13 FEBRUARY 1897, Page 23

The Sacrifice of Pools. By R. Manifold Craig. (F. A.

Stokes, New York.)—The gradual development of the madness of Carlo Montanaro is very well worked out, and we get strongly interested in the unfortunate man's efforts to ward it off. The haunted bungalow and the Cave Temple and the Indian scenes generally form a capital background to the mysterious events of the story. The preliminary chapter and discourse on the "sacrifice of fools" is uninteresting and rather absurd ; but England left behind, the story becomes interesting and absorbing, and quite belies its un- prepossessing title. We are sure that the author could write very good fiction if he chose, for he knows how to make the most of good material.