The Chatham School Affair

Written By Thomas H. Cook

In 1926, the exotic Miss Elizabeth Channing arrives in Chatham, Massachusetts, to teach art at the Chatham School, a private school for the rebellious sons of the well-heeled families. The headmaster assigns his son, Henry, to assist Miss Channing in getting settled into her new home, a cottage on Black Pond. To the dismay of the community, Miss Channing begins keeping regular company with another teacher at the school, Mr. Reed, a veteran of the Great War who is married and has a small daughter. The affair begins slowly, but it sparks unimaginable romance in young Henry's vivid teenage imagination and leads to murder, suicide, jail and loneliness for those involved directly and indirecly. Cook's novel take the form of Henry's memoir--an attempt to understand what led to tragedy at Black Pond.

One question pervades the entire story...What really happended that day on Black Pond? I read this book in almost one sitting to get to that answer and the story held my interest. It is not a murder "mystery"...it is more what I consider a drama. This book won the Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Most of the books I have read about Princess Diana seemed to focus on a very fragile young woman who was constantly at odds with an uncaring mother-in-law. This book shows the relationship between the two women and was written by the editor of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, who had personal contact with the royal family. She met with Diana shortly before her death.

There were countless occasions in this book where Diana would be faced with a problem and the author would show us where the Queen had confronted a similar situation, thus enabling her to understand and sympathize with Diana although this was never brought out publicly. The book does not "sugar coat" either lady but I felt it may have shown a more realistic view of the way things were. Some reviewers felt this book was too critical of the Princess but I did not come away with that feeling as much as some other books I have read. Queen Elizabeth is probably presented in the best light but she also held her emotions in check much more than Diana, who could be quite volatile and publicly emotional.

Author Biography: Ingrid Seward has written about the British royal family for 17 years. She is the author of eight books on the subject and lives in London.