22 NOVEMBER 1957, Page 62

Lady Killer. By William Hardy. (Hamish Hamilton, 12s. 6d.) Readable

but predictable little number about yet another mild-mannered man- an American professor of mathematics this time -who plans to murder his tedious wife. The campus background, and the italicised stream of consciousness of. the young war veteran towards whom the unduly long arm of coincidence is reaching, add little to what Mr. Iles did, once and for all, in Malice Aforethought.