Letter of Intent

by Ursula Curtiss

First Edition. Owner name crossed out on inside board. No Dust Jacket. Edge & shelf wear. Wear to top / bottom of spine. Plastic protective cover to board. Scraping to pastedown. Foxing to page edges, end pages and paste down. Pages are clean and binding is tight. Solid Book.

188 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Daughter and sister of, respectively, US mystery writers Helen Reilly and Mary McMullen. She worked as a copywriter and columnist before becoming a full-time self employed writer.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1971, this hauntingly interesting novel is very much in the Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine mode. It traces the rise of a ruthless and extremely competent woman, Celia, as she leaves behind a childhood of poverty and despair to become a domestic servant and then, each time washing her hands of her immediate past, a housekeeper, an executive, and more. Finally she has the peak of her ambitions in sight, as a fabulously wealthy divorcé prepares to marry her . . .

There's a tremendous twist right at the end of this tale, but before then it relies upon keeping us fascinated with the heartless Celia herself. She's guilty of not-legally-murder more than once as she makes her social ascent, but those crimes are almost afterthoughts. What held me engrossed was her singlemindedness. Reluctantly, indeed, I found myself admiring her for it: life dealt her a lousy initial hand, so all she's really doing is seeking a just redress.

I picked this copy up at a library sale during a recent vacation: seeing it there on the shelf reminded me of rumors I'd heard that Curtiss was both good and right up my street. Those rumors were well founded. Since my return I've purchased a couple more of her books, and await their reading with eagerness.

[Nattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the heck out of this book!

Celia's eagerness to climb the social ladder both intrigued and sickened me. Was there nothing she wouldn't stoop to? Was there nothing too devious for her to contemplate? I don't think so.

Celia's single mindedness verged on insanity, yet there was something so pitying about it all. Who could not pity a person who allowed their entire existence to be controlled by hatred of where they came from?

The likes of Celia cannot be pitied for long, though. She's absolutely retched. The only genuine feelings she has for anyone outside of herself are disdain or envy. Her need to constantly prove that she is far better than the family she was born into is the only thing that matters. She spends every second of everyday watching, scheming, and waiting for the next triumph. People are nothing more than something to use, and if they have nothing to offer, they are no use at all.

[Ernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Curtiss where I realized she really does not write the same book over and over again: she has a specific reason or point of attack. In LETTER OF INTENT she paints the portrait of a young woman who claws her way to the top of the food chain. This is an extended character study of a kind of woman much more ordinary now, who was more of a novelty in 1971, although she's a consistent presence in Noir: the post-war, self-made woman.

All the necessary tropes of suspense, mystery, and puzzle are infallibly present in a Curtiss novel. This time, her protagonist is an anti-heroine, instead of her usual good-egg beset by domestic demons. Celia is a social climber and the rungs she climbs are quirky, amusing, and interesting to peek in at. Whether or not she's likable, it's hard not to root for her, or at least hope she has a good run, as she takes high-stakes risks most of us wouldn't dare to.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book. Well written, suspenseful character study of a psychopathic social climber.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a mark of good writing when an author can get you to sympathize and even pull for a character you know is not just flawed but actually monstrous. Celia Brett was just such a character. I shuddered at many of the things she did, but I was still pulling for her to get what she wanted. Right up until the time she killed her fiancé by mistake. Kind of hard to bounce back from that. She was more than amply punished for it all in the end. All in all, a refreshingly different and satisfying read.

[Vasilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, no second read necessary.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
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