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An Air That Kills / Do Evil in Return
Two classic mysteries originally published in 1957 and 1950, with a new introduction by Tom Nolan, author of Ross A Biography.
307 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
About the author
Margaret Millar
123 books181 followersMargaret Ellis Millar (née Sturm) was an American-Canadian mystery and suspense writer. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, she was educated there and in Toronto. She moved to the United States after marrying Kenneth Millar (better known under the pen name Ross Macdonald). They resided for decades in the city of Santa Barbara, which was often utilized as a locale in her later novels under the pseudonyms of San Felice or Santa Felicia.
Millar's books are distinguished by sophistication of characterization. Often we are shown the rather complex interior lives of the people in her books, with issues of class, insecurity, failed ambitions, loneliness or existential isolation or paranoia often being explored with an almost literary quality that transcends the mystery genre. Unusual people, mild societal misfits or people who don't quite fit into their surroundings are given much interior detail. In some of the books we are given chilling and fascinating insight into what it feels like to be losing touch with reality and evolving into madness. In general, she is a writer of both expressive description and yet admirable economy, often ambitious in the sociological underpinnings of the stories and the quality of the writing.
Millar often delivers effective and ingenious "surprise endings," but the details that would allow the solution of the surprise have usually been subtly included, in the best genre tradition. One of the distinctions of her books, however, is that they would be interesting, even if you knew how they were going to end, because they are every bit as much about subtleties of human interaction and rich psychological detail of individual characters as they are about the plot.
Millar was a pioneer in writing intelligently about the psychology of women. Even as early as the '40s and '50s, her books have a very mature and matter-of-fact view of class distinctions, sexual freedom and frustration, and the ambivalence of moral codes depending on a character's economic circumstances. Her earliest novels seem unusually frank. Read against the backdrop of Production Code-era movies of the time, they remind us that life as lived in the '40s and '50s was not as black-and-white morally as Hollywood would have us believe.
While she was not known for any one recurring detective (unlike her husband, whose constant gumshoe was Lew Archer), she occasionally used a detective character for more than one novel. Among her occasional ongoing sleuths were Canadians Dr. Paul Prye (her first invention, in the earliest books) and Inspector Sands (a quiet, unassuming Canadian police inspector who might be the most endearing of her recurring inventions). In the California years, a few books featured either Joe Quinn, a rather down-on-his-luck private eye, or Tom Aragorn, a young, Hispanic lawyer.
Sadly, most of Millar's books are out of print in America, with the exception of the short story collection The Couple Next Door and two novels, An Air That Kills and Do Evil In Return, that have been re-issued as classics by Stark House Press in California.
In 1956 Millar won the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, Best Novel award for Beast in View. In 1965 she was awarded the Woman of the Year Award by the Los Angeles Times. In 1983 she was awarded the Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition of her lifetime achievements.
Millar's books are distinguished by sophistication of characterization. Often we are shown the rather complex interior lives of the people in her books, with issues of class, insecurity, failed ambitions, loneliness or existential isolation or paranoia often being explored with an almost literary quality that transcends the mystery genre. Unusual people, mild societal misfits or people who don't quite fit into their surroundings are given much interior detail. In some of the books we are given chilling and fascinating insight into what it feels like to be losing touch with reality and evolving into madness. In general, she is a writer of both expressive description and yet admirable economy, often ambitious in the sociological underpinnings of the stories and the quality of the writing.
Millar often delivers effective and ingenious "surprise endings," but the details that would allow the solution of the surprise have usually been subtly included, in the best genre tradition. One of the distinctions of her books, however, is that they would be interesting, even if you knew how they were going to end, because they are every bit as much about subtleties of human interaction and rich psychological detail of individual characters as they are about the plot.
Millar was a pioneer in writing intelligently about the psychology of women. Even as early as the '40s and '50s, her books have a very mature and matter-of-fact view of class distinctions, sexual freedom and frustration, and the ambivalence of moral codes depending on a character's economic circumstances. Her earliest novels seem unusually frank. Read against the backdrop of Production Code-era movies of the time, they remind us that life as lived in the '40s and '50s was not as black-and-white morally as Hollywood would have us believe.
While she was not known for any one recurring detective (unlike her husband, whose constant gumshoe was Lew Archer), she occasionally used a detective character for more than one novel. Among her occasional ongoing sleuths were Canadians Dr. Paul Prye (her first invention, in the earliest books) and Inspector Sands (a quiet, unassuming Canadian police inspector who might be the most endearing of her recurring inventions). In the California years, a few books featured either Joe Quinn, a rather down-on-his-luck private eye, or Tom Aragorn, a young, Hispanic lawyer.
Sadly, most of Millar's books are out of print in America, with the exception of the short story collection The Couple Next Door and two novels, An Air That Kills and Do Evil In Return, that have been re-issued as classics by Stark House Press in California.
In 1956 Millar won the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, Best Novel award for Beast in View. In 1965 she was awarded the Woman of the Year Award by the Los Angeles Times. In 1983 she was awarded the Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America in recognition of her lifetime achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 29, 2009
This story is the mouse that roared: simply incredible narrative and characters. I can't say it enough; Margaret Millar is a genius.
November 7, 2013
Margaret Millar is absolutely an under-appreciated writer of mysteries. She's sharp with a turn of phrase and weaves a great tale using otherwise ordinary people.
June 13, 2017
4.5 stars.
Two exceptional mysteries. In "An Air That Kills" it isn't even obvious that there *is* a mystery until everything becomes clear in the final chapter. I enjoyed "Do Evil in Return" even more, partly because it was slightly more straightforward (though with a good twist at the end), and partly because the two main female characters (Charlotte and Violet) coincidentally have the same names as my young daughters! Of course, it is a murder mystery, so it was a touch disturbing to see how the two go through the wringer.
Both novels were written in the 50s, and as with other books from the past I'm struck that things were never as squeaky clean as we imagine they were.
Two exceptional mysteries. In "An Air That Kills" it isn't even obvious that there *is* a mystery until everything becomes clear in the final chapter. I enjoyed "Do Evil in Return" even more, partly because it was slightly more straightforward (though with a good twist at the end), and partly because the two main female characters (Charlotte and Violet) coincidentally have the same names as my young daughters! Of course, it is a murder mystery, so it was a touch disturbing to see how the two go through the wringer.
Both novels were written in the 50s, and as with other books from the past I'm struck that things were never as squeaky clean as we imagine they were.
May 8, 2019
I read some of the Ross Macdonald novels in high school and have returned to them from time to time. I was aware that his wife wrote but don’t recall ever running across any of her books. I saw this one on display at my local library and, um, she’s pretty freaking good.
The books are set in the 1950’s so the dialogue is stilted, like you’ve been watching “Twilight Zone” reruns on Netflix all afternoon. I picture the men in coats and ties; Charlotte, the lead in “Do Evil” puts on her hat and gloves before going out. There are numerous characters in “An Air That Kills;” in “Do Evil in Return” we stay with Dr. Charlotte Keating. “An Air” is a kind of grownup “Friends” set in the 1950’s where all the couples are married, infidelity rears it’s head, divorce makes headlines and, as there must be in a tawdry paperback novel, MURDER. Margaret does a lot of arch character analyzing and slides in more ironic asides than Jane Austin. “Do Evil” is set into motion by a young woman seeking Dr. Keating out to obtain an abortion. “I just want to go back to the way I was. I don’t want anything growing in me anymore.” A little less irony in that one.
Margaret likes her trick endings. Even alerted by the Tom Nolan Introduction (he wrote a biography of Ross Macdonald) I didn’t get the “An Air” ending until late and she pretty much got me with “Do Evil.” But on Thanksgiving I don’t see Christmas coming , so your results may differ.
This reminds me of reading “Hill House” not long ago. “Oh, I’ve heard of her...Hey, she’s pretty good!”
The books are set in the 1950’s so the dialogue is stilted, like you’ve been watching “Twilight Zone” reruns on Netflix all afternoon. I picture the men in coats and ties; Charlotte, the lead in “Do Evil” puts on her hat and gloves before going out. There are numerous characters in “An Air That Kills;” in “Do Evil in Return” we stay with Dr. Charlotte Keating. “An Air” is a kind of grownup “Friends” set in the 1950’s where all the couples are married, infidelity rears it’s head, divorce makes headlines and, as there must be in a tawdry paperback novel, MURDER. Margaret does a lot of arch character analyzing and slides in more ironic asides than Jane Austin. “Do Evil” is set into motion by a young woman seeking Dr. Keating out to obtain an abortion. “I just want to go back to the way I was. I don’t want anything growing in me anymore.” A little less irony in that one.
Margaret likes her trick endings. Even alerted by the Tom Nolan Introduction (he wrote a biography of Ross Macdonald) I didn’t get the “An Air” ending until late and she pretty much got me with “Do Evil.” But on Thanksgiving I don’t see Christmas coming , so your results may differ.
This reminds me of reading “Hill House” not long ago. “Oh, I’ve heard of her...Hey, she’s pretty good!”
November 10, 2008
Classic 1950s noirs by a leading female author (wife of Ross Macdonald). Attitudes are a bit dated, but characters, dialogue, and plotlines are solid to create a chilling story. Ms. Millar best titles deserve to remain in print.
May 10, 2010
I actually didn't read this. I read a different version of Do Evil in Return only. Not as good as The Fiend, and I think I have to admit that, no matter how much I want to root for the woman/wife, Millar just was not as good a writer as her husband. Still, however, a perfectly fine mystery.
March 24, 2012
Margaret Millar is phenomenal and deserves to be still in print, and as widely-read as Raymond Chandler.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews