Uncle Paul

Uncle Paul (1959) was Celia Fremlin's second novel, and consolidated the success of her suspenseful debut The Hours Before Dawn. Fifteen years ago Uncle Paul was exposed as a murderer by his wife Mildred, and sent to prison. Now a seaside holiday for Mildred's half-sister Isabel and her family seems to be the venue for Uncle Paul's revenge. Mildred arrives at a lonely cottage near to Isabel's caravan site, and Isabel's urgent summons to her sister Meg brings the three women together to play out a drama of fear and suspicion, betrayal and revenge. "Beautifully played out to a startling and valid ending...Fremlin is here to stay as a major mistress of insight and suspense". (New York Times). "Fremlin puts a keen edge on the reader's curiosity and keeps it there ...the writing is so good throughout". (Times Literary Supplement).