Whatcha reading, week 38

Last Friday, I finished The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell. I really enjoyed this one! The story is set in the 1920s, and Rindell does a wonderful job capturing that period. Her writing evokes both the genteel upper-class of society that we imagine and the seedier side of Prohibition: speakeasies and crime.

I was not far into the book when I realized the narrator, Rose, was not quite right. With each passing chapter, she became MORE not quite right, until  I thought I was going to burst in anticipation of finally learning about the situation Rose kept alluding to. Once that was revealed, things got even crazier. I'm not kidding when I say that I was holding my breath through many of the final scenes. It was fascinating to watch everything unfold.

A quick Google search just told me that a movie based on The Other Typist is in the works. You know what they say about the movie vs. the book, but if Hitchcock somehow became available, it just might work.  What I enjoyed most about the book was the incremental revealing of salient details. At various times, I thought I knew about 50% of what was really happening. A couple of chapters later, more would be revealed, and yet I would think I knew less than I did earlier. I heard an expression once: "You think you've discovered all her crazy, then you find out there's a whole underground parking garage of crazy yet to explore." I think that's a fantastic description of The Other Typist.

This would make an excellent book club selection. In fact, within the first few chapters, I was wishing I had a book club to discuss it with. Without spoiling the ending, let's just say there is MUCH to interpret and debate. If anyone here has read The Other Typist, please let me know, because I would love to discuss it with you!