The Fate of Mary Rose by Catherine Blackwood is a psychological thriller. I didn’t always enjoy the ride–as intense as it became–but I did appreciate what Blackwood did here. The premise is dark. The characters are deeply unique and interesting and disturbing. While they are difficult to pin down, they are also very clearly pictured.

The author, Blackwood, herself is interesting and worth study as well. Lately I’ve felt a little discouraged that most prominent art, music, literary works–all–are saturated with people so privileged they have no excuse but to create something. Then they use all of their resources to hire editors and producers, etc. to make it great. And that works, but I am still enamored by the idea of the persona of an artist, not an a privileged inevitability, but by a little je ne sais quoi.

Even despite my sometimes disillusionment with art at the moment, Blackwood caught my attention. Apparently she was a socialite and muse, and bemused by, important movers and shakers of her time. I could not determine her craft secrets, but I marveled at her ability to do it. The pacing she maintained throughout and the grip she held on her readers throughout was quite the feat. The book is well worth reading, especially for readers who crave a little suspense without losing literary quality.