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Product Description
Review
"A delightful concoction. A beautifully written mingling of romance and mystery." —Washington Post
"Readers will be glued to the complex story in which no one seems truly trustworthy." —Vive Magazine
"A wonderful hue and cry story . . . a Mona Lisa tale that beckons you on while suspense builds up." —Boston Herald
Book Description
A governess in a French château encounters an apparent plot against her young charge's life in this unforgettably haunting and beautifully written suspense novel. When lovely Linda Martin first arrives at Château Valmy as an English governess to the nine-year-old Count Philippe de Valmy, the opulence and history surrounding her seems like a wondrous, ecstatic dream. But a palpable terror is crouching in the shadows. Philippe's uncle, Leon de Valmy, is the epitome of charm, yet dynamic and arrogant—his paralysis little hindrance as he moves noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic man who drives himself and his car with equally reckless abandon, seems able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul is an enigma—though irresistibly attracted to him, she senses some dark twist in his nature. When an accident deep in the woods nearly kills Linda's innocent charge, she begins to wonder if someone has deadly plans for the young count.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A mystery, a romance and a perfect blend of gothic spookiness,
By
This review is from: Nine Coaches Waiting (Coronet Books) (Paperback)
What's not to love? Linda Martin arrives at the Chateaux Valmy high in the French Alps to care for young Comte Philippe, recently orphaned and in the care of his uncle Leon and step-aunt Heloise de Valmy. When Leon's son Raoul arrives, Linda finds herself falling in love, although things are not as they appear and Philippe begins to have several life threatening accidents. Or are they accidents? Is there something more sinister involved? Could the person behind these attempts want to set Linda up as the scapegoat? What about her beloved Raoul? Could he have a part in this deadly scheme?That's about all I'm going to tell, you know I'm not into book reports or spoilers. Linda was a charming Jane Eyre-ish type of heroine, and I loved the dark mysterious Raoul (ooh, that midnight "buffet"). Stewart has a lovely, subtle style of story telling and keeps the plot moving without too much in-your-face telling instead of showing and very reminiscent of Du Maurier. I also loved how she worked the mists and clouds of the high mountains (as well as that hair raising zig-zag drive to the Chateaux) to set a properly spooky atmosphere, "Out into a patch of clear darkness, and then another cloud was on us, but this time thin, so that our yellow-dimmed lights made rainbows in it that wisped away along our wings, and we were through." All in all a perfect book to cuddle up with for a rainy day, my only complaint is she took a tad bit too long to wrap all the lose ends up, so I'm knocking off one star. 4/5.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (48 customer reviews) 42 of 42 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A page-turner for all lovers of romance and suspense!,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Like most of Mary Stewart's novels, this one also centers around a beautiful and brave heroine. However, each and every one of these novels are different in content as well as in plot, so that even though you think you know what the outcome is going to be, in reality you don't! I read most of Mary Stewart's novels when I was a teenager (when I used to borrow them), but 15 years down the road, I find myself rummaging through bookstores for them - to be able to reread them, but more because I want to own my own copies (so that I can reread them yet again in a few year's time)! (Hint: London bookstores carry many of them, esp. Dillon's and Books Etc..) 'Nine Coaches Waiting' is great in the sense that it transports the reader into the rustic countryside of France, which Mary Stewart describes, as always, with so much pleasurable detail. The sense of mystery is heightened as the heroine searches for the truth behind the troubled family for whom she works; and the romance is made more even more romantic with the notions of 'unrequited love' and 'forbidden love'. I think that with most Mary Stewart's novels, there is never a huge emphasis on romantic love in terms of action or words, but better still, she concentrates on the inner feelings of longing and sacrifice (esp. before the official 'start' of a relationship) which serve to enhance the romantic atmosphere of her books.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best by Mary Stewart,
By Sam G "sam-80" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
I have read quite a few of Mary Stewart's books and for anyone who is interested "This Rough Magic" ties with "Nine Coaches". "The Moon-Spinners" is very good, so is "My Brother Michael" and "Airs Above the Ground". These are more along the romance line as opposed to fantasy as in "The Crystal Cave" which was very good but a different style of story.I first found Mary Stewart when I was rather young The Wonderful World of Disney did "The Moon-Spinners" with Haley Mills. I was hooked and I still enjoy her books as true mystery romances with the covers falling off and all. 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classically Crafted Suspense Entertainment,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
The language is lovely, the setting as much a character as the protagonists themselves. The mystery is wonderfully crafted with just the right element of whimsy, allusion, magic and sophisticated romance. Ms. Stewart has the formula down to an almost perfect science; she is the wordsmith of description. As all her novels have been virtually overlooked by today's readers, I recommend that all her earlier books be re-issued in trade paperback format, so that another generation may enjoy the almost perfect structural honing of her craft. While categorized as 'romantic suspence', I don't believe these stories were ever given the literary praise they deserve.
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