WHICH ENDS WITH FRANCES IN HER HUSBAND'S ARMS. RECOMMENDED FOR THE "GALE WILHELM" STYLE IN THE EARLY PARTS OF THE LOVE

AFFAIR.

143. THE SCIENTISTS BY ELEAZAR LIPSKY. APPLETON, 1959.

(ALSO PAPERBACK)

THIS IS A NOVEL CONERNED WITH SUPPOSED THEFT OF A SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. ONE OF THE SIX MAJOR CHARACTERS IS DR. JOSEPHINE ULLMAN (JO). THE AUTHOR CREATES NO PROBLEMS, PHILOSOPHY OR COMMENT ARROUND JO, BUT HE DEFINITELY MAKES CLEAR THROUGH INNUENDO THAT SHE IS A LESBIAN. TOWARD THE END OF THE BOOKS SHE APPEARS TO BE ENJOYING A MUTUALLY HAPPY LIFE WITH SIX-FOOT NORA. THIS IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED, IN FACT TREATED SO NATURALLY THAT AN UNTRAINED EYE COULD OVER-LOOK IT ALTOGETHER,

144. THE GOLDEN CAGE BY TERESKA TORRES. DIAL, 1959.

NOVEL OF THE ENTAGLED RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN A GROUP OF REFUGEES CAUGHT FOR A SUMMER IN PORTUGAL IN 1940. PASCALE, NEAR 40, HAS A LESBIAN AFFAIR IN HER PAST; HER MARRIAGE IS AN EMPTY SHELL, AND LIFE IS PRECARIOUS. AN ENGLISH DIVORCEE'S 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, DEBBY, WHO IS SO CONSPICOUSLY MASCULINE THAT THE REST OF THE CAST SPEAKS OF HER AS A BURGEO:NING LEBBIAN, FALLS IN LOVE WITH PASCALE. THE INTERLUDES BETWEEN THEM AND THE SECTIONS TELLING OF PASCALE'S PAST OCCUPY OVER ONE-FIFTH OF THE BOOK. THE AUTHORESS IS VERY SYMPATHETIC, BUT THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED WHEN ONE RECALLS THAT OUT OF HER FOUR NOVELS, MISS TORRES HAS TREATED LESBIANISM THREE TIMES AND VARIANCE ONCE FOR A BATTING AVERAGE OF 1000.

145. ROOM TO SWING BY ED LACY. HARPER, 1957.

THIS WELL CONSTRUCTED MYSTERY TOOK THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICAN AWARD FOR 1957. NEGRO DETECTIVE IS HIRED BY TWO LESBIANS TO SHADOW A MAN. THE MAN IS MURDERED AND THE DETECTIVE FRAMED. THE LESBIANS ARE BOTH ATTRACTIVE AND INTERESTING, BUT ARE NOT REALISTICALLY DRAWN. THE RELATIONSHIP IS MADE VERY CLEAR BUT DOES NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE PLOT. UNLIKE OTHER MYSTERIES WHICH TOUCH ON THE LESBIAN THEME, THIS 300K HOLDS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THE RELATIONSHIP.

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