The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins

The Tortoise and the Hare cover

The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins was first published in 1954 by Victor Gollancz but my copy is a Virago Modern Classics hardback reprint. It has an introduction by Hilary Mantel.

I’m not sure if ‘enjoy’ is the correct word to describe my feelings about this book because I found it to be so stressful with me willing the main character to stop being a doormat and to stand up for herself.

Imogen’s husband Evelyn is a well-known lawyer – a King’s Counsel whose cases are followed by the newspapers. They’ve been married for years and have one son. Father and son are very alike in their characters, very self-centred, in need of pampering, never going to feel satisfied and take Imogen completely for granted.

Despite the fact that Evelyn is very handsome Imogen trusts him around other women completely, mainly because he’s not at all interested in Zenobia, the local stunning looking vamp. So it is ages before Imogen realises that their much older female neighbour who is verging on ugly is actually well on her way to nicking Evelyn from her, and what is even worse she’s stealing their son from her too.

The fact is that father and son are both easily lured away from Imogen because the neighbour is extremely wealthy and has connections, as well as a Rolls Royce. She spoils father and son rotten and Imogen doesn’t fight back.

I found this one to be so frustrating and I’m sure it didn’t do my blood pressure any good, but I’ll definitely be looking for more books by Elizabeth Jenkins. Have any of you read anything else by her?