Judging books and covers continues with Portrait of Rene by Harry Davis, featuring a scene not in the novel, and a non-applicable tagline "No man who painted her would ever be the same".
Rene masquerades as a potboiler but is actually a decent mystery about the claustrophobic secrets of a family fortune. The introspective tone of the main character's running monologue echoes the classic mystery Laura.
Lex Chaney is a painter, tired of the city BoHo lifestyle, his main character running monologue setting an introspective tone. His dealer calls him to the classy West side gallery just when he is need of a new apartment - and ready cash. His painting "Portrait of Rene" has been sold to wealthy Ilse Weaver, who takes an interest in him and offers a job at her sprawling mountain retreat. He has the run of a secluded guest lodge and free time to paint for the summer in exchange for art therapy for her invalid brother Paul. Arriving, he meets the other hangers-on Ilse has collected; A famous pianist working on a piece, an ex-singer now a secretary, family attorney, friend Rod and his sister Harriet - who was engaged to Ilse's brother Arnold, and Ilse's neer-do-well ex-husband Glen - oily and self centered but unwilling to divorce Ilse's money. Most nights include a rotating cast of characters for too many martinis and subtle hatreds. The family fortune was spread between Ilse and her brothers Paul and Arnold, until the drunken eve of Arnold's wedding when Paul shot him dead - or so Ilse claims. Paul entered a comatose mental state and never recovered. Everyone assumes Ilse was the shooter, instead of the only witness. Within days Lex casually sleeps with Harriet, but falls in love with enigmatic Ilse. Tensions within the group breaks when someone 'accidentally' falls off a cliff, and people begin making up alibis. This began with Ilse buying the Portrait of Rene, and Lex begins to learn that was more than appreciation - the 'Rene' who posed for the picture was firmly woven into the families tragic history.
What did happen to Rene?
With the flavour of dramas like The Damned Don't Cry or Written On The Wind, this was well written and entertaining, especially as it moved towards mystery. The characters were believable, the finale satisfying. It was originally published in 1956 for the hardcover price of $3.00, and translated into French and Norwegian, so once again don't be fooled by the pulp wrapper. Davis wrote another novel of combustible adultery in 1956 with His Brother's Wife, but otherwise has no presence online.
A grade above.
1956 / Paperback / 128 pages
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