No Ordinary Virgin by Eve Chaucer (Mrs Dennis Wheatley)

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Steve Whatley
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No Ordinary Virgin by Eve Chaucer (Mrs Dennis Wheatley)

Post by Steve Whatley »

I've just finished reading No Ordinary Virgin, the first Eve Chaucer I've ventured to read.

It's a rather unusual tale of a woman - Venetia - who has reached her late twenties with her honour intact, as it were, despite having been married (her husband died a few hours after the wedding).

She declares that she will only marry again if she has first spent a weekend with the man, to make sure that they are compatible in every way.

There follows an amusing series of escapades - set against the background of holidays at country estates, dinners at the Ritz and the Savoy, weekends in Paris, etc - which are about as racey as I imagine a respectable 1930's novel could get (not very).

In keeping with a DW novel, there's a surprise in nearly every chapter, the biggest (you'll never guess) being saved for the last chapter, and the final outcome not being confirmed until the last line.

But it's not meant to be a thriller - it's a light-hearted romance, and one thing Eve Chaucer did very much better than her husband was to produce convincing natural dialogue between her characters. If you like a period piece featuring the sort of circles which no doubt Dennis and Joan Wheatley moved in (and with not a gun or a secret agent anywhere in sight), then you'll enjoy this as much as I did.

There's even a passing mention for my two comedy heroes - Laurel and Hardy, so bonus points there for Mrs DW!

Haven't given away anything I shouldn't have (a bit like Venetia at the start of the book), as I just know you're all going to reach for the nearest copy and start reading.....
Alan
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Location: Australia

Post by Alan »

>I've just finished reading No Ordinary Virgin, the first Eve Chaucer I've ventured to read.

Then it's a good thing she was gentle with you :)
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