Pin to See the Peepshow V

Julia is hardly able to take it in that she is to be executed. Leo is to be hanged on the same day. She cracks up badly, and has to be given sedatives. She realises that her affair with Leo never really meant anything. He had been fond of her but there was no substance to the relationship. She does not seem to feel much remorse for Herbert's death. However her execution is unfair in that she did not take part in killing him. But her foolish letters did give the impression that she was eager to get rid of her husband, and as such an accessory to the murder. I dont know if I like the book very much. Julia is not all that likable, and while one feels sorry for her, I feel that Jesse excused her rather too much.

Emily

Due to illness, Im not working on my Emily Bronte Story. But I hope to get back to it soon

Pin to See the Peepshow IV

Julia finally realises that Herbert is dead and that Leo killed him. She is then questioned by the police. She tries to shield Leo, but it is pretty clear that he was the killer. The police find out that she was having an affair with him... and they believe that she incited Leo to kill her husband. She has some well to do friends, such as her employers at the dress shop, who support her, and pay for a lawyer, but at the trial, things go against her. Leo is obviously guilty. But Julia did not know he would try and kill Herbert. Leo says himself that he never took seriously Julia's letters where she claimed she was trying to kill her husband. He knew that she was just exaggerating and saying silly things to get his attention. She insists on going into the box, though her lawyer advises against it. Unfortunately her performance there shows her as inconsistent and often telling lies. She and Leo are both found guilty.

A Pin to see the Peepshow III

Julia's relationship with Leo is not all that easy. She worries that as she's some years his senior, and not able to be with him much, he will get bored with her. She starts to make silly remarks in her letters, saying that she wishes that Herbert was dead. She even claims she has been trying to kill him by putting ground glass in his food. Leo gets cross with her, because he knows she is just making this up and he feels irritated and pressured. She tries to persuade him to help her find a job abroad, and she could then be with him. But she is still married to Herbert. They pursue the affair, and it seems to be more of a pain than a pleasure to Julia. Then she becomes pregnant. Leo helps her to find an abortionist, and she goes to see her. When she gets home, she finds that Herbert's sister, a difficult woman, who has been staying with them, has had Julia's dog put to sleep because he was ill. Upset, she collapses and her miscarriage comes on. Herbert thinks that it is a natural miscarriage caused by her being shocked, and he tells her that he will get rid of his sister. Julia's friend Anne, who is studying to be a doctor, realises that Julia has deliberately aborted her pregnancy. She keeps quiet about it, but tells her that Herbert is not that strong, and she should be careful how she treats him. Julia is getting desperate. She can't understand why Herbert won't give her a divorce, when they are both unhappy in their marriage but he has the middle class obsession with propriety and keeping troubles private. She's afraid that Leo is going to get fed up and leave her. Then one evening, while Leo is on shore leave, Julia and Herbert go to a charity theatre performance given by the business that he works for. On their way home, someone emerges from the shadows and attacks Herbert. She realises that it is Leo. She is horrified, and can't believe it, but her husband is dead.

Dennis Locorriere Dies

Just heard that Dennis has died, at the age of 76. He had lived in the UK for many years - having married again and settled on the South Coast. I saw him playing in London a few years ago. He was great. He had a wonderful voice and wrote some of his own songs. He was the lead singer of Dr Hook and the Medicine show, which made it big in the 70s, with the hit, Sylvia's Mother. At first, most of their songs were written by comedy genius, Shel Silverstein... but later, they began to do pop ballads. They had gone bankrupt during the 1970s, because they partied a lot. The pop songs were big hits and greatly improved their finances. Dennis was born in Union City, New Jersey in 1949. His parents split up, and he was raised by his grandmother. He joined up with Ray Sawyer, from the South and they formed a band which played in bars. Dennis' voice was beautiful and he sang lead, though Ray also sang lead on a few songs. The band sang country and rock, but later, when they went bankrupt, they became more commercial. He is almost the last of the Hook people - Ray died a few years ago and now I think the only one left is the guitarist, Rik Elswit.

A Pin to see the Peepshow II

Julia and Herbert get married and he joins up, but has a safe posting. She goes on working, and is doing well at her job. She is pleased with life and delighted to have her own flat. But when Herbert comes back from the war, she begins to find him irritating. She meets a young man who is a sailor. His name is Leo, and he had been dating Elsa. They start an affair. Leo is away at sea a lot, so they write to each other. Julia begins to long for escape from her marriage and they begin to imagine ways that they could be together. They don't have much time together. Herbert becomes aware of the relationship and begins to give his wife a hard time. She and he quarrel and Leo gets involved as well. He gets angry with Herbert for being unkind to his wife and for not having the decency to offer her a divorce.

A Pin to See the Peepshow

Jesse's novel is closely based on the story of Edith Thompson. Her chief character, Julia Almond, is a pretty girl who lives in East London. She has ambitions, but her parents are not very successful in making a living. She get a job in a ladies' clothes shop run by a couple of aristocratic women, who for various reasons need to earn money. Julia is bright and good at selling and starts off doing errands and helping out. She has potential. Her employers think of promoting her to be a buyer in due course. It is just before World War One. Julia finds an admirer, but he is killed in the early stages. Then her father dies and her mother has no money. To make ends me she has to let some relatives move into their house to share expenses. Julia does not make enough to keep herself and her mother. She has to share a room with her cousin Elsa, whom she dislikes. She is increasingly unhappy, then Herbert Starling, a neighbour, begins to take an interest in her. He is a widower, and older than she is. He works in a gents' outfitters in the West End. It's not as high status a job as Julia's own but he's making a decent living and has his own flat. He asks Julia to marry him. She is tempted because she hates living with her uncle and aunt and cousin, and would be glad to have a home of her own.