Reviewer: Rosalind Daily -
If you're looking for a slower-paced introspective story about a woman's journy to "finding herself," with a little mystery and travel thrown in, then this book is for you.

This is a little different from Gilman's other stories, where action and mystery set the stage. This one is about a woman who is coming out of a difficult past and forcing herself to be real again. At times it seemed to be wordy, but it was all to develop the character and the journey.

I found it a good read and sympathized with the character. Not that I had gone through what she has, but we all have our darker times. She started as a selfish silly woman into someone who was sufficient and finaly took responsibility for herself. This is well worth the time to take to read.

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A quick read, but good.

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This book took me back in time. Although it was first published in 1967 it has all the hallmarks of the 30s', 40s', and 50s' mysteries that I enjoyed in my youth.

Melissa is traveling to Europe on a ship (not one of the monsters of today) in an effort to regain some sense of self after her divorce. She realized, with the help of a therapist, that she had been hiding herself all these years and had built barriers around her heart. The trip was a way to help break down preconceptions and barriers, to explore, to find out more about herself.

One night, near the end of the cruise, Melissa is approached by a man who asks her to deliver a package to somebody in Majorca. He is scheduled to go to Majorca himself, but he says he doesn't think he will make it. Melissa does not know what to make of this request but says yes because she is a "pleaser". Nevertheless, she frets about it and would like to forget that the request was ever made.

However, she finds that she is being followed while in various European cities, and she believes the package is the reason.

She is challenged on many levels to make decisions herself, to do what it takes to care for herself, to avoid danger but face it boldly when required. It is an eventful trip in several ways, and I really enjoyed watching it play out. Gilman seems to have quite a grasp of the "human condition", based on the conversations Melissa has with others as well as with herself.

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