Jane Oglander. By Mrs. Bello° Lowndes. (W. Heinemann. 6s.)—This is
the story of a lady of Circe-like tendencies who drags into the net of her fascinations every male, attached or unattached, whom she happens to fancy. Given such a theme, it is not to b3 wondered at that the book is not very pleasant reading. Mrs. Bella:: Lowndes, of course, knows English country-house life well enough to give her readers a tolerably faithful picture of country society. The characters are all more or less true to type, but although Athena, the fascinating lady, is extremely well drawn, Jane Oglander, the " good " heroine, is by no means so convincing. It. does not seem to occur to the author to doubt that Athena's husband was justified in putting chloral crystals into her chocolate at night to kill her. It is certainly true that the world would get on much better without her, but unfortunately the husband hates his wife so cordially that the reader will be inclined to doubt the disinterestedness of his motives.
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