PRYDE, ANTHONY. Marqueray’s duel. *$2 (1½c) McBride
20–7060
Marqueray, to all appearances, was a globe-trotter and a sportsman. In truth he was a secret spy in the employ of the British foreign office. His knowledge stands him in good stead against a certain Lord Marchmont, a millionaire Jew, implicated in illicit transactions in South America. The latter has allowed a poor innocent Irish girl, in reality Lady Marchmont, to consider herself duped by him and to be a “fallen woman,” after he had turned her adrift. Phyllida is found and rescued by Marqueray and his friend and cousin, Aubrey West. A romance grows up between Phyllida and Marqueray, who naturally wants to horsewhip Marchmont and free his beloved entirely from his clutches. Before this can be done a political election and much intrigue, involving West, intervene. In the end Marqueray is wounded by a shot from Marchmont who himself succumbs to his vicious morphia habit. Some fine touches of friendship and loyalty among men make one of the features of the story.
“The story drags somewhat in places; but ... the book as a whole may be read with a fair amount of satisfaction.”
+ − Ath p414 My 30 ’19 120w
“Very good work. Readers who liked Stephen McKenna’s ‘Sonia’ will probably like this.”
+ Booklist 16:350 Jl ’20
“It is evidently Mr Pryde’s first novel, and it is far and above the majority of ‘first novels.’ He writes with a good deal of style, and his characterization is excellent to the least important actor on his London stage.” G. M. H.
+ Boston Transcript p4 My 19 ’20 540w