Before the Fact by Francis Iles

Before the Fact
Francis Iles
1932
5/5 stars

Lina McLaidlaw is swept off her feet by the charming, handsome, and slightly disreputable Johnnie Aysgarth.  As she is 28, an intellectual, and not considered a beauty, her parents are convinced that Johnnie is after her for money only.  Nonetheless, Johnnie's apparent sincerity wins her confidence and they are married.  As time goes on, however, Lina begins to notice a streak of amorality in her husband, which worsens until she begins to suspect him of a serious crime.

This novel of psychological suspense is gripping from the first two lines: 

"Some women give birth to murderers, some go to bed with them, and some marry them.  Lina Aysgarth had lived with her husband for nearly eight years before she realized that she was married to a murderer."

As the plot advances, the reader follows Lina's discoveries, fears, compromises, and gradual mental strain, and watches as Johnnie tugs unhappily at the leash she holds.  A sense of dread permeates the story, leaving the reader tense and anxious, awaiting the next event.  Iles (pseudonym of Anthony Berkeley Cox, who wrote cozier Golden Age mysteries under the name of Anthony Berkeley) is an excellent writer, creating prose that is intelligent, convincing, and engrossing.  Before the Fact is memorable and well-worth reading for those that appreciate an atypical crime drama.