The Albatross

Tom and Esther are staying in a motel the night before they return home. Esther naps while Tom runs back out to get something out of their car. Esther awakes to see a strange man in her room. Tom walks in and immediately takes down the stranger with a blow to the head. The stranger turns out to be drunk and somehow wandered into the wrong room. Exchanging business cards and apologies, all is forgiven.Several days later, Esther is reading the paper and see where the poor man has dropped dead of a [...]

I didn't realise this was a re-release of an older book published in the 1950s when I requested it. I wasn't sure if I'd be a fan, but happily it has stood the test of time. (Though I do wish I could find an apartment for 90 dollars a month in 2017.) It's very slow moving and atmospheric. Very original and well written story, I really enjoyed it. I do hope they'll add the new cover to Good Reads, as I really prefer it over the old-fashioned one. Esther is napping in a hotel while her husband Tom [...]

The original title was The Albatross, which I think is much better, although the idea of a mask of evil describes elements in the story as well and adds a sinister touch to the story upfront. Copyrighted in 1957, this is an old-fashioned book and yet the relationships and tangled events are excellent. On the way home from a trip, a drunken man enters the Gardners' motel room and Tom decks him one. The intruder hits his head hard on the ground, but soon they realize it was a case of mistaken room [...]

Read so far:The albatross (novella)--The enemy--3Laugh it off--What would you have done?--All the way home--The evening hour--The hedge between--4Ten points for Mr. Polkinghorn--Miss Murphy--Ride with the executioner--