Evening star., 1934-04-18
THE HOUSE ACROSS THE RIVER
BY Elizabeth Corbett. New York:
Revnal Sy Hitcbcock

IHE HOUSE ACROSS THE RIVER
BY Elizabeth Corbett. New York
Reynal g. Hitchcock.
Miss Corbett is one of those rare
| young writer's whose capacity for Gre
alton seems to be unlimited. In the
few years since she graduated from
| the University of Wisconsin she has
produced ten books, including two BIZ
ographies, and many short stories
which have found an outlet in the
popular magazines. 1t was in 1881
that The Young Mrs. Meigs" was
published and proved an immediate
success. That story has been drama
tized and given tryout, and the
rumor is that it may actually reach
Broadway.
Ever since the success of Mrs.
Melgs" there has been waiting pub
lie for the next productions of the
author. The present volume is a
worthy successor, and though i is not
mystery thriller of the first rank,
it has enough quality and merit to
recommend it for a thoroughly enjoy
able evening at home.
Elliot and Anne Farwell have been
married many more than the required
number OF years for recovery from
The ethereal roseateness of honey
incoming, but to the utter bemusement
of their friends and acquaintance,
they still appear to be unaware of the
fact that the same old world is still
taking a daily spin on its axis.
Elliot is a successful architect in
Chicago, and he and Anne have been
living in model home Cf his design
ing in the suburban village of Hill
port. Just across the river is an old
ramshackle, yellowish brick house.
whose only inhabitant for many years
had been lonely Italian with fair
for making f1replaces, benches and
terra cottas of one sort or another
which architects found useful. Ever
since she first saw the house Anne
; wanted to live in it.
Why Anne should want to live in
the old place instead of in the lovely
house which Elliot had built for her
was more of puzzle. than he could
comprehend. But for some reason
that tumble-down, lowly cottage held
fascination for Anne which, in the
light of later developments, only she
could understand.
When Blanche Beacon comes to
Hillport for Summers visit and runs
Immediately into Stephen Powell, a
warm friend of Elliot Farwell, the four
become an interesting and entertain
ing quartet until a destitute looking
Frenchman and his wife move into
the house across the river. Blanche,
too, likes the location and the plan
OF the house, and agrees with Anne
on the possibilities 1t offers for i'm
provement and beautifying. But with
the coming of the French people a
change takes place, and Anne sud-
denly becomes morose, dissatisfied and
decidedly wretched.
A sinister atmosphere surrounds the
quaint old cottage, throwing a shadow
over Anne which no one can explain.
Terrifying events take place across
the river, as mysterious as they are
unnerving. Finally the Frenchman is
murdered, and circumstances point di-
rectly to Anne as the criminal. In
the swiftly moving narrative the net
draws closer and closer about this
beautiful girl, whose actions convince
even her husband that she Is guilty.
The secret behind Anne's serene
exterior and the motives which led to
the murder Of M. Armande unfold In
an easy and entertaining style, leading
up to an exciting and dramatic climax
which strikes q heavy blow at the