Thrown out of the car in The Enchanted Barn

Written by Eleanor M. Ingram

From the Car BehindWhen Shirley Hollister is kidnapped in Chapter 22 and forced into a car, she begins looking for a way to alert someone that she needs help. She let several notes written on postal cards flutter out the window, but she wanted to drop something that would get someone's attention.

"She glanced at her belongings and suddenly remembered the book she had brought with her to read, one of the new novels from the cottage, a goodly sized volume in a bright red cover. The very thing!

With a cautious glance at her keepers, she took up the book as if to read, and opening it at the flyleaf began to write surreptitiously much the same message that had been on her last postal, signing her name and home address and giving her employers' address.

She flings the book into a passing car and the scheme works—the book is turned over to the police and they contact Shirley's family.

But, how do we know that this is the red book Shirley tossed? In the next chapter, Shirley's sister Carol is describing her outfit and what she had with her that day.

From the Car Behind advertisement

"Oh, yes!" she added, "And she had a book to read! One she found here in the cottage. It had a red cover and was called, "From the Car Behind."

It's interesting that this book was also published by Grace's publisher, J.B. Lippincott. You'd think with a connection like this—an obvious recomendation to Grace's readers—that there would be ads in the back for Grace Livingston Hill novels, but there are none.

This ad appeared in a February 1912 edition of "The Publisher's Weekly". Grace's book, "The Mystery of Mary" was announced in the same volume by Lippincott.

Still an interesting read if you can find a copy!

Read From the Car Behind in pdf format

  • All
  • A Daily Rate
  • An Unwilling Guest
  • A Voice In The Wilderness
  • Beauty For Ashes
  • Because Of Stephen
  • Happiness Hill
  • In The Way
  • Job's Niece
  • Katherine's Yesterday
  • Marcia Schuyler
  • Not Under The Law
  • The Christmas Bride
  • The City Of Fire
  • The Enchanted Barn
  • The Honor Girl
  • The Red Signal