Reviews

Mischief by Charlotte Armstrong

koki_siringo's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

krobart's review against another edition

4.0

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2018/08/14/day-1251-mischief/

wyrmdog's review against another edition

3.0

Fun, clearly dated, but weirdly insightful and interestingly self-aware. I can't quite decide if further exploration of Nell's issues would have helped or hurt this book. I really didn't see how this would end, so the end surprised me more than expected.

kurtwombat's review against another edition

4.0

This is pretty good suspense tale is awash in 1940’s sensibilities. It is not any period description that nails the time and place but instead the presentation of the hearts and minds of the characters. They are as trapped in their time and mindset as they are in the hotel where much of the story takes place. Every time I thought this story was just a light entertainment, the story lived up to the title Mischief and surprised me. They were not cheap surprises like a squirrel popping out of a cake but surprises derived from the characters strengths and weaknesses—allowing for a slow ratcheting of suspense a click at a time. The stakes seem modest but all the more credit for drawing the reader in. Liked the ending just as much as the rest—a marvelous ambivalence. Looking forward to seeing what else I can find by the author.

bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition

4.0

Couple staying in NYC hotel leave daughter with random babysitter from hell, win worst parants ever award. Unbearably suspenseful - had to read it in one sitting.

dazed_confused's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

seonarella's review

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

affiknittyreads's review against another edition

3.0

I read this in the collection Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1950s and I'm logging it here because I might not read all the others in the collection and besides I have a Reading Challenge goal to meet. Heh.

So... I'd give this 3.75 stars. I'm knocking off a quarter of a star for the somewhat hokey last chapter, but the rest of it was great.

shortstackkat's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

baklavopita's review

3.0

I felt like this should have been a quick suspenseful read. However, none of the characters intrigued me, so I had a hard time wanting to pick it back up. A verbal fight early in the book and a physical fight late in the book were fabulous! I just got kind of lost in between. I'm not sure if the problem was me or the book.