The Unsuspected

I really don't understand the status of this book as a “classic” mystery. The culprit is identified five pages in (not necessarily a showstopper; see Malice Aforethought), the credibility of the Svengali hold the villain holds over his household is VERY questionable, the people in that household are as dumb as rocks, and the denouement in an incinerator plant is hard to take seriously and is very sketchily presented, presumably to allow readers to imagine the worst. This is a very dated and largely suspense-free suspense novel with little to recommend it beyond some capable writing. Great for your 68 year old maiden aunt.