Mystery and Crime Bowen, Marjorie: The Golden Violet. v1. 28 Jan 2023

[GrannyGrump]

Bowen’s writings present recurring themes of darkness, the supernatural, and the gothic in combination with the historical. Her “Shearing” novels, while based on true crime, still retain sinister gothic undertones.
According to the author, “this [book] owes something to the life of Letitia Landon;” (a poet and novelist of the early 19th century who enjoyed a measure of notoriety) and she also said “This owes to an incident of about a hundred years ago” (not more fully specified) “when a half-caste of education was hanged for inciting Negroes to a riot.”

— — — —
In an atmosphere of grim terror and impending catastrophe, the book explores slavery and racism in Jamaica in the 1800s.

Novelist Angelica Cowley at the age of 27 has reached a life crossroads, and must make a decision — should she continue with her books or marry sensible but boring Thomas Thicknesse. She decides…

“Thomas insists that the newly married couple leave England and return to his plantation, Venables Penn. As soon as they arrive in Jamaica, Angel discovers her husband’s true nature and begins to wonder whether she has made a terrible mistake. Struggling to adapt to life in an unfamiliar country, with a husband she can’t trust and barely sees, and with trouble brewing in the island’s slave community, Angel turns to her neighbour, John Gordon, for the love and friendship she longs for. But is John really all he appears to be or is he also hiding secrets?”
(— review, shereadsnovels.com)

=============
Foreword by Sinclair Lewis.

=============
Margaret Gabrielle Vere Long (née Campbell; 1 November 1885 – 23 December 1952) was a British author who wrote historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history and biography. Her total output numbers over 150 volumes, with the bulk of her work under the pseudonym “Marjorie Bowen”, the name she is mostly known by. She also wrote under the names Joseph Shearing, George R. Preedy, John Winch, Robert Paye and Margaret Campbell.

Bowen’s books are much sought after by aficionados of gothic horror, and received praise from many critics. Several of her novels were adapted for film.

=============
The Golden Violet was first published in 1941.
This book is in the public domain where copyright is “Life+70” or less.
.

This work is assumed to be in the Life+70 public domain OR the copyright holder has given specific permission for distribution. Copyright laws differ throughout the world, and it may still be under copyright in some countries. Before downloading, please check your country's copyright laws. If the book is under copyright in your country, do not download or redistribute this work.

To report a copyright violation you can contact us here.