The Hireling - Softcover

Hartley, L. P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1473612551 ISBN 13: 9781473612556

Publisher: John Murray, 2015

Synopsis

A soldier-turned chauffeur falls in love with his aristocratic and recently-widowed employer, with tragic results

Overcome with grief at her husband's death, Lady Franklin, an eligible young widow, unburdens herself to Leadbitter—a gallant, hard-bitten ex-soldier who has invested his savings in the car he drives for hire—as he takes her on a series of journeys. He in turn beguiles her with stories of his non-existent wife and children, drawing her out of her self-absorption and weaving a dream-life with Lady Franklin at its heart. Half-hoping to make his dream come true, Leadbitter takes a bold, not to say reckless, step which costs him dearly, and brings these characters' tangled story to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion.

About this title

About the Author:

L. P. Hartley (1895-1972) was a British writer and the author of The Betrayal, Eustace and Hilda, The Go-Between (which was made into a 1970 film), and A Perfect Woman.

From AudioFile:

Stephen Leadbitter, handsome, repressed driver-for-hire, weaves stories of a non-existent personal life for passenger Lady Franklin, a self-absorbed, wealthy, young widow in need of distraction. Both their lives are irrevocably altered when Leadbitter attempts to cross class lines and make his fantasies come true. Stephen Thorne's narration is smooth and nicely paced with just the right touch of foreboding. He breathes life into each character by expertly capturing the nuance of their varied social standings. Thorne's controlled portrayal of Leadbitter's emotional turmoil and final transformation is especially convincing and conveys the novel's somewhat heavy-handed message on the evils of the British class system. J.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: John Murray
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1473612551
• ISBN 13: 9781473612556
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304