Book Review: The Price of Guilt

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Price of Guilt     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Margaret Yorke
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character
St. Martin’s, Mar 2000, $24.95, 336 pp.

Louise Widdows wonders if she is lucky to be alive having survived a hit and run murder attempt to kill her. The driver of the vehicle mounted the sidewalk to deliberately hit her. Besides fear, Louise suffered several painful injuries, but the worst is to her mind. She thinks her husband Colin was the driver. She knows she must leave her tyrannical spouse, but Louise is a classic victim and wondering where could she safely go?

Her answer soon comes from her mother’s solicitor. Louise inherits a cottage in the small village of Oxfordshire. On the train home, reporter Andrew Sherwood, traveling with his son, comes to her aid. They become friends, but she knows that one day Colin will return to complete his deadly mission and worries that Andrew and his son will be included in the final count of dead bodies.

Louise is an incredible lead character who will provide the audience insight into the victim’s mentality. She is a warm, intelligent, and charming person, yet escaping the obvious terror is almost impossible for her to do. On the other hand, Colin fails to come across as more than just a stereotypical caricature of an ultra-violent abusive spouse. When the tale reaches its climax and he becomes center stage, the story line sags. However, reading Louise’s tale, which is ninety-five per cent of the plot makes award winning Margaret Yorke’s latest entry worth the time and money because she is one of the greatest characters to grace a novel over the past few years.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner