In Robert Goddard's haunting mystery a strange house links past and present, a murder, a political scandal and an unexplained tragedy.
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Set In Stone
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From Library Journal
Foreshadowing lurks around every corner in this engaging first-person story. Tony Sheridan begins by describing the devastating day of his wife's death four months earlier and, conversationally, recounts to Marina, his late wife, the terrible events that followed. To assuage his grief, he accepts an invitation to visit Marina's sister and her husband at Otherways, a house that he soon learns has held calamity for its earlier inhabitants. This spirit soon infects the current residents, and the tragic dance of betrayal and death continues. Michael Kitchen's understated interpretation adds to the eerie atmosphere. He is an excellent guide through the twists and, sometimes predictable, turns of this suspenseful tale. His pacing is right on target; his voices and accents vary by character but do not parody or overwhelm the production. Recommended for most mystery collections.DJuleigh Muirhead Clark, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Lib., Williamsburg, VA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
Review
"'Without a doubt one of his best...a heady blend of mystery and adventure, further spiced up with a judicious sprinkling of the supernatural'" -- Christopher Gray Oxford Times "'A series of twists bursting into a surprising and convincing climax'" Daily Telegraph "'A fascinating tale of suspicion and treachery...head and shoulders above his competitors'" Yorkshire Post
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Bill
Format:Paperback
Robert Goddard is an exceptionally fine writer of suspense novels. He usually grips you from the opening page and guides you through intricately weaved plot lines containing surprise after surprise. He's not without psychological insights, either, particularly when it comes to the midlife thoughts of his heroes.
After I read my first of Goddard's books, I committed to reading them all. Of the five I've read thus far, I'd say that "Caught in the Light" is the best -- and in fact, the best suspense novel I've ever read. "Set in Stone" is easily the worst.
I agree with the previous reviewer who said that the book starts well but falls apart long before the end. In truth, this book reads like some roughly sketched posthumous novel that a successful writer put aside as not good enough to publish -- but that some greedy publisher decided to publish anyway.
Atypically for Goddard, it all feels very slack and sloppy. Oh, he can still thrill you with a scene here and there, but the whole thing does not hold together. What's worse, he cheats the reader by not truly explaining the ghostly happenings at the mysterious house (well described, as always) and by ending the book in a very perfunctory manner.
Luckily, "Set in Stone" seems to be the exception in Goddard's canon. I'd recommend you skip it and choose one of his other novels (for example, the previously mentioned "Caught in the Light" or "Into the Blue") to find out what truly great suspense writing is all about.
Format:Paperback
I'm giving this story a 3 star award simply for the few good bits.I feel rather cheated by Mr.Goddard as he built several plots up to such a pitch that I was eagerly awaiting the denouement..which didn't happen! The story is set in a very modernistic, circular house built early in the 20th century in which the various inhabitants, over the years, have become prone to insane fits of jealousy, scary dreams of the future and irrational behaviour.The original owner of the house and his immediate descendants are somehow linked to the Russian diplomatic service and are labelled as traitors to England. Add to this a good mix of murders, strange and unexplained deaths and, in the last pages when the reader is waiting for all to be revealed...nothing!! I still don't know what happened!!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.0 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Goddard's worst book
Jun 24 2003
By Bill
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Robert Goddard is an exceptionally fine writer of suspense novels. He usually grips you from the opening page and guides you through intricately weaved plot lines containing surprise after surprise. He's not without psychological insights, either, particularly when it comes to the midlife thoughts of his heroes.
After I read my first of Goddard's books, I committed to reading them all. Of the five I've read thus far, I'd say that "Caught in the Light" is the best -- and in fact, the best suspense novel I've ever read. "Set in Stone" is easily the worst.
I agree with the previous reviewer who said that the book starts well but falls apart long before the end. In truth, this book reads like some roughly sketched posthumous novel that a successful writer put aside as not good enough to publish -- but that some greedy publisher decided to publish anyway.
Atypically for Goddard, it all feels very slack and sloppy. Oh, he can still thrill you with a scene here and there, but the whole thing does not hold together. What's worse, he cheats the reader by not truly explaining the ghostly happenings at the mysterious house (well described, as always) and by ending the book in a very perfunctory manner.
Luckily, "Set in Stone" seems to be the exception in Goddard's canon. I'd recommend you skip it and choose one of his other novels (for example, the previously mentioned "Caught in the Light" or "Into the Blue") to find out what truly great suspense writing is all about.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
I really wish the ending was better.
Sep 15 2001
By "moosifier"
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio Cassette
Robert Goddard sets out to write a story that combines a sinister house, Cold War treason, human tragedy and an average, modern day family brought together by bereavement. And for almost the whole of the book he juggles the different aspects brilliantly, merging the ingredients into a fascinating swirl of intrigue that propels the reader towards its climax at an unrelenting pace. Throughout, the hairs on the back of my neck rose as mystery and the strange goings on are described in excellent detail. The reader is very much in the dark throughout this book, Goddard loathe to explain any of the dark happenings, raising anticipation to almost unbearable level.
But like so many books, the last chapter or two provide explanations that simply are not up to the standard demanded after so much excellent build up.
Goddard builds this book up on mystery only knock it down by the ill-suited reality. All the suggestions that something paranormal is at work in Otherways are little more than smokescreen when the truth comes out. So much in the conclusion does not sit right with the words that have gone before, and I was left feeling cheated by the author.
It is such a shame that this has happened to "Set in Stone". The first three-quarters of the novel is amongst some of the best I have ever read. The excitement level begins high and stays there until the first strands of truth are unravelled and the spell is broken.
Goddard is clearly a superb writer, and it is very comforting to know that his other novels follow different lines. I will read his other work because I have been told that this is one of the weaker efforts. If this author can enthrall me as much as he did in this novel and then provide a suitable ending, I will have read a masterpiece.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
An illusion
May 31 2004
By Beverley Strong
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I'm giving this story a 3 star award simply for the few good bits.I feel rather cheated by Mr.Goddard as he built several plots up to such a pitch that I was eagerly awaiting the denouement..which didn't happen! The story is set in a very modernistic, circular house built early in the 20th century in which the various inhabitants, over the years, have become prone to insane fits of jealousy, scary dreams of the future and irrational behaviour.The original owner of the house and his immediate descendants are somehow linked to the Russian diplomatic service and are labelled as traitors to England. Add to this a good mix of murders, strange and unexplained deaths and, in the last pages when the reader is waiting for all to be revealed...nothing!! I still don't know what happened!!
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3.0 out of 5 stars
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