Therese Belivet is a nineteen-year-old stage designer working a temporary retail job at Frankenberg’s department store in Manhattan. Her life changes when she meets Carol Aird, an elegant suburban mother purchasing a doll for her daughter. This encounter sparks a romantic obsession that pulls Therese away from her stagnant relationship with her boyfriend, Richard. As Carol faces a bitter divorce and a custody battle fueled by her husband’s private investigators, the two women flee New York on a cross-country car trip through the Midwest, navigating the legal and social risks of their forbidden attraction.
Readers of mid-century lesbian literature and suspense fiction seek this book because it depicts a queer relationship without the era's typical tragic ending. They gain a nuanced look at the psychological toll of 1950s social conformity and the specific tactical dangers faced by women pursuing professional and romantic independence. The narrative provides a blueprint for how individuals maintain their dignity while negotiating personal freedom against legal blackmail and societal rejection.
Inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1952
- Language
- EN
