Review: The Chink in the Armor

The Chink in the Armor by Marie Belloc Lowndes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I have a fascination with Marie Belloc Lowndes. So, when I was looking for a nice, somewhat creepy read after finishing the fourth book of the Chloe Boston series, I turned to my old friend Marie.

The Chink in the Armour promised to be a creepy one; I mean really, it started off with a visit to a fortune teller. That visit didn’t reveal a pleasant fortune either. It was an eerie fortune, steeped in suspicion of the soothsayer. It was a nice start.

Now, I won’t reveal whether or not the suspicious oracle was honest or a hoax. That would ruin the story for you. I hate spoilers. I don’t want to be the personification of one.

I did find that the story was less creepy than I expected. It was not the full beginning to end inducer of willies that The Lodger was. But it did start off making my hair stand on end a bit, so that was nice.

The book then turned into many things. It was part voyage of self-discovery. It was part liberation of the female lead character. It was part buddy joint. It was part mystery. It was part thriller. It was all well-written and well-done. So, while it wasn’t the creep-fest that I was expecting, it was a book well worth reading.

It, again, leaves me wondering why it is that I had never heard of Lowndes until I got my Kindle. It makes me wonder why she isn’t taught in the school system. And she’s not considered worthy of that, why she hasn’t at least developed the popular following that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has received.

Please, do me - and yourself - the favor of reading Marie Belloc Lowndes. I would recommend starting with either "The Chink in the Armour" or "The Lodger" (review to follow someday soon). And please let me know what you think about the author. I would love to hear your opinions.

As always, I can be reached on Goodreads, or at unkemptruminations@comcast.net



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