What do you think?
Rate this book
Something Like a Love Affair
There are times when Judith Lassiter feels content, perhaps even happy. She is content to be married to a well-heeled architect who graciously remembers their fifteenth anniversary with fifteen red roses. She is content with Green Diamonds, the house her husband designed, the envy of their acquaintances. She is content with her life in the town of Wyfleet, content with her financial status, even content with her appearance. Then why does Judith write herself imaginary love letters in the solitude of her bedroom? Why does she take on a very real lover several years her junior? Why does she believe she can redeem her life only by taking another's, employing the unlady-like recourse of a professional hit man?
208 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1993
About the author
Julian Symons
259 books68 followersJulian Gustave Symons is primarily remembered as a master of the art of crime writing. However, in his eighty-two years he produced an enormously varied body of work. Social and military history, biography and criticism were all subjects he touched upon with remarkable success, and he held a distinguished reputation in each field.
His novels were consistently highly individual and expertly crafted, raising him above other crime writers of his day. It is for this that he was awarded various prizes, and, in 1982, named as Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America - an honour accorded to only three other English writers before him: Graham Greene, Eric Ambler and Daphne Du Maurier. He succeeded Agatha Christie as the president of Britain's Detection Club, a position he held from 1976 to 1985, and in 1990 he was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the British Crime Writer.
Symons held a number of positions prior to becoming a full-time writer including secretary to an engineering company and advertising copywriter and executive. It was after the end of World War II that he became a free-lance writer and book reviewer and from 1946 to 1956 he wrote a weekly column entitled "Life, People - and Books" for the Manchester Evening News. During the 1950s he was also a regular contributor to Tribune, a left-wing weekly, serving as its literary editor.
He founded and edited 'Twentieth Century Verse', an important little magazine that flourished from 1937 to 1939 and he introduced many young English poets to the public. He has also published two volumes of his own poetry entitled 'Confusions about X', 1939, and 'The Second Man', 1944.
He wrote hie first detective novel, 'The Immaterial Murder Case', long before it was first published in 1945 and this was followed in 1947 by a rare volume entitled 'A Man Called Jones' that features for the first time Inspector Bland, who also appeared in Bland Beginning.
These novles were followed by a whole host of detective novels and he has also written many short stories that were regularly published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. In additin there are two British paperback collections of his short stories, Murder! Murder! and Francis Quarles Investigates, which were published in 1961 and 1965 resepctively.
His novels were consistently highly individual and expertly crafted, raising him above other crime writers of his day. It is for this that he was awarded various prizes, and, in 1982, named as Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America - an honour accorded to only three other English writers before him: Graham Greene, Eric Ambler and Daphne Du Maurier. He succeeded Agatha Christie as the president of Britain's Detection Club, a position he held from 1976 to 1985, and in 1990 he was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the British Crime Writer.
Symons held a number of positions prior to becoming a full-time writer including secretary to an engineering company and advertising copywriter and executive. It was after the end of World War II that he became a free-lance writer and book reviewer and from 1946 to 1956 he wrote a weekly column entitled "Life, People - and Books" for the Manchester Evening News. During the 1950s he was also a regular contributor to Tribune, a left-wing weekly, serving as its literary editor.
He founded and edited 'Twentieth Century Verse', an important little magazine that flourished from 1937 to 1939 and he introduced many young English poets to the public. He has also published two volumes of his own poetry entitled 'Confusions about X', 1939, and 'The Second Man', 1944.
He wrote hie first detective novel, 'The Immaterial Murder Case', long before it was first published in 1945 and this was followed in 1947 by a rare volume entitled 'A Man Called Jones' that features for the first time Inspector Bland, who also appeared in Bland Beginning.
These novles were followed by a whole host of detective novels and he has also written many short stories that were regularly published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. In additin there are two British paperback collections of his short stories, Murder! Murder! and Francis Quarles Investigates, which were published in 1961 and 1965 resepctively.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 2, 2021
In an attempt to read some of the books on my shelves, I picked this one because it is a stand alone, plus mystery and suspense novels are ‘comfort’ reads for me. It is described as “a tale of lust, infidelity, and murder.”
Judith Lassiter is housewife to a well known architect and is appreciated for all of the support she gives her husband. And that about sums up the totality of her life. Sure, she volunteers a day or two for a few hours every week and she chats with her housekeeper whenever she comes to clean, but that seems about it. And, then things start falling apart; secrets are exposed; crimes are committed.
Honestly, the descriptions of this book are better than the actual book. I did not like it. I give it a two on my ratings because I recognize that it is well written. I just hated the story. It is not going back on my shelf.
Judith Lassiter is housewife to a well known architect and is appreciated for all of the support she gives her husband. And that about sums up the totality of her life. Sure, she volunteers a day or two for a few hours every week and she chats with her housekeeper whenever she comes to clean, but that seems about it. And, then things start falling apart; secrets are exposed; crimes are committed.
Honestly, the descriptions of this book are better than the actual book. I did not like it. I give it a two on my ratings because I recognize that it is well written. I just hated the story. It is not going back on my shelf.
June 25, 2008
I just picked this up from the Friends of the Library book sales cart at the tiny County Branch Library in VP earlier today. I'm going to see if a little light suspense reading will get me back on track.
All those whys in the synopsis. Why indeed? Told in a series of scenes with bits of Afterword thrown in between the sections of the story, this book took me pretty nearly to the last page before springing the surprise. There were plenty of revelations along the way and some fairly strange machinations in every part -- but the last page drew a HAH!
Even so, not a strong read. So-so as far as I can say, but I might try another just to get a different take on the author's abilities. The ending HAS to count for something after all.
All those whys in the synopsis. Why indeed? Told in a series of scenes with bits of Afterword thrown in between the sections of the story, this book took me pretty nearly to the last page before springing the surprise. There were plenty of revelations along the way and some fairly strange machinations in every part -- but the last page drew a HAH!
Even so, not a strong read. So-so as far as I can say, but I might try another just to get a different take on the author's abilities. The ending HAS to count for something after all.
May 10, 2011
An intriguing look at a woman's descent into craziness. Well written in Symons's usual elegant prose. Part of the ending sort of telegraphed itself, but there's still a bit of a surprise in the last couple of pages. An above-average suspense novel.
November 7, 2009
Not that great, sure there's a twist in the end but this story is not something to be worked up about.
February 12, 2014
The first book I've read by Julian Symons, and its quality is high enough that I'll try a few more.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews