26 JANUARY 1907, Page 37

The Fruit of the Tree. By Florence Teignmouth Shore and

William Teignmouth Shore. (Hutchinson and CO. 6s.)—Apart from the extremely conventional attitude of the heroine, Cynthia Keiglaley—which is necessary if we are to believe in the mis- understanding between her and her husband—this book is a fairly good specimen of the ordinary novel of society. The story is by no means original, and the characters are not depicted with any great subtlety of analysis. But the book is light and pleasant reading, and people who like to be able to foresee for themselves the development and probable end of a novel will enjoy reading Dlr. and Mrs. Teignmouth Shore's volume.