Above is an uncredited cover for The Deadly Climate by Ursula Curtiss, a different type of mystery in which main character Caroline Emmett witnesses a murder out near a foggy Massachusetts quarry, is chased by the shadowy killer—who she outruns in dainty fashion, according to the art—then is taken in by a family living in an isolated country cottage. They have no idea what they’ve just gotten into.
The house immediately comes under siege as the killer traps everyone inside and, as the night wears on, attempts to gain entry in order to kill the person who witnessed his murder. Of course, Caroline wouldn’t be able to identify him because it was too foggy to make him out, but the killer doesn’t know that. He only knows that he was seen.
Caroline suffers through the hours in terror and paranoia while various frightening events accumulate, almost in the style you’d see in a slasher flick, as she clings to hopes that somehow her protectors can shield her until the distant police arrive. But what she really needs to survive is the mid-story twist that shunts her situation in a new direction, nicely thrown in by Curtiss. In fact, the entire book was nice. With zero backing evidence save the quality of the story, we’d say it’s possible this singular concept was the best thing she ever produced, but then again maybe not. We’ll certainly try her again. See another cover for the book here.
