Page.. 14
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1958."
THE Robert Pitman BOOK PAGE
"ONE
NE lump or two?" naked the lady in black. Outside the sun glint- ed on the gilding of the Al- bert Memorial, Indoors, over tea in Kensington. Göre, 1 was prying out the secret of the lady's career,
►
A very lucrative career indeed. A career based on treachery, stabbing, adul tery, torture, and poisoning,
activities - Unusual
for
Kensington Gore? Perhaps, but there was something About the lady which puzzled me more.
Here was the paradox. The Judy in binek was one of the most successful authors in the Engilsh-speaking world. Her Her pen-name: Jean Plaidy, historical novela cover the vlaient passiona of five centuries. Her annual sales (not including paperbacks) are over 50,000.
Yet that pen-name never gols into the headlines. And her real Eleanor libbert, apine, Mrs never gets mentioned at all.
flow does she do it?
How
hin the built up a vast pubile without publiektý.
Well, examine song of the Plaidy toples.
Regular trips
Si stirred my
tea in Kensing Aton Gore thought of her fotest non-fiction Book A TRIPTYCH or P0190NERS titale, 108.) The subject of its centre portrait: the notorious Marie, Marquise de Brinvilliers,
In seventeenth-century Paris
aftstocratie Marie discovered a simple way of getting at the family fortune even though her father and brothers were alive, She polsoned them,
HUNTINGTOR KYA SAY
A Lady In Black
Seeks Martyrs In Kensington
felion treatment.
Description of the most dread-
Mrs Hibbert
CYRIL STAPLETOJ DOLIMN JAZZ ON TAPES
HITS THE DISCS!
ERE is a surprising
HER
fact behind the fall- off in record sales.
One broadcasting chief was recently invited to make an appearance at the local youth club. He found It well organised.
"They had record sessions," ho told me, "but they weren't buying records. They took them down from radio disc jockey programmes on a tape recorder." Figure it the teenagers' way, went off to A cheap record player costs fal and exquisite TORTURES, daughter who
A tape recorder said: "I'm just America during the seventeenth around £16, finishing three volumes on the century. I prediet it will be a costs little more than twice as (Dodder, 188.) much. So the club gets together Tuquisition. I get up ot about big best-seller.
and invests in tape recorder. 9.30 every morning, including SCENT OF CLOVES, by A single tape givës almost an Sundays. I have a bath and a
Norah Lofts, Another novel hour's playing me and they plate of cereal at the same time. certain to enjoy big sales. The can record their favourite sing-
"Then I start work here. she helped with the phone" After lunch I go shopping. Then who went off to the East Indies all for nothing. And when they
bands, and shows- stormy life and loves of a girling stars, zuid Mr Hibbert,
FOTHERINGAY (Rale, 12n. BJ.) "I was a leather of the life and death of Mary Queen of Scotu. Especially of the death.
The genteel Jean Plaidy describes how Mary's
execu tioner frembled so much that he look three swipes to Anish the jcb. She describes how he then grasped the lovely chestnut hair to hold up the head to the on- lookers.
A head rolls
BUT something heavy slipped
out of the hair, The man found he wrs holding only an empty with The head itself, topped with grey stubble, was rolling at his feel.
merchant.
"Well, I started typing ou novels on the office typewriter, Eventually I wrote nine of them long, serious things about modern life. But nobody woul publish them."
"I altered all that,” said Mr Hilbberl.
husband suld
at 4.30 I start again. And all the rest of the time I'm reading during the seventeenth century, tire of them, the youngsters
can erase and tape more. (Hutchinson, 158.) history, history. In
-history, bed, over meals.
In that file book-crammed room I had rol the answer (of the Plaidy secret t last. Sheer hard work. Take
novel Jatest er MADONNA OF THE SEVEN HILLS {Hale, 15.) about
I naughty Lucrezio Borgla and
And ict 29
them
FICTION SHELF
Tho
"Yes, my ought to write short stories in her even naughtier ́papa, who steal. So I look a correspon- also happened to be Pope cute course and I started hav- Alexander VI.
ng stories
The Taste of Ashes. Howard investigates the murder of a accepted straight
Browne, Gollaner 12#. 6d. particularly curmudgeonly local The book is kind 10 having away. T
begon
In the
bc process romance serials published."
I rate it the best Olympie Heights is a patrielan farmer, bath, but
thase American township where the successfully sends up both his yet. Inevitably But not under the name of Plaidy Marie did her own lab, werk
Jean Plaidy," said Mr Hibbert: readers in the supurbs will sense police are armed with university newspaper's and the reader's cir-
degrees and block-jacks. Private culation. Such
the blcod-spotted "She writes se books a year the care and industry that has detective Paul Plue, called in to on the chemicals too. And she history which is tapped out in under four different names," gone into it.
Murder's Little Sister, Pamela had some other sides to her the refined Hibbert dat In
I nodded, "knew about the
not forget the tace some compromising photo- character Before she took to Kensington Gore. It is power- Plaidy
graphs, quickly finds murder Branch. Hale 10s. 6d. The mock alinses (u.g., Ellalice Imagination too. murdering her family she ful, husly stuff and accurate
and blackmail behind the aristo- sulelde-bid of Enid Marley, the Tate,
hated tartan ja Tomorrow afternoon shoppers cratic decade. Cunningly plotted aniversally who writes Ane history became a Sister of Merey and loo. But what sets it apari betion for Hodder and Stough- may
see a middle-aged, still and crisply written.
charge of an agony column, made regulor trips with food front other
backfires. cloak-and-rapler tan). But somehow I felt I was pretty lady in black wondering
Her colleagues and dainties to the gloomy writing? What is it that makes not reaching the Plaidy secret.
Through Derry and Tome and The Galloway Case, Andrew the magazine You blunderingly hospitals for the Paris pont,
Barkers. They In the suburbs
may see
her Garve. Collins 10, Od. To get set about clearing up the affair. Baldy to quietly pass on the name of
Icoking at the bales of cotton his girl fournalist Peter Rennie As relentlessly funny as a third- any prompting from reviewers? each other withoul
ropp, at the sides of bacon in has first to clear her father, & rate music tall comedian.. the grocery department.
writer of thrillers convicted of murdering an amateur author White-bearded
Whenever a favoured patient was missing the next day. Mart knew she hach h&t on a goal formula.
the readers
The Inquisition
on
The First Eleven
"ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVEJ Vio Damone. Philips. (1),
| "ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM"/ "CLAUDETTE.” Evercy Brothers. London. (2)
FROM AMSTERDAM" / "YOU NEED HANDS." Max
Bygraves. Decca, (D)
3 TULIPS
4 "WHO'S SORRY NOW." Connie Francis, M.-G.-M.
(3)
MAN." Four 5 "BIG
Preps, Capitol. (10)
6 "TWILIGHT TIME."
Platters. Mercury. (12)
7 "WITCH
Don Lang.
DOCTOR." H.M.V. (0)
8 BOOK OF LOVE." Mudlarks. Columbia. (9) 9 "TOM
HARK." Ellas and his Zig Zag Jive Flutes. Columbia, (6),
10 "ARMY GAME," Ber-
Bard Bresslaw, Michaet Medwin, Alfie Bass, Leslie Fyson. II.M.V. (5)
11 "STAIRWAY OF
LOVE." Miobsol Holliday. Columbia, (4)
The Twelfth Man: "SUGAR MOON" Fat Boone, (London).
ream of the world's talent is
theirs for the taping.
A new American song, "Left Right Out Of Your Heart," neatly combines the marching beat with that old TPA standby L'amour,
The Palli PAKO recording stepped right up into the sales lists in the first week of relcose. British recording will be forth- coming from Eve Boswell, Joan Bavage, and the Bevorter Blsters, which indicates that me smart boys of recording bellova · they are on to a good thing an
Confirmation may come on July 30, when Patti Page kings the number on the Party Come Show.
PYE-NIKA are releasing two
song by James Kohney, who saitrises coffee-bar wonder boys in "Expresto Bongo,
ON
one is more surprised than Ken- ney, who set out to knock He teenage idols-and woke up to find himself taken seriously, as a vocalist,
T
aboll have to take wuging lessons," he says, tadly. tune
The joke is that the records will probably sell too,
GA
WHEN did you hear a singer
plug someone else's record? Dorothy Bquires is doing so on her current variety tour to bapst Fales of Gary Miller's "Ivankoe of England,'
No mystery really. Dorothy wrote
marching on. Inspired no doubt by .hn success of her TV "Ivanhoa" husband, Roger Moore, Sartorial stunt. PRIVATE PRESLEY may
gone but they are detar- mined that he shall, not be forgotten.. Recently we saw.cne biggest promotional stunts since Davy Crockett's hat
of the
became จ must sartorin.
bo
As the worried frowns deepen mong the trade, the teen- THEN the leacups were cleared
Gardenias Braise Easily, Johngers tap their toes with glee.
Presley's Army Jewellery was launched away and we moved to the
on the American But the lady will not be see-from whom he is accused of Paddy Carstairs, Allen 109, 6ů. small root where the Plaidy ing baenn, She will be seeing stealing plat.
Novelist Garway Trenton arrives Crystaf ball clue Characters In her new Look Jean Plaidy,
market dog tags, braċçidís, anklets, and sweater guards the lady from Kensington Gore, S the
teacups cintiered 1 books are writion. It contained a Protestent martyr sizzling at Include a blackmailing librarian on the Riviera with girl-friend OCK, skime and now the whatever they may bel), and describes in detail how A began my Inquiry. White bed could hardly
ʼn spare bed for guests. But the the stake.
(dead and a now
retired porno only to find himself grappling ROC Kwela beat, be seen. H
What next? key chains, ali la silver or gula Marle poisoned and how Marle beardled Mr Hibbert, jovial was heuped high with open
grapher (olive). No one would with corpses in his bedroom and
vamp man older than his wife, rushed books. History books
called A quick look Into my crystal to choice. was eight,
Mru, mysterious stealing consider of all
The Improbabilities of ball provides a clue..
Each item is marked with the for something to rest my notes sizes and centuries. I looked at
Grave's involved and improbable Vanina, NOR the history fan i hdd two płot,
the plot are carried off with on. His wife sali:-
The jolly, rollicking marching Presley army serial number, one of them (published 1770).
beat has twung quite 1 fow blood group, autograph, and ah non-Hibbert books The title page announced:
songs into the Hit Parade over etched picture of the fad tim Marked for Murder. Ronald aplomb and high spirits. "A Review of the Bloody
the THE WINTHROP WOMAN. | Campbell. Hammond 109, Ed.
Ango years.
Shelton's self, RUDOLF KLEIN Tribunal or the Horrid Cruelties by Anya Selon. The stormy Small-town newspaper proprie-
"Lay Down Your Arms" of the Inquisition-containing A life and loves of an apothecary's tor in the Australian outback
-(London Express Servicu).
But she, describes in even more generous detait how the dainty wornan
then
started wrking in the WAS
**I thirties. I used to co in lo enthusiastically lortured,
take an earlier Plafdy help my husband at his office is
ROYAL ROAD TO Regent Street."
Or
bock,
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
THE TWISTED NECK-
CAUSED BY TRYING
TO WATCH TV AND
THE NEIGHBORS' GOINGS-ON AT
THE SAME TIME.
Recommended
cven
How Accidents Happen
TRYING TO CATCH THE B:10 IS THE CAUSE OF SCALDED
THROATS. CHOKING
ON A PIECE
OF TOAST
AND FALLING
OVER THE
SCHNAUZER ON THE WAY OUT.
THAT'S NO MAGIC CARPET- THAT'S A |SCATTER
RUG- AND IT WORKS
REAL GOOD.
IN THE HOME A LOT
OF CASUALTIES
ARE DUE TO AMATEURS
USING T TOOLS- CHISELS, HAMMERS — ANYTHING-
| THAT WILL
"OPEN!
A CAN.
"ARENT
YOU
READY
YET?
SOME PEOPLE .
ARE
ACCIDENT PRONE
— IN FACT,
THEY
PRACTICALLY ASK FOR IT.
COFE HIM TO GENERAL FEATUĚTS COLF, TRWORLD RIGHTS ALZLATİD,
د که اگر دے گی
JA HEAVY TRAFFIC, STEER CLEAR
OF THE
PEDESTRIAN Ü
GAWKING
DRIVER.
DANGER!! TREEP OFF THE CAKE!
a recent example.
By Harry Weinert
SOME TYPES ARE] VULNERABLE IN A SHOWER-
THEY EITHER SLIP ON THE SOAP OR BUST THEIR THROATS IN SONG.
SAND THE ACCIDENT RATE IS ALSO HIGH AMONG THOSE WHO LIVE DANGEROUSLY.
Was
These were sold in all clemas where the latest Elvis film is showing, and it deemed they went fast Already there... ure orders to the tune dtuin million and a half.
Cry-gal gimmick JOHNNIE RAY began it. Looks
like the female of the species is determined to finish it. Thu ary-guy log is rapidly becoming the ery-gai gimmick.
Connie Francis topped the Best Sellers with "Who's Borry Now Her follow-up is "I'm Sorry 1 Made You Ciy." Julie Landun scored her biggest hit with "Cr Me A River.” Lita Boza's latest la "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry." Bub
Pioin case of Sho Weeps. To Conquer, I'd say,
New disc venture
TOLD you that the m
CUMTI
panies were about to invade recording in a big way. Every day their forces gather strength -the Rank Organisation, War ner Brothers, United Artista, Twentieth Century Fox, and Columbia Pictures.
Among Columbia vocal sim- ing on their Colpix label «aro glamour pusses Kim Novak and Brigitte Bardol. ·
Now ABC-TV are seriously thinking of Jaunching a d concern, probably stimulated....is the knowledge that a number of American commercial TV enter- prizes have similar plana. della
As if Lucille Ball and Dent Arnax were not coining, enough money with their Desilu produc Alons, they are contemplating buying a
half interest gain i Mercury Records.
Seans that we shall soon be able to forget about the gold Standard and talk about tho golden-record standard instead.
E Americans often team up for ducts-Binairs recently recorded one with Rotly Balla -but this is weklem done in Bri- tain.
Now Marion Byanandi |Cary Miller have nipped in" miartl with "A Couple of Crazy, KRIN
They are not so crazy Ashis record is a' hit record,, no matter how many sharo-tho.. label credit, The disc may steato thunder from the Baltiẹo version. Minco's is a mére salo effort,
Dead? It's the best
ON'T let anyone kid you thất
DO
sound, radio is dendif; BUL acknowledged na, the boeli plug programme of them all, fo, the F.B.C.). "Two Way Tanji Favourites,” „Listening «figures ure computed: 'at upwards of} 130,000,000.