tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post8725782406622763636..comments2024-03-28T10:31:55.774-07:00Comments on The Passing Tramp: Circe of Suspense: Two Novels of Suspense by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, The Innocent Mrs. Duff (1946) and The Blank Wall (1947)The Passing Tramphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-28240644126619513342014-08-29T03:22:45.761-07:002014-08-29T03:22:45.761-07:00Keishon, I will check that out!Keishon, I will check that out!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-68322800058250460422014-08-25T16:22:03.325-07:002014-08-25T16:22:03.325-07:00Yes, I agree with everything you said. I thought t...Yes, I agree with everything you said. I thought that her character ended up being more capable that she thought she could be. I loved Sybil's character and her story about when she lived in Georgia. Here is my humble thoughts:http://avidmysteryreader.com/2014/08/25/the-blank-wall-elizabeth-sanxay-holding/whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030571187291039318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-24198033063349237172014-08-25T12:55:22.337-07:002014-08-25T12:55:22.337-07:00In the English tradition her stuff really seems mo...In the English tradition her stuff really seems more akin to the Francis Iles books, though much more emotionally persuasive, I think.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-24562531904771448462014-08-25T12:54:21.335-07:002014-08-25T12:54:21.335-07:00Yes, Holding's books should be in libraries. ...Yes, Holding's books should be in libraries. Love Stark House for taking the lead in reprinting them. Glad you enjoyed the piece, thanks for commenting!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-8999614872176743752014-08-25T12:53:03.996-07:002014-08-25T12:53:03.996-07:00Hi Keishon, I'd like to see your thoughts on t...Hi Keishon, I'd like to see your thoughts on the book (BW)! I really like it, of course have to be careful about spoilers. It seemed to me like it was the ultimate "domestic suspense" book, about what would happen with this "normal" housewife to whom all these incredible things happen. I got the sense that as horrifying as it all was, there was a kind of exhilaration too, knowing that she could take on these criminals, etc. I loved the character of her maid, Sibyl. So often in older mysteries such a character is there merely to provide so-called "humor" but Sibyl gets more and more interesting as the book goes along. The Restless Moment didn't really do full justice to this character and The Deep End, not really surprisingly (it's a much different time and place), eliminated her.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-47251333130460216482014-08-25T12:34:22.664-07:002014-08-25T12:34:22.664-07:00I can wait for your thoughts on The Blank Wall nex...I can wait for your thoughts on The Blank Wall next week so disregard. whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030571187291039318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-660010365856421632014-08-25T11:56:41.307-07:002014-08-25T11:56:41.307-07:00Hey, great write up. I am seeking out the older t...Hey, great write up. I am seeking out the older titles by her. I wrote up my review today as well, of The Blank Wall. Overall thought it was fantastic. What did you think of the ending? Did you like how it ended? without spoilers if you can share your thoughts. Thanks. whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18030571187291039318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-73847564838797124282014-08-25T07:37:19.029-07:002014-08-25T07:37:19.029-07:00I wanted to cheer lustily the whole way through th...I wanted to cheer lustily the whole way through this post -- many thanks for it. I couldn't agree more with your call for a shoutout for the smaller presses like Stark House who're doing so much to keep these classics alive, and it was reading the very twofer you illustrate that last year both introduced me to Holding's work and made me an instant fan. I've since read and very much liked the novella in the Weinman antho, too.<br /><br />What might really help Stark House would be if librarians could become aware of their existence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-34558715526925991992014-08-25T06:45:26.661-07:002014-08-25T06:45:26.661-07:00I remember acquiring the mapback edition of this s...I remember acquiring the mapback edition of this simply because it was part of the series, but I had no intention of reading it; didn't look like my kind of book. Then I picked it up one day and was glued to it till I finished. It's still not my kind of book, but it surely is powerful and well-written. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-9412848909154847002014-08-25T02:42:46.659-07:002014-08-25T02:42:46.659-07:00Sergio, have you seen both films versions? I rece...Sergio, have you seen both films versions? I recently watched The Reckless Moment for the first time and rewatched The Deep End and found comparing the two interesting. I know Holding is probably not the first image people have of Circe, but she's magical in my book!<br /><br />On the DVD featurette of The Deep End, the directors referenced postwar melodrama (Douglas Sirk films), which I thought was interesting. Didn't hear the word "noir" once, but I have still to listen to their full film commentary!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-72607605605202229062014-08-25T00:35:15.605-07:002014-08-25T00:35:15.605-07:00Well, as a collective nouns go, 'Circe' wa...Well, as a collective nouns go, 'Circe' was not what I was expecting Curtis! As always, you make these sound so incredibly worthwhile - if I weren't in the middle of Woolrich's PHANTOM LADY I'd probably drop everything to see if I a can share the great reading experience! I certainly have every intention of reading BLANK WALL to see how the two film versions compare, so really looking forward to reading what you make of it. Thanks chum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-7289849906388630282014-08-24T19:55:23.246-07:002014-08-24T19:55:23.246-07:00John, *totally* agree with you about The Blank Wal...John, *totally* agree with you about The Blank Wall. Reread after a decade and found it holds up so well. I agree with you about the film versions too. The Reckless Moment is more technically faithful to the letter of the novel yet somehow misses so much of the spirit. All the characters besides Lucia (Constance Bennett) and Donnelly (James Mason, *perfectly* cast) are ciphers (the children, Bea and the comic relief David, are far more irritating than in the book and the father contributes nothing, where in the book he's an important character too; the maid, Sibyl, is better, but not nearly as good as Book Sibyl). The Deep End changes a lot, but has the spirit.<br /><br />Still, I wouldn't mind seeing a faithful version, actually set during WW2, which is so important to the novel.<br /><br />Please review Net of Cobwebs, would love to get your view!The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-74802070096871972652014-08-24T19:43:41.431-07:002014-08-24T19:43:41.431-07:00Not read this one though I'm sure I own the De...Not read this one though I'm sure I own the Dell Mapback edition. I keep wanting to read NET OF COBWEBS which oddly is the first Holding novel I ever purchased and that is also *still* unread. THE BLANK WALL is, I think, a real classic among crime novels of all time not just Holding's time. Seen both movies, both well done each in their own way, but I kind of prefer the revisionist remake over the original. I found it more believable with Swindon as the mother who goes to extremes in order to protect her gay teenage son than Lucia doing likewise for her distant and indifferent daughter.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.com