Some Must Watch by Ethel Lina White Harper and Brothers, New York, 1941 (First Edition)
Title: Some Must Watch
Author: Ethel Lina White
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper and Brothers, New York, 1941
Edition: First Edition
Size: 5.25 X 7.75 X 1.25 * 319 pages
Synopsis: AI Overview: Some Must Watch, later famously adapted into the film The Spiral Staircase
, is a psychological thriller by Ethel Lina White set during a single stormy night in a remote country house.
Plot Summary
•The Setting: Helen Capel, a young "lady-help," works at "The Summit," an isolated mansion on the border of England and Wales. The atmosphere is thick with dread as a serial killer is on the loose, specifically targeting young women in the surrounding countryside.
•The Lockdown: After a local girl is found murdered nearby, the head of the household, Professor Sebastian Warren, orders the house to be completely shuttered. He locks every door and window, declaring that no one—regardless of the circumstances—is to be let in or out until morning.
•The Dwindling Numbers: Despite the lockdown, the sense of security quickly evaporates. One by one, the various inhabitants of the house—including the Professor’s son Newton, his wife Simone, and several servants—either leave the house for urgent reasons or become incapacitated.
•The Climax: As the house empties, Helen realizes that the threat may not be outside at all. She finds herself increasingly alone and vulnerable, eventually discovering that the killer is already inside the house with her.
Key Characters
•Helen Capel: The protagonist, a pragmatic and imaginative young woman who views her life and the household through the lens of the cinema.
•Professor Sebastian Warren: The intellectual but cold master of the house who oversees the security measures.
•Lady Warren: The Professor's elderly, bedridden, and cantankerous stepmother who remains aware of the household’s tensions.
•Dr. Parry: A young doctor who visits the house and provides a potential romantic interest and ally for Helen.
Overall Condition: Good + It has some wear to the cover on the backstrip. The dust jacket is not included. The binding has minimal wear. The pages are undamaged with no creasing or tearing, no pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. There are no missing pages; see images.
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