Must Read Well by Ellen Pall

Reviewed by Kristin

Liz Miller is a rather typical PhD student—smart, striving, and poor. She is focusing on the feminist works of mid-century women novelists, those women who sparked a revolution in the minds of American women. The big hole in her research is making contact with Anne Taussig Weil, who wrote a very important women’s liberation novel in the mid-1960s. Liz has attempted to contact Ms. Weil, who even lives in Greenwich Village in New York City, so close to Liz at Columbia University, only to be refused.

After an unexpected breakup from her longtime boyfriend, Liz finds herself on her best friend Petra’s couch searching Craigslist for any rental property that she could possibly afford. In NYC as a near penniless student, that doesn’t leave a lot of options. Until she sees…

            “Private room and bath with river view in pre-war doorman Greenwich
            Village building. Kitchen privileges. Available now. Advantageous terms
            for quiet female willing to read aloud to purblind landlady one hour a
            day. Reply with brief work/educational details to ATW1301922@juno.com.
            Must read well.”

ATW. Anne. Taussig. Weil. Who just happened to be born January 30, 1922.

Liz inquires about the apartment as “Beth Miller” hoping that Ms. Weil will not remember “Liz” the graduate student who sent her multiple letters asking for research assistance. “Beth” goes to meet Ms. Weil, who finds her an excellent prospect as both a tenant and a reader. A few days later, Liz moves in and begins reading aloud Ms. Weil’s journals surrounding a specific episode the elderly woman wishes to recall.

Liz cannot believe her luck that she is going to have access to the journals of the woman she has so long pursued. The enormity of what she might discover is exciting, and gives her hope that she may be able to finish her dissertation and make a place in hallowed academic circles.

This book kept me up late into the night as the tension increased. The episode Ms. Weil wishes to revisit gives Liz a huge insight into the iconic feminist author. Additionally, Ms. Weil is in failing health at age 89, and that adds to the suspense as Liz wonders how long she will be able to stay in the apartment.

I cannot say too much because I would not want to spoil this book for anyone who might choose to read it. I found it an excellent read with an exciting climax which I did not see coming. Looking back after finishing it (late at night!) I can see that there were definite clues that turned this into a cat-and-mouse game in which the reader can’t be sure who is manipulating whom.

I looked to see what else Ellen Pall has written, and found she has had a long but sporadic career in writing. Her early work is under the pseudonym Fiona Hill, writing historical romances. This is definitely not in the same vein, and I hope to see more nail-biting contemporary suspense from Pall in the future.