A Helping Hand: Celia Dale

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Most of the characters in this novel are over 60 years old so they do repeat themselves to great effect. It is a frightening prospect and Dale realises how easily the seam of respectability can be played by fraudsters out for their own ends. I don't think the style is anything too special, but it's good and it works and honestly, that's the most important thing.

Nasty, twisted slice of suburban horror; the horrors lurking beneath a veneer of average suburban living, the evils and subterfuge of marriage, the sickening creepiness of middle-aged men. As Graziella bonds with Mrs Fingal, encouraging the old lady to build up her strength by walking again, she senses that something is decidedly off. A horror classic from the UK that belongs in the hall of Fame next to Stepford Wives and Rosemary’s Baby.Without spoiling anything, the theme of this book is something that tends to happen quite often today as people are generally selfish by nature. This retired couple have a very lucrative racketeer where they take care of old ladies while they steal her pension and finally their will. For instance, we see them sizing up Mrs Fingal’s situation, working out how much the old lady might be worth and establishing whether there are any other living relatives besides Lena.

Josh and Maisie Evans are a seemingly unremarkable middle-aged couple on holiday in Italy, where they meet Mrs. Mr and Mrs Evans are having a little holiday in Italy when the meet old Mrs Fingal and her niece Lena.And yet, everything is so carefully orchestrated to seem caring in front of others – this is where the skill really comes in. Celia Dale was born in 1912 and she was daughter of the actor, James Dale and was married to the journalist and critic, Guy Ramsey until his death in 1959. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice.