The Terrible Door

by George Sims

First edition of the author's first book. Robert Seldon, rare book dealer, gets involved with murder, an eccentric American collector, a "sex-starved" widow, and some much sought missing letters. Foxed. cloth, dust jacket.. 8vo..

Genres: Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

George Sims served in the Army Intelligence Corps during WWII and then became a dealer in rare books and manuscripts, a world he exploits to the full in several of his thrillers including his first, The Terrible Door. Elected a member of the famous Detection Club, Sims was widely regarded as a master creator of creepy atmospheres in seemingly ordinary settings and his writing has been described as: "distinguished", "high above crime fiction average" and "sinister and unusual".

Reviews

[Victoria Mixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I loved this book for about four-fifths of the way. And it's not that I stopped loving it at the end, it's just that the climax lapsed into exposition in the final hour, explaining rather than showing what had really happened in that distant past ("the terrible door into the past," Scott Fitzgerald), sapping it of its power and reducing it to a treatise rather than a whalloping great experience.

Still, it's a wonderful walk through rare book intrigues of early '60s London with a lot of terrific scenes and truly riveting characters. Who could forget the fabulous, elderly Mrs. St Clair?

She went over to the sideboard, running her fingers round the back of Bergl's neck as she passed. The idea of drinking gin at that time in the morning did not appeal to me, but it was better than the curious coffee which I had left untouched. Mrs. St Clair began to hum and move about in a restless way as if she was excited at the prospect of money changing hands. She had surprising vitality and gaiety---I could imagine her bursting out with a defiant superior chuckle on the way to the poorhouse---which I found faintly attractive. Bergl grinned behind her back.

That Mrs. St Clair---she's a corker!

[Tessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am afraid I gave up as I became bored with this book. Thought I would enjoy it as it involved a book dealer.