My Cousin Rachel satisfied my desires for a good summer read. It took a few pages for me to fall under it spell, but once I did I was as lost in it as Philip Ashley is in his cousin, Rachel. Did she murder his beloved uncle, Ambrose, or not? Everything is either as it seems or nothing is as it seems. Philip, the narrator, is either delusional or the only one who sees clearly through the plots and counter plots. The cleverness of the book is that you can’t be sure.

The story begins and ends “They used to hang men at Four Turnings in the old days. Not any more, though.” Before the plot comes full circle, though, it twists and turns like a corpse hanging in the wind.

Highly recommended

“The point is, life has to be endured and lived. But how to live it is the problem.” p. 12