Featuring the two novellas:
The Train Now Departing and When “The Mousetrap” Closes
“Full of suspense and surprise. These carefully written little gems showcase Grimes at her best.”—Library Journal
“Grimes has created a work of value here, a book that expands her art, her reputation—and possibly her audience.”—The Richmond-Times Dispatch
“Atmospheric and chilling…Grimes [exhibits] a complete mastery of emotional nuance and [a] virtuoso treatment of the grayest coloration.”—The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
“Intelligent…Merits applause.”—The Toronto Star
“As atmospherically evocative as [an] Edward Hopper painting.”—The Washington Post
“An a cappella novella, each note strong and noncompetitive.”—Los Angeles Times
“Grimes once again demonstrates her keen eye for character. Both of these languidly paced novellas focus on middle-aged women who long for respite from their narrow, disappointing lives and find it, at least temporarily, in the company of a man…Thoughtful, compelling, even dark stories—for readers more inclined toward investigating emotions than searching for armchair adventure.”—Booklist
Google Books — Loading...
(3.59)
Wikipedia in English
2
While both stories center on middle-aged, single women whose careful, well-ordered lives are gradually altered by meals they share with male acquaintances, these two novellas are quite distinct in their ambience and characterization.
In "The Train Now Departing," Grimes eerily depicts a bright, analytical woman teetering into madness. "When the Mousetrap Closes" is the story of a woman whose desperate loneliness is pitted against her keen powers of observation in an unflinching exploration of the power of illusion.
Although these stories are not mysteries, they are full of suspense and surprise. These carefully written little gems showcase Grimes at her best. (