SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 123, 16 February 1918, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

The London Nights of Bolsize. A series of detcctivo stories in which tho prototype o£ Sherlock. Holmes is a bibliophile,, a fine classical scholar, a millionaire, and withal a man of as much wit as of loaruing and wealth, is a distinct-novelty; When .it'is added that the bibliophile amateur crime-in-vestigator ■■ deals with characters and incidents for tlio most part new to even the most experienced student of this class of fiction, it will bo seen that the stories to which I refer, "Tho London Nights of Bclsize," by Vernon Kendall (John Lano; per Whitcombe and Tombs), aro well worth the attention of that largo class of readers whose main object is light entertainment. Conan Doyle's iiero may be reflected in Mr. Christopher Belsize, but Sherlock Holmes's salient characteristic is scarcely humour, whereas his latest prototypo is a gentleman of merry and ready wit, and of a most engaging goniality. In this latter quality lie reminds 0110 of that amiable adventurer, Prince Florizel of Bohemia, who delighted us nil, so many years now, alas! in Robert Louis Stevenson's "New Arabian Nights." Bclsize is really an exceptionally clever fellow, yot he never poses as such, and never indulges in those "I could tell you something if I liked" asides with which the great Holmes snubs his faitliful friend and coadjutor Watson, or the almost brutal rudeness with which Mr. Horning's criminal ' hero, tho redoubtable Raffles, behaves to his partner ;n guilt. Ho has, it is true, a raithful servant, whom, by the way, ho deliberately chooses because he has detected hiin in theft, but oven when ho makes this _ worthy his temporary butt lie does it in such a genial, gentlemanly way as to give no There are fourteen separate stories in tho book, not the least ingenious and fascinating being that in which- Belsizo appears as a "commentator"—on one of Sherlock Holmes's great "discoveries." 11l two or three of tlift stories, notably in "Tho One-Eyed Mendicant," tho motif may bo a little gruesome and tho treatment somewhat in the Poo vein. But' for the most part Belsize's adventures :';are permeated by distinct and most' alluring touches of ' light . comedy. '■' Stevenson himself, could-not ' have bettered ''The Happiness Shop," or the final story, which bears tho decidedly novel, if enigmatical title, "Lacing Boots in a Melon Field. ' I oan warmly commend "Tho London Nights of Belsize" as a book- to buy and buy for keeps. Which latter commendation does not often properly apply to detective stories. "The Young Lovers."

A new story by Mr. H. C. Bailey, the author of so many exciting semihistorical romances—"Tho Lonely Queen," "Tho Gentleman Adventurer,'' and "Tho Gamesters" .were .specially attractive stories in "this genre-—is- always welcome. !n his latest novel, "The Young Lovers" • (Methuen and. Co.), Mr. Bailey introduces us to two young gentlemen landholders of Sussex, who are cousins, and rivals for the love of a very lively and charming girl. The cousin s_ go off to Spain to take part in Wellington's famous campaign in tho Peninsula. The sober-sided, rather priggish David Lavington becomes an officer in the Army. His cousin Jack, a lovable scapegrace, also reaches Lisbon, and through his friendship for an audacious and amusing Irishman, a spy in the French servicc, becomes entangled in a long series of very perilous adventures. The cousins take part in some of the leading incidents of the war, and Mr. Bailey presents -us with, some stirring pictures of sieges and battles, Cuidad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, and Vittoria figuring prominently in the story. Pakenham, Picton, and Wellington himself are frequently on the scene, and tho resourcefulness and strategical -genius off the "Great Duko" are cleverly illustrated. Throughout tho story, however, the military scenes are alternated with others of a delightfully romantic character, in'which a young Spanish lady, a whimsical, capricious, little dame, the ever breezy, jolly Sussex girl, Mjjry Amberley, and the two cousins are the principal actors. A leading and strongly-drawn character is tho.' Lavingtons' uncle, long supposed to have been murdered at Venice, but who turns up as a cosmopolitan, financier who comes to Wellington's aid at a'| very critical moment with a vist treasure of much-needed gold. Jack Lavington wins the Sussex lass, David Lav- j ington pairing off with the Spanish j beauty, and everything ends as most ] readers of the story would have it. A vigorously-tokl, fascinating novel, I in which there is a peculiarly happy blending of historical fact and romantic fiction. "A Castle to Let." " Mrs. Baillio Reynolds is ever skilful in concocting an ingenious plot. In her latest story, "A Castlo To Let" (Cas'sell and Co., per ,-Whiteombo - -and I'ombs), she gives her admirers d goodly feast of thrills, plus some very pretty love-making. Her hcroino, Camilla France, inherits a largo fortune when she comes of ago. Tiring of the banali'ties of, life as she knows it in South Kensington, she sots forth on a Continental tour which, as. the -"result .of. her Hungarian friend!s.illness, brings' her to the Castle of Orerifels, 'in Transylvania. I hasten to add, all this is long before the war. Tho castlo has its mystery, its former lord having, with a party of tourists,- disappeared in tho neighbouring mountains.- Local opinion connccts tho tragedy with a prc-historic monster, the "Black Dragon," which the superstitious peasants firmly believo to be still living in tho mountain fastnesses. How it is given' to the young Englishwoman, who becomes the tenant of Orenfels, to track down the "Dragon," solve tho mystery, and find—and eventually marry— the rightful lord, not a Hungarian hut a handsome young Englishman, is set forth by Mrs. Baillie Reynolds in what is a well-written and very fascinating story. "Pan's Punishment." "Pan is not perfect. . . . She is a very. lovablo creature who did a foolish thing and was very sorry for it afterwards." So says Mr. Francis Grierson in tho preface to his story, "Pan's Punishment" (T. Werner Laurio). Pair is a country-bom young lady, 'daughter of a rotired lawyer. Pretty, not a little silly, and quite ignorant of the wiles and guiles of a world beyond sleepy little Parminster, she falls -an easy victim to a handsomo young blackguard— a rather stagey villain by the way—and is sent away from home in timo to prevent her shame becoming public. How sho is befriended by Bumo truly charitablo people, how she becomes a nurse, how an lionost. an.d truly. chivalrous, young fellow meets and falls in lovo with her, and how the war finally brings. I about her marriage, is told by . Mr. Grierson with a simple directness j which is very engaging. Although, as', Mr. Grierson admits, Pan is "not perl fo.ct," she is far more to ho pitied than I blamed. Sho is a lovable little croa--1 ture, and all readers of the book will rejoice that her "punishment" had j such a happy ending. i "Maid of tho Moonflower." Mr. Cecil Adair's novel, "Maid of the Moonflower" (Stanloy Paul and Co.), deals with the double love story of a young English off cor (invalided from tho front) and a beautiful young lady of lrish-Frcnch attraction, • and of a young English officer (invalided a. baronetcy and an estate) and a young English lady. The scene is cast in a Portuguese seaside resort. Sail Salvadore, and tho local colour of tho story is effectively picturesque. The way in which tho young officer becomes acquainted with MiriamDosfontaines, the supposed "ghost maiden" of Casa...Map/ioJ«,...Tjiay 7 , -savoiic- sixpp..

what pf theatricality, but lovers of highly-sentimental fiction should find in Mr. Adair's story some very pleasant reading. "Merely Players." Denis Ainslie, the leading male char-acter-in: "Merely Players," by Lucy. Dahy and G. M. Faulding (T. Fisher Umvin), is a clerk in the Colonial Office, and acting-private secretary to a. Ministor of the Crown. He" is loved hy Judith Wade;' well educated and well-to-do, and much interested in tho drama. Judith is twenty-eight, Denis is a few years her junior. The young man is carried away by tho pretty faco and witty tongue of Madeline Leonard, a friend of Miss AVade's, but younger than that lady, and, liko lier, a dabbler in theatrical ventures. Denis marries Madeline, finds her, as slio after a couple- of years finds him, unsatisfying, and an almost open broach precedes tho young man's departure on a health trip to Provence with Australia to follow. Madeline eventually elopes with a fashionable actor-manager and is divorced, Judith, whoso love has always had something of the maternal about it, duly consoling the deserted liusband. Nothing very wondorful as you will see, in the way of I plot, but the story has a distinct interest and charm of its own in its clevor analysis of feminine mood, and aflections, merely emotional and temporary or deep and permanent. Denis is but a poor creature at. tho best, but the women,- Judith" in particular, aro-j both well-drawn and convincing char-) acters. Gilbert Frankau's- novel "The Woman 011 tho Horizon," is a clover production. Tho author of that brilliant imitation of Lord Byron's "Don Juan," "One of Us," which relates the amorous adventures in various parts of the world of a, wealthy young "nut," sends the hero .of his. now book,a young man of the idle "rich typo," on a globe-trotting expedition, which |includos India, the Malay States, HongKong, Australia, New Zealand, and" Argentina. 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