• A Golden Straw. By J. E. Buckrose. (Mills and
Boon. 6s.) —Mr. Buckrose's new novel is interesting by reason of the scenery and atmosphere in which it is set. The characters, though not fully developed, are well drawn, but the incidents of the plot are somewhat commonplace. The charm, however, of the moors and sea of the bleak Yorkshire coast is excellently realised, and the vitalising quality of the cold air from the sea seems to affect the reader as he turns the pages. As is perhaps to be expected from this romantic setting, the characters all dream dreams and have a tendency to dim forebodings and visions, and the reader will find his own powers of credulity improve as he gets further and further on in the book. The figure of Tom Hunt, the good- hearted but dishonest young business man, who makes a large fortune by means of a patent soap, stands out in piquant contrast to his neighbours. The author apparently intends to leave him in possession of the wealth acquired by his having at a moment of financial crisis calmly appropriated 44,000 of treasure-trove which belongs to his neighbour. Altogether, the story, though of slight construction, is above the average of present-day novels, and it can be confidently recommended for its picturesque atmosphere and freshness of outlook.
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