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This Rough Magic

Mary Stewart

4.06 · Rating details · 7,031 ratings · 503 reviews

When Lucy Waring's sister Phyllida suggests that she join her for a quiet holiday on the island of Corfu, young English Lucy is overjoyed. Her work as an actress has temporarily come to a halt. She believes there is no finer place to be "at liberty" than the sun-drenched isle of Corfu, the alleged locale for Shakespeare's The Tempest. Even the suspicious actions of the han ...more

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Paperback, 373 pages

Published November 30th 2004 by HarperTorch (first published 1953)

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Jan 17, 2014 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, oldies-but-goodies, suspense

It's the 1960s, and Lucy Waring, a rather unsuccessful young British actress (played here in my imaginary movie by Natalie Wood)
description

has traveled to Corfu, an island off the coast of Greece, to visit her sister when her London play closes after only a two-month run. If you have to hide somewhere to lick your wounds, Corfu is the place to do it.
description

Lucy get to swim in their private bay, play with a friendly dolphin:
description

. . . trade lines from Shakespeare with one of the most famous actors in Great Britain, ...more

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Jun 15, 2019 Candi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime, gothic

4.5 stars

"I shuddered, and drank my coffee, leaning back in my chair to gaze out across pine tops furry with gold towards the sparkling sea, and surrendering myself to the dreamlike feeling that marks the start of a holiday in a place like this when one is tired and has been transported overnight from the April chill of England to the sunlight of a magic island in the Ionian Sea."

I won’t make it to Corfu this summer, or anytime soon for that matter, so I have Mary Stewart to thank for my latest 4.5 stars

"I shuddered, and drank my coffee, leaning back in my chair to gaze out across pine tops furry with gold towards the sparkling sea, and surrendering myself to the dreamlike feeling that marks the start of a holiday in a place like this when one is tired and has been transported overnight from the April chill of England to the sunlight of a magic island in the Ionian Sea."

I won’t make it to Corfu this summer, or anytime soon for that matter, so I have Mary Stewart to thank for my latest enchanting and breathtaking jaunt to this beautiful Greek island. Located in the northwestern-most portion of Greece, with Italy and Albania as close neighbors, Corfu has a colorful history, dating back to ancient times. It is a place of vibrant myths and legends which Ms. Stewart seamlessly weaves through her sparkling tale.

Lucy Waring is a twenty-something looking for a place to unwind after a newly stalled London stage career. Her sister Phyllida offers the perfect, idyllic retreat for our young and spirited heroine. Nestled in the foothills of Mount Pantokrator, the Villa Forli has a gorgeous view of the bay, with paths connecting it to the Villa Rotha and the Castello dei Fiori, a timeworn castle "tatty beyond words, sort of Wagnerian Gothic, like a set for a musical version of Dracula." Naturally, there are mysteries galore surrounding the castle, and two recent deaths of local young men set the stage for what is guaranteed to be a rip-roaring and suspenseful adventure. A splash of romance is an obligatory ingredient in any Stewart novel, and our darling Lucy meets no less than four dashing gentlemen that fit the bill for this recipe. Two of these happen to occupy the aforementioned villa and castello, one of the occupants a photographer, Godfrey Manning, and the other Max Gale, the musician son of a famed London stage actor, Sir Julian Gale. These are some good-looking guys, but for me personally, the greatest attraction lay with a very sleek, graceful and somewhat playful hero – the dolphin - "Apollo’s beloved desire of the sea."

As with any Stewart story, this one moves at a brisk pace with never a dull moment. There are fast cars and slick motorcycles navigating hairpin curves as well as thrilling boat rides. The threat of Cold War, communist Albania lurks in the distance. It’s always such fun to figure out the villain of the story. I’m usually a bit stumped for at least the first portion of the book before taking a guess and hoping I get it right this time! Is this a little old-fashioned? Well, maybe a smidgeon, but who cares?! It’s still cleverly plotted, the landscape is intoxicating, the characters intriguing, the heroine gutsy, and the dolphin oh so charming. It’s always a pleasure to read something by this author, and I will continue on my quest for more of her work. My favorite still remains her Merlin series, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for the allure of a magical place and pure entertainment.

"It seems to me you can be awfully happy in this life if you stand aside and watch and mind your own business, and let other people do as they like about damaging themselves and one another. You go on kidding yourself that you’re impartial and tolerant and all that, then all of a sudden you realize you’re dead, and you’ve never been alive at all." ...more

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Apr 10, 2019 mark monday rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: blood-and-danger, romantica, murdertime, z-mary-stewart

the island of Corfu is golden, blue skies overhead and sandy beaches underfoot, light playing on the sea's surface. its waters have strange moods and deliver surprising gifts: a playful dolphin, treasure of a sort, and a body swept to its shores, bashed and broken. the island of Corfu is a romantic place! where better to find adventure and mystery, espionage and murder, passionate embraces. Mary Stewart fully commits to this lovely location, her descriptions vivid and clear, her affection and re ...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Willow rated it really liked it · review of another edition

For the last Mary Stewart 'group read' which I did for Madam, Will You Talk?, I decided to cast the book as a movie, picking glamorous stars from the fifties. Hannah asked if I would do that again for this book, so here it is! Yay! I hope you enjoy it.

Now casting this book was a little bit trickier then for MWYT, since This Rough Magic is supposed to take place 1964. I couldn’t use the cast from the last book. They weren’t young enough. And as always, they had to be British, since This Rough Ma ...more

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May 26, 2011 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pleasure-reading

How to create the perfect romantic suspense novel:
1. select a stirring and exotic setting, like the isle of Corfu in Greece, with caves and hidden grottos.
2. conjure up a castle in somewhat spotty repair
3. add a plucky but somewhat naive heroine and a disdainful and gorgeous hero.
4. mix in a few blood-chilling dangers (with sports cars and fancy boats)
5. weave in a dolphin and a Persian cat.

Then put all these ingredients into the hands of a wordsmith extraordinaire, and voila, you have a story t ...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Kim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

First published in 1964, this novel is set on the Greek island of Corfu, where out-of-work English actress Lucy Waring goes to stay with her sister, whose wealthy husband’s family owns an estate on the island. There she becomes embroiled in a mystery involving reclusive actor Sir Julian Gale, his brusque son Max, photographer Godfrey Manning, diverse islanders , a cute cat and a very appealing dolphin.

The title is a quote from Act V Scene I of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Prospero decides to give

First published in 1964, this novel is set on the Greek island of Corfu, where out-of-work English actress Lucy Waring goes to stay with her sister, whose wealthy husband’s family owns an estate on the island. There she becomes embroiled in a mystery involving reclusive actor Sir Julian Gale, his brusque son Max, photographer Godfrey Manning, diverse islanders , a cute cat and a very appealing dolphin.

The title is a quote from Act V Scene I of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Prospero decides to give up sorcery, saying:

To the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth
By my so potent art. But this rough magic
I here abjure.

Stewart connects the novel to Shakespeare’s play in a variety of ways: Lucy’s sister refers to her unborn child as Caliban (a bit cruel, I thought), Sir Julian Gale expounds on his theory that Corfu is the island on which the play is set, his son Max is composing the score for a film adaptation of the play, a young Greek brother and sister are named Miranda and Spiro (sounds like Prospero!) and each chapter starts with a quote from the play. I assumed that Stewart was going somewhere with this. But she wasn’t heading anywhere in particular, which was disappointing. There are no usurpers, no magic and not even a storm.

Even though the promised connection to “The Tempest” was a fizzer, the novel nevertheless has some nice features. Stewart is great at setting a scene and her descriptions of Corfu are enticing enough to make me wish I could head there for a few weeks by the sea. She writes good dialogue and her heroine has a nice line in self-deprecating humour. The last few chapters were suspenseful enough for me to read them in one sitting and the ending was fun, if rather chaotic and implausible.

Stewart’s writing is dated. Some of this adds charm to the work, such as what seems to be an excessive interest in the quick-drying properties of nylon underwear. Some of it is less charming and simply dated. For example, Lucy’s pregnant sister downs a scotch and suggests that she wouldn’t mind if her husband beat her when he found out that she had lost a diamond ring. Aspects of the work that prompted some eye rolling include the heroine falling in love within a matter of minutes with someone she had previously disliked and the villain confessing all the details of his villainy to someone he intended to kill, a device which drives me nuts when it happens in crime fiction.

I would probably have liked this novel a lot more had I been a fan of Mary Stewart when I was in my teens or twenties, as there’s something so comforting about going back to favourite author. As it is, the whole romantic suspense genre passed me by. While there’s quite a bit I like about Stewart’s writing and I’ll probably read more of it, she’s not destined to become one of my favourite authors. That said, I had lots of fun participating in the buddy read of this novel with members of the Mary Stewart Group. ...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Hannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-reads, gothics, 2013-reads, re-read

It's been a great personal pleasure to pull out copies of my Mary Stewart books and read them again with some of my GR friends as group reads. This Rough Magic has long been one that I had fond memories of reading several decades ago, but as every reader knows, sometimes time (and maturity) has a way of changing our perceptions of books we enjoyed when younger. Thankfully, my fond memories of this novel remain fond; This Rough Magic is just as magical, just as suspenseful and just as enjoyable a ...more

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Mar 06, 2020 Debbie Zapata rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020printbooks

Every so often when I read Mary Stewart I say to myself that I have found a new favorite title. (Well, favorite after Airs Above The Ground, which will always be number one in my barn.) But anyway, I have to say that this book is now definitely my new favorite.

Set on the island of Corfu, this was such a fast-paced story that I could barely keep up with myself while reading it. And I am suffering a bit just now from lack of sleep since I simply HAD to get to the end last night!

As usual, Stewart b Every so often when I read Mary Stewart I say to myself that I have found a new favorite title. (Well, favorite after Airs Above The Ground, which will always be number one in my barn.) But anyway, I have to say that this book is now definitely my new favorite.

Set on the island of Corfu, this was such a fast-paced story that I could barely keep up with myself while reading it. And I am suffering a bit just now from lack of sleep since I simply HAD to get to the end last night!

As usual, Stewart brings the location to vivid life, but here the information she blends into the story does not seem like a tour guide's lecture, it feels more as if the reader is actually exploring the island for herself. I liked that, it seemed much less overwhelming and did not disrupt the flow of the story for me at all.

I also liked main character Lucy Waring a lot. She was an aspiring actress whose play had closed so she took advantage of a visit to a sister in Corfu to recover from professional embarrassment. But of course, while there she learns about and gets very much involved in suspicious activities going on, and she also has to decide which of two attractive men is the Hero and which is the Bad Guy. Will she choose the right one?

She may have been hesitant about that choice, but she certainly wasn't afraid to speak her mind when she felt the need to do so. Here is what she said to one guy who told her that there was no room for sentiment in a man's world.
"Funny, isn't it, how often that so-called 'man's world' works out as a sort of juvenile delinquents' playground? Bombs and lies and cloak-and-dagger nonsense and uniforms and loud voices."

Right on, Sister!

Aspects of Shakespeare's play The Tempest was woven throughout the story, which helped make it all a little extra magical. And don't worry, you don't have to be completely familiar with the play to understand the references. Everything gets explained in the course of conversation between our characters. This book might make you want to go read the play, though. It has me wanting to go for a re-read, so onto my Someday Soon lists it will go!

Oh, and talking about magical, how about the dolphin?! What a lovely creature! Our Lucy was so lucky to have met him! I am so jealous! ...more

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Jun 16, 2019 Bionic Jean rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-authors-q-t, mystery-crime

This Rough Magic is a novel by Mary Stewart, which was first published in 1964. Mary Stewart’s novels are generally classed as romantic suspense, or mystery thrillers with a dash of romance. This Rough Magic is typical fare from this author: escapist, suspenseful, occasionally melodramatic and beautifully descriptive:

“The trickle of the falling stream was cool and lovely, and light spangled down golden through the young oak leaves. A bird sang somewhere, but only one. The woods were silent, stre ...more

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Jun 26, 2020 Vintage rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, audio, charming, slow-burn, classic, danger-will-robinson, greeks-rule, kick-ass-heroine, mystery, twins

I first found this at my grandmothers as a kid, and it holds up as pretty much any Mary Stewart book does. She was the master of romantic suspense. My four star rating may be partly due to nostalgia.

This one takes place on Corfu in the mid 50s, and the story and the location are immersed in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s as much an introduction to the island as it is a mystery/suspense. This book and My Family and Other Animals give a such a beautiful glimpse of what sounds like a gorgeous isla ...more

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Sep 15, 2019 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, re-read-in-2020, romance, mary-stewart, suspense

2020 Review
I thought I loved this book for the dolphin scene so when I re-read it and didn't find it quite as romantic as I had built it up in my head, I felt some disappointment. But then I kept reading and I just adored the last quarter of the story. It is Lucy against the villain; Lucy against the elements; Lucy saving herself and saving the day. It is action packed and delightful. Despite the fact that it took me a bit to get into my re-read, I think this one remains my favorite Stewart.

201 ...more

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Sep 17, 2018 Jane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Since I discovered what a wonderful writer Mary Stewart was – not so many years ago, though my mother had recommended her books many years earlier – I have come to love her writing and I have traveled to many wonderful places by book, in the company of a captivating band of heroines.

I have been to the Pyrenees, to a Scottish island, to a French Chateau, to Delphi, to the heart of the English countryside, to Vienna, to a palace in the Lebanon ....

So many grand adventures.

My latest adventure, that ...more

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Dec 17, 2013 Hana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, 2014-reads, adventure-spy, mediterranean

Mary Stewart created the romantic thriller genre and here she is at the top of her game. There is so much to like here: a magnificent setting on the Ionian island of Corfu, magical scenes and descriptions, a great plot and splendid pacing; but what I love best about this book is its heroine, actress Lucy Waring...and, of course, the dolphin.

description/><br /><br />To get back to Lucy -- she is older than many of Mary Stewart's protagonists. She has a career and, while she is just starting out, she clearly approaches her work with professionalism and intelligence--and with no whining about the lack of money or plays folding. She's incredibly well read and knows her Shakespeare backwards and forwards. She is observant, self-aware, alert to the slightest nuance in vocal tone and expression--qualities that reflect her training, but that also bode well for a long and productive career. <br /><br />Lucy loves people and animals and can't help but spring into action to rescue everything from baby birds to beached dolphins. She is fierce in her defense of the helpless and hurt, and never lets fear get the better of her. She has a wonderfully healthy, loving relationship with her sister and a natural gift for making friends.<br /><br />Yes, of course she falls in love in the book, but she doesn't need her man to defend her, she just swings into action and naturally (and correctly) assumes that her beloved will be a partner just as caring, decisive, resourceful and courageous as she is.<br /><br />Click on the comments to see some of my favorite plot points illustrated with photos of actual Corfu locations!

...more

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Sep 02, 2014 Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder rated it really liked it

Shelves: i-own-amzn, i-own-dead-tree, zread-in-2014, mystery-thriller, eras-20th-century, exotic-locale

This was the first book I read by MS and I found out about it bec someone on my Flist is in the MS group as a mod, I think.

I fell in love with MS's wonderful, lush descriptions of outdoor scenery of Corfu and its festivals.

Reading these were truly a sensory experience. My senses of sight and smell were fully engaged as I read this book. She managed to create images in my minds eye wo the use of the Internet for research.

I wasn't that impressed with the romance though. It seemed to come out of n ...more

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Mar 26, 2020 Alex rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

Mary Stewart makes literary references feel like affection instead of affectation. That's a neat trick. Most writers can't pull it off. It feels like she's indulging herself - sitting on a hillside veranda over the ocean in one of those flappy gauzy robe things that women wear on vacations. Much of the book has that feeling: like she went on a vacation to Corfu, a Greek island, and almost accidentally turned a book out while she was there. You picture her ambling down with a glass of wine. "Me? Mary Stewart makes literary references feel like affection instead of affectation. That's a neat trick. Most writers can't pull it off. It feels like she's indulging herself - sitting on a hillside veranda over the ocean in one of those flappy gauzy robe things that women wear on vacations. Much of the book has that feeling: like she went on a vacation to Corfu, a Greek island, and almost accidentally turned a book out while she was there. You picture her ambling down with a glass of wine. "Me? I've been writing, darlings. It's a murder mystery about a dolphin."

The main reference is The Tempest, Shakespeare's takeoff on Love Island. Aging actor Julian Gale plays Prospero, and ingenue Lucy Waring is Miranda. The dolphin is Ariel. The title of the book is from Prospero's final speech:

This rough magic
I here abjure, and, when I have required
Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my book.

And of course that leaves the looming question: Where's Caliban?

The problem is that on the way to Caliban we must be interrupted by this ghastly silly love plot, which Mary Stewart seems no more interested in than we are. Julian's son Max is supposed to be some sort of Brontean hot jerk, but faster than you can say "Can you tie up a dolphin" he flips into flowery declarations of love and spends the rest of the book mooning about. Stewart seems to lose interest in the book itself as she goes; once she's set the plot in motion, she more or less abandons it.

This is a popular book by one of the great "romantic suspense" writers, so obviously the romance works for some folks. But I'm left feeling like I would have had more fun sitting on the veranda in Corfu listening to her talk about it than I did reading the product. I imagine her looking out - smoking, probably - as a dorsal fin briefly breaks the surface of the ocean. "Maybe I'll put a dolphin in it," she murmurs casually. "Why not?" ...more

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Jan 15, 2017 Claire rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

So so charming. You know a book is good when you find yourself smiling while reading it. The rose garden, the friendly dolphin, the white Persian cat, and the exciting motorcycle ride along the Corfu coast. What's not to like? ...more

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Jan 21, 2021 Lee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, european, netgalleyreaders2021, horror-thriller, romance, favourites, romantic-suspense

This is my 5th Mary Stewart read and I’m still utterly in love with her.

Okay, my cynical heart will admit she sticks to a strict formula. But she does it so well, I don’t care.

Our heroine this time is Lucy, a theatre actress who finally got the lead in a play only to have it be a dud. Licking her wounds, she escapes London to travel to Corfu, where her wealthy sister resides. Expecting peace and tranquility, Lucy instead gets wrapped up in murder.

Stewart’s descriptive passages are, as usual, su This is my 5th Mary Stewart read and I’m still utterly in love with her.

Okay, my cynical heart will admit she sticks to a strict formula. But she does it so well, I don’t care.

Our heroine this time is Lucy, a theatre actress who finally got the lead in a play only to have it be a dud. Licking her wounds, she escapes London to travel to Corfu, where her wealthy sister resides. Expecting peace and tranquility, Lucy instead gets wrapped up in murder.

Stewart’s descriptive passages are, as usual, sublime. If you can’t picture the crystal clear water off the coast of the island, its ancient ruins, the smaller villages of helpful but poor locals, the flowers and lushly landscaped surrounds of the luxury Villas where these rich Brits live, or even the underground caves and wine cellars beneath them, well… Well, that can't happen. Stewart prose makes the reader picture them as easily as a photograph.

Stewart’s action scenes also are so easy to follow and imagine. From scuffles with guns to a tussle on board a boat, the reader never has to pause and just wonder what is going on.

Another thing she can do better than most is suspense and tension. There’s always a subtlety to the suspense at first (the leading ladies always think perhaps they are imagining danger when there might be none), then, Stewart ramps things up until your heart is thumping. And Stewart can make the most mundine moments, like an unanswered telephone call, become sinister.

Talking of tension, Stewart can do sexual tension also like no other. The chemistry between Lucy and her love interest crackles off the page. So often I read a modern romance and whinge that the leading couple has zero chemistry. I don’t imagine I’d ever have that complaint about a Stewart book. I definitely didn’t with This Rough Magic! I was, as they say, shipping it hard!

Out of the rest of the supporting characters, Lucy's sister's neighbour, the world famous actor Sir Julian Gale, is an absolute stand out. He’s hilarious and tragic at the same time and I really can’t understand why this novel was never adapted into a movie somewhere along the line because Sir Julian would have been so much fun on screen and whoever played him would have been instantly up for a supporting actor award. (I love all the Goodreads reviews where the readers/reviewers have ‘cast’ the book. I will admit that I instantly cast Sir Patrick Stewart as Sir Julian.)

And, of course, Corfu is another character. It’s not really a location I was familiar with before the book but it certainly made me fall in love with it. I also learnt a lot about Albania. I am rather ignorant about its political history and ended up on the internet after finishing This Rough Magic, reading up on the country and, in particular, being fascinated by the length of time it remained isolated due to communism.

Obviously I recommend This Rough Magic and I’m still keen to read some more Stewart titles. My head tells me that the book might be a little dated which should result in a less than perfect rating but my heart says it’s in charge today, so 5 out of 5. ...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Nicky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, romance, mystery

This was exactly what I needed after handing in my dissertation yesterday. Adventures and romance with a touch of danger, but where you're pretty sure it'll turn out okay in the end, and if you've read any Mary Stewart at all, you know it'll end with a wedding. There's your usual plucky heroine, a couple of potential love interests, and the usual exotic setting, this time in Corfu, and this time laced with Shakespeare -- which might put some people off, because I don't tend to like books that tr ...more

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Jun 03, 2019 Connie G rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, mystery, greece

I remember reading some Mary Stewart romantic suspense novels when I was in my late teens, and they were the perfect escape after a week of exams. Her plots move quickly, even if some elements are improbable, so her books are hard to put down. I also enjoy the beautiful settings and the Gothic atmosphere of her stories.

"This Rough Magic" is set in Corfu, a Greek island that lies close to the closed Communist country of Albania in the 1960s. Lucy, a likable young British actress, is spending time ...more

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Oct 12, 2009 Misfit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-mt-tbr-challenge, romantic-suspense, st-vincent-de-paul-haul, rh-2013-challenge, greece

"Here was I, Lucy Waring, being asked into the water for a game."

This Rough Magic follows the usual Mary Stewart formula - exotic setting (Corfu), heroine in peril, hero who doesn't seem like a hero at first and of course a rocking good mystery to be solved.

"The body was lying half in, half out, of the largest patch of shadow."

Despite being a bit dated (loved all the nylon clothing!), this was a lot of fun, especially the last 100 or so pages that were pretty darn near unputdownable.

...more

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Mar 12, 2019 Jeanette rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1960s-publication

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Just the right amount of intrigue and suspense for a cozy read. The romantic bits might have been a little mawkish but I am willing to overlook that because the rest was so enjoyable.

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Nov 20, 2013 Tweety rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Suspense & Gothic lovers

Recommended to Tweety by: Hannah

Shelves: mystories, sweet-and-clean-g-to-pg, suspense, gothic, reviewed, mary-stewart-victoria-holt

Another Fiver by Mary Stewart!

Once again I'm opting out of doing a summery as I'd do a lousy job and probably give it all away. So, to begin.

I honesty didn't have a clue what was going on in the first four chapters, and I didn't see or care what The Tempest had to do with anything. But, that aside it was a jolly good read. In fact, it was just as good as I hoped it would be. My only complaint is I knew to some extent what was going to happen. (that didn't spoil my enjoyment, hence the high ra ...more

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Mar 20, 2016 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, favorites, gothic, mary-stewart, corfu

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "'Most sure, the goddess
On whom these airs attend! Vouchsafe my prayer
May know if you remain upon this Island . . .'"

It will come as no surprise to anyone who is already a devoted fan of Mary Stewart that I found this book to be enormously entertaining!!! The same beautiful and intelligent writing style that I found so captivating in Stewart's Arthurian Saga, is a key ingredient in this romantic suspense.

I could not have wished for a more daring heroine than Lucy Waring! She rescues animals, eve ...more

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Jul 20, 2017 Cphe rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017, suspense, romance, vintage, mystery

Plenty of reviews already on offer, it is a Mary Stewart novel after all. Plenty to enjoy with this vintage romantic suspense set on Corfu. Trade mark Mary Stewart with an engaging plot, a "plucky" heroine and a stalwart male lead. Wonderful descriptions of the countryside and a nice touch, the introduction of the dolphin.

Love this author and her novels that I read avidly in my younger years........they never lose their magic. ...more

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Oct 22, 2014 MomToKippy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: travel-fiction, mystery-thriller, greece

Stewart is incredible at creating atmosphere. The story takes place on the Greek island of Corfu in the isolated cliff side surroundings of a castle and two villas with a crescent beach in between. You can not read this without feeling as if you are there every step of the way with the protagonist, Lucy. The sounds, the smells, the colors of the flowers, the feel of the water, the breeze are all there. Art, dolphins, mystery, colorful characters, hidden caves, local culture are all brought to li Stewart is incredible at creating atmosphere. The story takes place on the Greek island of Corfu in the isolated cliff side surroundings of a castle and two villas with a crescent beach in between. You can not read this without feeling as if you are there every step of the way with the protagonist, Lucy. The sounds, the smells, the colors of the flowers, the feel of the water, the breeze are all there. Art, dolphins, mystery, colorful characters, hidden caves, local culture are all brought to life. Lucy, being an actress, is very in tune with every subtle nuance of others, facial expressions, tone of voice, movement and thus so are we. The effect is amazing. Some scenes are simply spellbinding. I am not sure these details could be any better conveyed on the screen.

The story is very angsty with a bit of humor thrown in. I am not a mystery/thriller reader in general so this is a bit uncomfortable (creepy) for me. All the characters behave suspiciously at one point or another which keeps one guessing. One thing that is a little implausible is that Lucy repeatedly puts herself in very risky situations that no sane person would even contemplate. I can't expand on this without spoilers but it borders on ridiculous. But of course, if she did not, it wouldn't be very creepy would it?

This is definitely a plot-driven story as well as historical fiction, but I would not categorize it as romance at all. There is no logical precedence for the tiny bit of romance that does evolve so that aspect is pretty silly. It is quite eye-rolling so I am not sure why the author bothers with it. This weakness made me contemplate the character development as a whole. This is where things are lacking and why it is not a 5 star book for me. I don't "feel" any of the characters and there is no magical interaction between any of them. The relationships are not well developed and for all the profuse imagery we are given about the setting and action details, I am still wondering what Lucy really looks like?

So 4 stars for the atmosphere, imagery, clever plot, humor but minus 1 for Lucy's dubious behavior, unfounded romance and weakish character development. ...more

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Jun 03, 2016 Martine Bailey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: murder-mystery, historical-novels, travel, suspense

I picked this as my light reading for a holiday in Corfu and came home having decided that Mary Stewart has become my new guilty secret. This was a charming romantic mystery, depicting the island in the unspoilt 1960s, as seen through the eyes of glamorous resting actress Lucy Waring. Naturally she is staying at her brother-in-law’s glamorous cliff top residence and there are a few hunky but sophisticated men around to catch her eye. There is also a mystery element that threatened to be a sort o ...more

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Dec 10, 2019 Tammie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-paper-back, suspense, romance, owned-kindle, stand-alones

When Lucy's sister Phyllida suggests that she join her for a quiet holiday on the island of Corfu, Lucy is overjoyed. Her work as an actress has temporarily come to a halt. But the peaceful idyll does not last long. A series of incidents, seemingly unconnected - but all surrounded in mystery - throws Lucy's life into a dangerous spin, as fear, danger and death - as well as romance - supplant the former tranquillity.

I finally got a Mary Stewart read in this year. I've been slowly working my way ...more

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Sep 15, 2014 Dorcas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, mary-stewart

3.5 Stars (Mary Stewart Group Read Sept 2014)

Well I started this a week earlier than I should have (got the dates mixed up) so I'm reviewing when I should just be starting to read. Nevermind. It happens.

I won't write a synopsis, that's been done many times. I'll just say that I enjoyed this, thought it was well written and was fairly gripping toward the end.

I liked the retro references to gold lipstick and nylon clothes which made me think of 60s films (gotta love em! ) and the dolphin was a nic ...more

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Jun 17, 2014 Jaima rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It's her usual formula, but I couldn't put this book down. Another writer would turn this into a pulpy romance, but Mary Stewart pulls together all the classic elements I love and surrounds them with word magic. It's a lovely read, with the 1960's attitudes and nylon clothes adding to the charm. The protagonist was gutsy, not hung up on herself, and humorous, the descriptions of Corfu were better than a book of travel photos, and the suspense . . . well, I won't put any spoilers in, but if you a ...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Jemidar rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-library, romance, english-authors, buddy-reads-with-kim

Really 3.5 stars.

This wasn't the best Mary Stewart I've ever read but a slow bland start was more than made up for by an exciting (if slightly implausible) finish. As always the scenery was wonderful and as with her other romantic suspense I've read, it had a real 1950s/60s filmic quality about it. Fluffy but fun, with Shakespearean references thrown in.

And a special thanks to the 'book fairy' who sent me my copy as a present. It was much appreciated.

Buddy read with Kim and lots of others over a ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. 1960-1970s era mystery book/romance taking place on an island with failed actress staying with her pregnant sister. [s]	3	31	Sep 11, 2018 07:42PM
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About Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.

She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, an ...more

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