23 JULY 1927, Page 37

THOU SHALT NOT KILL. By Mrs. Belloe-Lowndes. (Hutchinson. 7s. 6d.

net.)—The devices by which Sir Ambrose Gilks tries to make away with his ward are almost too crude to be interesting ; time after time the hero has to save the unfortunate girl at the very last and critical moment, and this duplicating of a tense situation becomes not a little monotonous. It cannot be said either that the book is made more attractive by the portraits of the various characters, which are merely types—the villain is literally hoist with his own petard, while the hero and heroine arc in a fair way to living happily ever after.