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Wildfire at Midnight

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Wildfire at Midnight

By: Mary Stewart
Narrated by: Lucy Paterson
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About this listen

The pioneer of romantic suspense, Mary Stewart leads her listeners on an unforgettable ride across the Isle of Skye in this tale perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym.

Following a heartbreaking divorce, Gianetta retreats to the Isle of Skye hoping to find tranquillity in the island's savage beauty. But shortly before her arrival a girl's body is found on the craggy slopes of the looming Blue Mountain, and with the murderer still on the loose, there's nothing to stop him from setting his sights on Gianetta next....

One arrogant wing of rock thrust itself across the sun, flinging a diagonal shadow over the bay. My eye was drawn to the great lonely bulk of the mountain in the east, stooping over the valley like a hawk. Blaven. The Blue Mountain.

©1956 Mary Stewart (P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd Detective Fiction Historical Mystery Romance Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Suspense
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I truly love Mary Stewart, but these books are definitely of their time, and I do sometimes find myself wincing a little at things out of step with contemporary sensibilities. With this particular book I cringe more than usual. This one has things like the easy suspicion and essentialisation of madness for those with a family history of mental illness. Also, as in many other of her books, I'm put off by the smoking. But what stands out mostly in Wildfire at Midnight, are the dodgy gender politics, with women needing to shut up and have 'no pride' in their relationships if they want to keep their marriages to (philandering) men. Nicholas was an unequivocal jerk for the whole book, and all he has to do to win his girl back is not be the killer. A rather low bar if you ask me. 'My husband may be unfaithful, constantly derisive and emotionally abusive -- but hey, he's not a serial killer, so he's a prize'.
Still, it's a ripping yarn, told with typical Stewart finesse. She knows how to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

I cringe at the same time as I love it. Spoilers.

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Mary Stewart wrote many thriller-romances which are wonderful for a bit of thinking person's escapism. This is an entertaining story set in the wild mountains of Skye, but for me it falls a bit flat compared to Mary Stewart's other books, with a somewhat insipid heroine who is not the author's usual plucky English lass. The narration was a bit ordinary. Still worth a go though.

Pretty good :-)

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