Bat Out of Hell by Francis Durbridge is a novelisation of a TV serial which was aired in 1966 – I haven’t seen this and wasn’t aware of it until after I finished the book. It’s a fast paced thriller full of twists and turns where nothing is quite as it seems.
Diana Stewart’s lover kills Diana’s rich husband and secures his body in the boot of a car which is locked in a garage. When he comes to move it, however, he finds that the body is gone. Diana then receives a telephone call from her husband instructing her to identify a body which has been found by the police as himself. Neither Diana nor her lover can tell the truth to the police but they also begin to suspect one another – where is the husband ? Whose is the body ? Is Diana a widow ? Who is manipulating events ? Inspector John Clay is the person who has to try and unravel this mystery, which he has to do while most of the characters are lying to him.
This is an immensely entertaining novel which is full of surprises, for the characters and for the reader. Every chapter seems to end on a cliff hanger and the twists and turns come quickly. It probably doesn’t do to examine the plot too hard for plausibility and there are a few loose ends but I found it quite hard to put this book down as I wanted to find out what had happened and whether the criminals would get away with it or be brought to justice. I found it a very satisfying read.
Anne Is Reading 