and are estimated to sell over 750 million copies. Many of his books were made in to successful movies, the very first being “A stone For Danny Fisher” which was adapted as “King Creole” starring Elvis Presley. The stories were also made in to mini series and were part of documentaries. Robbins also lived a jet setting life style with cars, wine and women at his disposal. His decadent life style along with those of the high and mighty of Hollywood is often mirrored in his books. Robbins was one of the authors honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of frame. This prolific writer died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 81 in Palm Springs, California.



Where Love has Gone is a roman-a-clef about the real life Lana turner and her lover John Stompanato's killing. Stompanato was stabbed by Lana's daughter Cheryl Crane and the media had gone on a blitzkrieg, covering the unfortunate murder. The protagonist in this novel is Colonel Luke Carey who is living his humdrum life with wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth is expecting a baby and Luke is an insurance sales person. Out of the blue, Luke gets the call that his daughter Danii is being tried for murder. As he dashes to his baby girl whom he had not seen for years, Luke reminisces about his earlier life. The book is entirely based on the flashback which forms the bulwark of the book. Luke, fresh in to life meets the seductress Nora Hayden who is a sculptress and the heir to a wide fortune. Nora, a spoilt child of a wealthy single mother, who just cannot control her daughter, is a nymphomaniac. A stubborn nymphomaniac, Nora goes through men as she changes clothes and gets what she sets her mind on to. Luke with his military persona is soon on her list and after a whirlwind romance are married.
But marriage brings forth the real Nora who is cruel and wayward. Soon her sexual escapades are too much for Luke who tries to stay for his daughter Danii. But Nora bringing in more men, files for divorce and uses all her clout and money to get Danii's custody and phases out Luke out of her life. A heart broken Luke descends in to drunkenness and chaos until a lucky break brings in Elizabeth. But Danii with a rich spoilt mother whose boyfriends abuse her goes through hell. Her sessions with her psychiatrist throws light in to her deprived childhood. So Luke has to get her out from the clutches of a dysfunctional sexed up mother and her own demons.
Robbins for a change changes track to delve in to the issue of child psychology and is really successful. The are graphic sexual encounters but the story over powers you by its vulnerability. The reader actually feels for Dani and Luke and of course Nora is the devil incarnate who gets no sympathy. A good book, worth a look.

Dead Cert (published in 1962) - a horse racing story by Dick Francis

Richard Stanley Francis or Dick Francis was born in Pembrokshire, Wales, England on October 20th 1920. His father was a renowned jockey and Francis was catapulted in to the world of Horses, Jockeys and racing. He dropped out of school to train as a Jockey and was a fighter pilot in the Royal Air-force during World War II. After the war Francis became a celebrity Champion Jockey winning over 350 races. He was the lead Jockey for the Queen Mother. But he had to drop out of Horse racing after a serious fall and became a racing correspondent for Sunday Express. Dick Francis churned out numerous best sellers and most of his books deal with the mysteries in the realm of Horse racing and Jockeys. He wrote more than 40 international best sellers and is the recipient of numerous awards. Being a three time recipient of Mystery writer of America's Edgar Award he was made the Grand master of MWA. He is also the recipient of Britain's Crime Writers Association's Gold Dagger Award for fiction in 1979 and the Cartier Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award. He also has the Gumshoe award to his credit. He was accorded in CBE in 2000. Dick Francis died in his Caribbean home on February 10, 2010 bringing down the curtains to an illustrious life.
The Dead Cert Hero, Alan York is an Amateur Jockey in the steeplechase races. During one of the races, he witnesses his friend Bill Davidson falling down from his horse and getting injured. Alan pulls up to help his friend to the hospital where he is declared dead. On his return his suspicions of foul play are confirmed when he finds the wires coiled near the fences and grooves on the posts. When he tries to bring it to the notice of the law enforcers, the wires disappear. Alan forms one of the credible witnesses for the police and soon is asking questions to the officers.



Soon he is kidnapped and beaten up severely with a warning to let go of the case. But the beatings harden his determination to find the truth about his friends death. He also meets the women of his heart, Kate and soon indulges in a cat and mouse game with the wily antagonist to protect Kate. As he digs deeper he finds a ring of power crazy aristocrats who rig races and are even willing to murder jockeys who do not agree to their demands to fix races. Bill Davidson's children secretly listening to their fathers telephonic conversation provide the vital clue to crack this mystery.
This mystery describes us the world of British race tracks before the advent of high tech. If you are interested how crime was solved without the aid of cell phones, DNA and the host of other innovations, you have come to the right place. Alan York is the upright British Gentleman, who keeps his English uptight demeanor in-spite of beatings and injuries and doggedly pursues his much connected adversary to pay for his friends death.
Francis weaves a great tale effortlessly and the amount of suspense is really high. The language is clear cut and crisp like a refreshing summer day. A great book to unwind.

The Prize (published in 1962) - written by Irving Wallace

Irving Wallace was born in Chicago, to Jewish parents, Bessie and Alexander Wallace Who had Emigrated from Russia. He completed his studies in California and started out as a journalist at a tender age of 15. He studied creative writing at the Williams Institute in Berkley and from the mid-30s he worked as a free-lance correspondent. In 1941 he married Sylvia Kahn; they had two children. Irving Wallace served in the air force during world war two and later collaborated in several movies as a writer. His first book 'Sins of Peter Fleming' did not attract much attention. But his second book influenced by the Kinsey report was a best seller. He has been a prolific churner of best sellers and his books have been adapted as major movies.
The Prize published in 1962 presents the lives of six Nobel laureates who receive the most coveted prize in the history of man kind i.e the Nobel prize. All six of them receive the all important telegram and their past and intertwining lives changes their world all together, for ever. This book was adapted in to a book by Paul Newman which was not much of a success as the novel.



The six characters whose pioneering works get them the Nobel prize reach Stockholm with their loved ones and the demons from the past. Max Stratman, an venerable physicist has battled the Nazi camps and death of loved ones. He retains his humanity and is very concerned for his niece Emily who has secrets of her own. She battles terrifying memories about the concentration camps and have problems in trust and building relationships.
The Marceau's are the husband and wife duo whose work gets them the prize in chemistry. They have been partners in life as well as in the lab. But the husband's infidelity has developed cracks in their marriage and the wife gets her revenge by cozying up with a lab assistant. Will their seemingly perfect union survive?
Andrew Craig in the major character who wins it for literature. It is said that Andrew's life was a fantasy of Wallace's. But Andrew's literary graph has plummeted with his wife's accident. He feels guilty her death and drowns his sorrow in alcohol and women. His sister in law takes care of him and tries to have a relationship, but does she succeed in her manipulations? Andrew has various sexual conquests in Stockholm and his love for Emily redeems him.
Doctor John Garrett, the winner for medicine has to share it with Carlo Farelli, his arch rival who completely eclipses him in the press. John with his reclusive ways is overshadowed by Farelli and is seethes with jealousy. But his compassion and skills win him the last round and he combines forces with his arch rival to save a life.
It is said that Wallace took 15 years to pen this book and it is worth the effort. You get the golden nuggets of information about the Nobel Prize winners and the intrigue and processes by which the selection is done. Just go for the book, it worth time and money.

The Golden Rendezvous (published in 1962) - by Alistair Maclean - an action packed ocean thriller on a cruise ship

Alistair MacLean is a Scottish writer who specialized in writing thrillers and crime stories. He was third son of a Scottish minister and joined the Royal Navy during the world war two. He was a senior torpedo operator at the height of his career. He was in the thick of the war theater during the world war and saw action on many fronts especially the arctic north. After retiring he started penning his novels based on the war he saw and many of them became best sellers. Maclean never looked back as a writer until his death in 1987.
Because of his war experiences, his novels are also high on the action content. The emotional and the romantic angle is not very much touched upon by Maclean. His characters are highly cynical men who are always part of the high octane action and push themselves against all odds with out any thought for their safety. The elements also play a very important in MacLean's writings.
The golden rendezvous is an action packed ocean thriller. It takes place aboard SS Campari which is a ex-freight ship which has been turned in to a luxury cruise ship. It is weighing anchor in the exotic Caribbean. The ship is fitted with all the luxury accessories that a man can think off and is patronized by the who's who of the society. It is captained by the mercurial and moody Captain Bullen.



A series of events sabotage the voyage of the Campari. The island where the Campari is weighing anchor is enveloped in a coup. Soon certain passengers are recalled back because of family emergencies and their place is taken by sinister new ones. Apart from this a rumor floats around that a nuclear bomb has been stolen from a nearby naval base.
All this bothers the hero, chief officer John Carter. He has to contend with the temper of Captain Bullen and is distracted by the attentions of the millionaire heiress Susan Beresford. During the shooting he is severely injured and embarks on a mission to find out the truth. He finds to his dismay that the criminal mastermind, Carreras has smuggled in a Nuclear device. Soon the action unfolds with all the passengers being held as hostages with a ransom call of million dollars gold in bullion.
Now carter with his injured leg has to foil the kidnappers and disarm the device. He does in-spite of the death defying activities in which he is ably assisted by Beresford and the doctor. They with the help of a scientist neutralize the nuclear bomb and prevent the escape of the culprits. Carter also finds time to melt into the green eyes of Susan Beresford.
Alistair MacLean has cleverly put in his navy experiences within the book. His knowledge of the navy, the ships, nautical terminology and the ocean is impeccable. You just fall in love with the brave soldier whose death defying stunts are described so vividly.
This book was made in to a movie staring Richard Harris and the lovely Ann Turkel. A good read for action buff's.