I've been writing an entry for a forth-coming book 100 American Crime Writers on Margaret Millar. I promised to do a 2,500-word article on her, but it's proven quite difficult, for some reason or another. (One of the reasons is that I'm writing in another language other than Finnish.) It started getting better when I decided I'll have to reread some of Millar's books. And it seems I read Beast in View (1955) for the first time in my life, since I didn't remember anything about it! And I'm sure glad I did, since it's an excellent psychological thriller, with lots of noirish overtones and a very convincing twist in the end. It didn't win the Edgar for nothing. The only bad thing about the book is the way Millar depicts homosexuals, as weak perverts with cold hands. But hey, it's 1955!
I also read The Listening Walls from 1959, and while not equally good as Beast in View, still a very worthwhile book about two young women in Mexico and the other one getting killed in what seems like a suicide. There's also a private eye called Elmer Dodd, short and somewhat overweight. Beast in View stars a similar character, a family friend and solicitor, who's asked to care of some awkward things, but he ends up acting like a private eye, even solving the case - this shows that Millar was interested in private eyes, but just didn't want to use one hero regularly. (Or then it was her husband's idea: "Why don't you use one of these private eyes, they can be quite handy?")
I started thinking about Mexico in Millar's work. It shows quite often, many times almost as the unconscious of the depressed and lonely Americans she writes about. It's a place where everyone wants to go, to forget, to start anew - it's also a place wherein you can set lies easily, as happens in Beast in View (which otherwise takes place only in Los Angeles). Mexico is important in Ask For Me Tomorrow, one of Millar's later Tom Aragon novels. Private eye Steve Piñata in Stranger In My Grave is half-Mexican. And then there's of course The Listening Walls. I'm not sure, but I've got a feeling Mexico plays an important part also in The Air That Kills - I've read that years ago (twice, I think), but I'm not sure anymore and I can't find my copy of the book. Anyone can confirm my suspicion?
7 comments:
It's been several years - decades, really - since I read An Air that Kills. That said, I remember nothing about Mexico in the book. I'm certain that it takes place mainly (if not entirely) in southern Ontario. Of course, most of her early novels were set in Canada, where she was born, raised and educated. In fact, though she was a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, I don't know that she ever became a US citizen.
An Air That Kills takes place in Canada, in a sports cabin outside Toronto. It's several years since i read it myself, so I can't remember if any of the characters has any connection to Mexico.
To me Margaret Millar was as good as her husband, in some ways better. And he's my favorie private eye writer.
Thanks for reminding me of Millar. I have to reread also the volumes I have.
Thanks, Brian and Anders - my memory seems to be going...
I have ones of her early novels, Fire Will Freeze (1944), waiting in line. I'll get back to it once I've read it - maybe next Friday, for the FFB series?
I'm pleased to be of help, Juri.
Coincidentally, I wrote a short piece on Fire Will Freeze just a couple of months ago. There's not a lot to it, I'm afraid, but you may find something of interest: 'Kitchener's Grand Dame'.
Thanks for the link to your review, Brian!
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