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Nine Coaches Waiting
A governess in a French chateau encounters an apparent plot against her young charge's life in this unforgettably haunting and beautifully written suspense novel.
When lovely Linda Martin first arrives at Château Valmy as an English governess to the nine-year-old Count Philippe de Valmy, the opulence and history surrounding her seems like a wondrous, ecstatic dream. But a palpable terror is crouching in the shadows. Philippe's uncle, Léon de Valmy, is the epitome of charm, yet dynamic and arrogant, his paralysis little hindrance as he moves noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic man who drives himself and his car with equally reckless abandon, seems able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul is an enigma, though irresistibly attracted to him, she senses some dark twist in his nature. When an accident deep in the woods nearly kills Linda's innocent charge, she begins to wonder if someone has deadly plans for the young count.
When lovely Linda Martin first arrives at Château Valmy as an English governess to the nine-year-old Count Philippe de Valmy, the opulence and history surrounding her seems like a wondrous, ecstatic dream. But a palpable terror is crouching in the shadows. Philippe's uncle, Léon de Valmy, is the epitome of charm, yet dynamic and arrogant, his paralysis little hindrance as he moves noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic man who drives himself and his car with equally reckless abandon, seems able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul is an enigma, though irresistibly attracted to him, she senses some dark twist in his nature. When an accident deep in the woods nearly kills Linda's innocent charge, she begins to wonder if someone has deadly plans for the young count.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
About the author
Mary Stewart
109 books2,599 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,586 reviews
February 11, 2020
Mary Stewart is - by far - my favorite author in the romantic suspense genre. Nine Coaches Waiting is my favorite Mary Stewart book. I can't tell you how many times I've re-read this book. It's not terrifically deep or mysterious, but it's well-written and a favorite comfort read, and my love for it is quite unreasonable at this point, so just realize that I'm likely to hurl insults or furniture at anyone who questions the excellence of this novel.
Linda Martin, a young woman who grew up as an orphan, has been hired to be the governess of 9 year old Philippe de Valmy, the heir to the Valmy fortune, who lives in a luxurious but lonely chateau in the mountains of eastern France. Philippe is also an orphan, and is living in the care of his aunt and uncle. Linda's father was English and her mother French, but since she was hired primarily to teach Philippe English, Linda decides to hide the French part of her heritage and her fluency with that language. This makes for some awkward but funny situations as she tries to speak schoolgirl French and pretend not to understand when people speak it fluently.
Philippe is distant at first, but quickly warms to Linda's company, and she soon grows very fond of him . . . which makes it all the more upsetting when near-fatal accidents begin to happen to Philippe. And there are too many people who would be materially benefitted by Philippe's death: his uncle Leon de Valmy and his wife, who would own the Valmy fortune if Philippe dies; their loyal servants; and the suave and handsome Raoul, Leon's son, who has managed to quickly sweep Linda off her feet. (Yes, it's insta-love. Deal with it.)
Raoul is kind of a 50's alpha male, but he has a vulnerability that tugs at Linda's heart, even as she's afraid he'll break it. There are some really lovely Cinderella-like scenes between Raoul and Linda as she is preparing for a fancy ball at the chateau, sewing her own dress and--wait for it--losing one of her shoes, and later, when Raoul finally finds her at the ball.
Nine Coaches Waiting takes as its theme an old poem called The Revenger's Tragedy, in which "a tempter's list of pleasures" (the coaches, the palace, banquets, etc.) is "designed to lure a lonely young female to a luxurious doom." Is Linda being lured by Raoul and his father to ignore the dangers to Philippe, discounting them as accidents? This theme is followed through in kind of an amusing way with nine "coaches" or rides in planes, autos and, I think, even a wagon being taken by Linda during the course of the story.
Mary Stewart has a deft touch with humor and excels in creating sympathetic young boy characters, and Philippe is one of my favorites:
Nine Coaches is, like all of Stewart's books, intelligently written and spiced with literary allusions. If you like the romantic suspense genre and don't mind books that are a little old-fashioned, you really need to read Mary Stewart's novels, and I'd say Nine Coaches Waiting is the best one to start with. Not that I'm prejudiced or anything.
Linda Martin, a young woman who grew up as an orphan, has been hired to be the governess of 9 year old Philippe de Valmy, the heir to the Valmy fortune, who lives in a luxurious but lonely chateau in the mountains of eastern France. Philippe is also an orphan, and is living in the care of his aunt and uncle. Linda's father was English and her mother French, but since she was hired primarily to teach Philippe English, Linda decides to hide the French part of her heritage and her fluency with that language. This makes for some awkward but funny situations as she tries to speak schoolgirl French and pretend not to understand when people speak it fluently.
Philippe is distant at first, but quickly warms to Linda's company, and she soon grows very fond of him . . . which makes it all the more upsetting when near-fatal accidents begin to happen to Philippe. And there are too many people who would be materially benefitted by Philippe's death: his uncle Leon de Valmy and his wife, who would own the Valmy fortune if Philippe dies; their loyal servants; and the suave and handsome Raoul, Leon's son, who has managed to quickly sweep Linda off her feet. (Yes, it's insta-love. Deal with it.)
Raoul is kind of a 50's alpha male, but he has a vulnerability that tugs at Linda's heart, even as she's afraid he'll break it. There are some really lovely Cinderella-like scenes between Raoul and Linda as she is preparing for a fancy ball at the chateau, sewing her own dress and--wait for it--losing one of her shoes, and later, when Raoul finally finds her at the ball.
Nine Coaches Waiting takes as its theme an old poem called The Revenger's Tragedy, in which "a tempter's list of pleasures" (the coaches, the palace, banquets, etc.) is "designed to lure a lonely young female to a luxurious doom." Is Linda being lured by Raoul and his father to ignore the dangers to Philippe, discounting them as accidents? This theme is followed through in kind of an amusing way with nine "coaches" or rides in planes, autos and, I think, even a wagon being taken by Linda during the course of the story.
Mary Stewart has a deft touch with humor and excels in creating sympathetic young boy characters, and Philippe is one of my favorites:
"We have got bears," confided Philippe, in the tone of one inviting congratulations. He looked earnestly up at me. "We truly have. This is not a blague. Many bears of a bigness incredible." His scarlet-gloved hands sketched in the air something of the dimensions of an overgrown grizzly. "I have never seen one, vous comprenez, but Bernard has shot one. He told me so."Mary Stewart is famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view and your affinity for this sort of thing) for her loving and lengthy descriptions of landscapes, and Nine Coaches Waiting is no exception. I'll confess to occasionally skimming through some of the detailed descriptions when I'm in a hurry to get to the "good parts," but Stewart does have an unquestionable talent for making you feel like you can really see the setting in your mind's eye, and that you're really there.
"Then I hope to goodness we don't meet one today."
"They are asleep," said Philippe comfortingly. "There is no danger unless one treads on them where they sleep." He jumped experimentally into a deep drift of dead leaves, sending them swirling up in bright flakes of gold. The drift was, fortunately, bearless.
Nine Coaches is, like all of Stewart's books, intelligently written and spiced with literary allusions. If you like the romantic suspense genre and don't mind books that are a little old-fashioned, you really need to read Mary Stewart's novels, and I'd say Nine Coaches Waiting is the best one to start with. Not that I'm prejudiced or anything.
June 14, 2016
5 STARS
Nine coaches waiting - hurry-hurry-hurry…
What a blast from the past. Yes, this book was first published back in 1958. It reads a bit like a NA version of Nancy Drew.. or maybe a cross between Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie. Anyway, it’s a bit of mystery, and a bit of romance written in a very decadent and descriptive way.
I loved the author’s writing style… the ongoing theme which included the title quote, and all of the subsequent quotes she used throughout the book to introduce each chapter. Her writing is extremely descriptive. Almost to the point of obsession. You really get the sense of not only the setting but of the deep emotions it provokes in the characters.
The spell of the sun was potent. It poured down, hot and bright, while in front of it the wet greenness streamed off the woods in veils of mist, leaving the spruces gleaming darkly brilliant and lighting the tiny larch-flowers to a red flush along the boughs. The smell was intoxicating.
I don’t want to go too much into the storyline itself, as I feel it is told much better by the author when it’s read first hand. I don’t think I even read the synopsis before I started. I just dove in blind.
I am two fools, I know, for loving, and for saying so.
It definitely has it’s degree of romance, but I would say the mystery/thriller element is really the over-riding theme here. And I use the term “thriller” in the most PG sense of the word. It was 1958, after all. The names alone will blow your mind… Léon, Étienne, Hippolyte, Philipe… Raoul! They don’t use names like that anymore… at least not often.
I loved the main character, and her sense of fierce protectiveness for not only her charge, but for those she holds dear. She is an orphan, herself, and displaced completely from anyone she might count on for support.
For better or worse, I was head over ears in love with Raoul de Valmy.
There was also a sexy alpha hero… or was he a villain… hmm? He was yummy either way!
Wrapped up in my own loneliness and danger I hadn’t even seen that his need was the same as my own. He and I had hoed the same row, and he for a more bitter harvest.
And an adorable but broody child...
Anyway, it was a refreshing reminder of the type of books I grew up reading. I was riveted by the plot and found myself completely engrossed in the setting. It takes place in France around the shores of Lac Léman, between Geneva, Switzerland and Thonon-les-Bains.
This is a place I spent a month visiting when I was fifteen years old, so the beauty and the nuances of the place were easy to imagine. And just enough french mixed in to let me practice my language skills.
I will definitely be looking up some more titles by this author.
Nine coaches waiting - hurry-hurry-hurry…
What a blast from the past. Yes, this book was first published back in 1958. It reads a bit like a NA version of Nancy Drew.. or maybe a cross between Daphne du Maurier and Agatha Christie. Anyway, it’s a bit of mystery, and a bit of romance written in a very decadent and descriptive way.
I loved the author’s writing style… the ongoing theme which included the title quote, and all of the subsequent quotes she used throughout the book to introduce each chapter. Her writing is extremely descriptive. Almost to the point of obsession. You really get the sense of not only the setting but of the deep emotions it provokes in the characters.
The spell of the sun was potent. It poured down, hot and bright, while in front of it the wet greenness streamed off the woods in veils of mist, leaving the spruces gleaming darkly brilliant and lighting the tiny larch-flowers to a red flush along the boughs. The smell was intoxicating.
I don’t want to go too much into the storyline itself, as I feel it is told much better by the author when it’s read first hand. I don’t think I even read the synopsis before I started. I just dove in blind.
I am two fools, I know, for loving, and for saying so.
It definitely has it’s degree of romance, but I would say the mystery/thriller element is really the over-riding theme here. And I use the term “thriller” in the most PG sense of the word. It was 1958, after all. The names alone will blow your mind… Léon, Étienne, Hippolyte, Philipe… Raoul! They don’t use names like that anymore… at least not often.
I loved the main character, and her sense of fierce protectiveness for not only her charge, but for those she holds dear. She is an orphan, herself, and displaced completely from anyone she might count on for support.
For better or worse, I was head over ears in love with Raoul de Valmy.
There was also a sexy alpha hero… or was he a villain… hmm? He was yummy either way!
Wrapped up in my own loneliness and danger I hadn’t even seen that his need was the same as my own. He and I had hoed the same row, and he for a more bitter harvest.
And an adorable but broody child...
Anyway, it was a refreshing reminder of the type of books I grew up reading. I was riveted by the plot and found myself completely engrossed in the setting. It takes place in France around the shores of Lac Léman, between Geneva, Switzerland and Thonon-les-Bains.
This is a place I spent a month visiting when I was fifteen years old, so the beauty and the nuances of the place were easy to imagine. And just enough french mixed in to let me practice my language skills.
I will definitely be looking up some more titles by this author.
September 15, 2024
Upon rereading, I am updating my rating to 4 stars.
While most things in my original review still stand, after reading another 3 novels by Mary Stewart I came to realise and accept that the author just did not really bother about the "romance" part of the story.
As my friend, Teri-K drew my attention to this, it now makes total sense to me. Stewart treated the romance as a necessary requirement, a check-the-box point. So she threw the romantic interest at the heroines' heads quite early on, made them fall in love with the guys overnight for no better reasons than their being dark, handsome strangers and then happily went back to the side of the story she wanted to write about all along: the mystery.
In this particular story I still utterly disliked William Blake being treated and discarded as a tool by Stewart/her heroine, Linda. (In the literary traditions of the 50s, I guess he did not stand a chance. You see, he was blond, truly kind without any pretense at being mysterious or romantic, a bit awkward, utterly reliable and practical. He was the one Linda actually called for help without hesitation or doubt as she knew he would be there for her and help (as he was and did). So boring and predictable! *Le Sigh*)
-----------------
Original review
3,5 stars.
I am sorry I could not love this book more, because it had all the potential of ending up as a favourite, but though far from perfect, it was still a good read.
There were aspects/parts I absolutely loved, like the writing and the author's ability to create an evocative, atmospheric setting and how she brought the landscape to life. I did not mind those long descriptions at all. There were also some slight Rebecca/Jane Eyre/Cinderella vibes, which were all fine as far as I was concerned. I also liked the plot in general and how the suspense was growing. One of my favourite parts was
I also liked the MC, Linda up to a certain point and because this book was written at the end of the 1950s, I was absolutely willing to cut Mary Stewart some slack concerning the instalove with a tall, dark, handsome stranger (sigh).
I do not like instalove (I guess I am just getting too old for that), but I don't mind it, if there is a strong chemistry between a pair. However, it was that utter lack of chemistry that spoilt this and parts of the story for me and made me think so much less of Linda. There was not even a small spark or sizzle, just nothing, all in typical tell-not-show fashion. And I was wondering how the writer that managed to create such atmospheric ambience failed so spectacularly when it comes to the supposedly romantic stuff.
Raoul -despite those forced embraces/kisses- was not a jerk, and was very far from reaching the dimensions of a supposed Rochester (not that I wanted him to, I don't like byronic-bullshit-heroes at all), but neither could I believe for a moment that he was irresistibly suave and experienced with women. On the contrary, he was utterly bland, just an empty shell of a character.
I am also sorry that that nice, reliable William Blake became a simple tool both for the author and the MC, to be used and then thoughtlessly to be discarded when it suited them. Just like the maid, Berthe. I very much wanted to slap Linda in the face whem she told the police officer that Berthe was a "nobody". While I guess neither she, nor the author meant it to sound disdainful they only wanted to imply that Berthe had nothing to do with the murder attempts, but it was put so tastelessly and dismissively that once again it was proof of their disregard for any character (literary tool) once they played their part. UGH.
I read just one other book by Stewart, Thornyhold, which again I absolutely enjoyed, but had the same experience when it came to the MC and her love interest: I was told about the supposed attraction/instalove, but I had to take the author's word for it, as there was nothing else to convince me.
The ending was convoluted and very abrupt. I could have done with some more info about Linda's and Raoul's "ever after" and what happened to Philippe and Hyppolite AND Berthe and William as well.
Final verdict: Mixed feelings. I did enjoy Stewart's writing a lot, but sometimes I needed to make generous allowance to keep up the enjoyment.
While most things in my original review still stand, after reading another 3 novels by Mary Stewart I came to realise and accept that the author just did not really bother about the "romance" part of the story.
As my friend, Teri-K drew my attention to this, it now makes total sense to me. Stewart treated the romance as a necessary requirement, a check-the-box point. So she threw the romantic interest at the heroines' heads quite early on, made them fall in love with the guys overnight for no better reasons than their being dark, handsome strangers and then happily went back to the side of the story she wanted to write about all along: the mystery.
In this particular story I still utterly disliked William Blake being treated and discarded as a tool by Stewart/her heroine, Linda. (In the literary traditions of the 50s, I guess he did not stand a chance. You see, he was blond, truly kind without any pretense at being mysterious or romantic, a bit awkward, utterly reliable and practical. He was the one Linda actually called for help without hesitation or doubt as she knew he would be there for her and help (as he was and did). So boring and predictable! *Le Sigh*)
-----------------
Original review
3,5 stars.
I am sorry I could not love this book more, because it had all the potential of ending up as a favourite, but though far from perfect, it was still a good read.
There were aspects/parts I absolutely loved, like the writing and the author's ability to create an evocative, atmospheric setting and how she brought the landscape to life. I did not mind those long descriptions at all. There were also some slight Rebecca/Jane Eyre/Cinderella vibes, which were all fine as far as I was concerned. I also liked the plot in general and how the suspense was growing. One of my favourite parts was
I also liked the MC, Linda up to a certain point and because this book was written at the end of the 1950s, I was absolutely willing to cut Mary Stewart some slack concerning the instalove with a tall, dark, handsome stranger (sigh).
I do not like instalove (I guess I am just getting too old for that), but I don't mind it, if there is a strong chemistry between a pair. However, it was that utter lack of chemistry that spoilt this and parts of the story for me and made me think so much less of Linda. There was not even a small spark or sizzle, just nothing, all in typical tell-not-show fashion. And I was wondering how the writer that managed to create such atmospheric ambience failed so spectacularly when it comes to the supposedly romantic stuff.
Raoul -despite those forced embraces/kisses- was not a jerk, and was very far from reaching the dimensions of a supposed Rochester (not that I wanted him to, I don't like byronic-bullshit-heroes at all), but neither could I believe for a moment that he was irresistibly suave and experienced with women. On the contrary, he was utterly bland, just an empty shell of a character.
I am also sorry that that nice, reliable William Blake became a simple tool both for the author and the MC, to be used and then thoughtlessly to be discarded when it suited them. Just like the maid, Berthe. I very much wanted to slap Linda in the face whem she told the police officer that Berthe was a "nobody". While I guess neither she, nor the author meant it to sound disdainful they only wanted to imply that Berthe had nothing to do with the murder attempts, but it was put so tastelessly and dismissively that once again it was proof of their disregard for any character (literary tool) once they played their part. UGH.
I read just one other book by Stewart, Thornyhold, which again I absolutely enjoyed, but had the same experience when it came to the MC and her love interest: I was told about the supposed attraction/instalove, but I had to take the author's word for it, as there was nothing else to convince me.
The ending was convoluted and very abrupt. I could have done with some more info about Linda's and Raoul's "ever after" and what happened to Philippe and Hyppolite AND Berthe and William as well.
Final verdict: Mixed feelings. I did enjoy Stewart's writing a lot, but sometimes I needed to make generous allowance to keep up the enjoyment.
June 11, 2015
After a rather drab existence in an English orphanage Linda Martin is appointed governess to the nine-year-old owner of the Chateau Valmy in the French Alps. During little Philippe's minority the estates are being managed by his crippled uncle Leon, and Leon's handsome son Raoul. All seems delightful, but there are tensions below the smooth surface. One sunny afternoon a bullet is fired in the beechwoods ... and the tensions become terrors.
The main reason I wanted to read this book was the name "Sandra Brown" - she actually wrote the foreword ...
"... the book not only delighted readers but also defined the romantic suspense genre by artfully and seamlessly combining the elements of of mystery and gothic tales with a classic love story."
Classic it sure was. Yes, I am going to parrot Karen's review ... I immediately though of du Maurier and Christie while reading this one. These authors I grew up with. No kindles when I was younger, no large bookstores, no online shops to get books. It was the local library or nothing.
The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under our battlements ...
Each chapter is prefaced by a quote. It makes for intriguing reading as you don't know what to expect.
We have Linda, the governess who comes from England. Her young ward Philppe. And a host of background characters. And we have Raoul.
To quote Ms Brown ...
Has there ever been a character as enigmatic and attractive as Raoul. Even before he appears he's a vital presence in the novel ...
It's quite refreshing to read a book that is not dictated by throbbing cocks and multiple orgasms!!
Linda was very protective of her young ward, Philippe and when it seemed his life might be in danger she did all she could to protect him
I liked the writing style. Even though it was written nearly 60 years ago it stands the test of time. Well, I suppose most of the classics do, don't they.
February 19, 2017
I am a sucker for poor-governess-gets-rich-master-of-the-mansion as much as the next person.
The first 100 pages of the novel are quite good, where poor orphan girl from England is hired as a governess to live on a beautiful French estate and take care of a young heir. She teaches, takes walks, enjoys mountain scenery, etc. I think Mary Stewart is a good writer of atmospheric settings. I would love to live there too.
However, when the famously suave love interest is introduced, the story goes down the drain. This love interest is problematic, definitely with unresolved anger issues. The relationship is problematic too. So rushed and basically starts with a violent kiss that is nothing but an assault. Gah.
Then the mystery, that really is a sloppy mess that often makes no logical sense.
I don't really understand why this book is so well-loved. Stewart appears to be a skilled writer who made some terrible plot choices in this novel.
And Linda will find herself in a whole lot of trouble marrying a guy like Raoul.
The first 100 pages of the novel are quite good, where poor orphan girl from England is hired as a governess to live on a beautiful French estate and take care of a young heir. She teaches, takes walks, enjoys mountain scenery, etc. I think Mary Stewart is a good writer of atmospheric settings. I would love to live there too.
However, when the famously suave love interest is introduced, the story goes down the drain. This love interest is problematic, definitely with unresolved anger issues. The relationship is problematic too. So rushed and basically starts with a violent kiss that is nothing but an assault. Gah.
Then the mystery, that really is a sloppy mess that often makes no logical sense.
I don't really understand why this book is so well-loved. Stewart appears to be a skilled writer who made some terrible plot choices in this novel.
And Linda will find herself in a whole lot of trouble marrying a guy like Raoul.
April 18, 2017
Wondering where the "nine coaches" comes from?
It was from a 17th century play,The Revenger's Tragedy.
I'm not sure how many nods to the above drama the erudite Stewart made, but there are obvious references to Jane Eyre, Cinderella, Aladdin, Lady Macbeth & William Blake. I found the start a little slow, but from about the 4th coach the pace really picks up! And Mary Stewart's descriptive powers made me feel like I was in France.
My first reading I gave this book 3.5★ I still feel very sorry but I think the main problem I had on the first reading was I hadn't completely gone back to my retro roots. Phillippe is one of the best children in adult fiction by anyone, the resourceful Linda one of Stewart's best heroines. A believable if rapid romance.
What's not to love? ♥
Read with the Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? group.
It was from a 17th century play,The Revenger's Tragedy.
Oh, think upon the pleasure of the palace:
Secured ease and state, the stirring meats,
Ready to move out of the dishes,
That e'en now quicken when they're eaten,
Banquets abroad by torch-light, musics, sports,
Bare-headed vassals that had ne'er the fortune
To keep on their own hats but let horns [wear] 'em,
Nine coaches waiting. Hurry, hurry, hurry!
I'm not sure how many nods to the above drama the erudite Stewart made, but there are obvious references to Jane Eyre, Cinderella, Aladdin, Lady Macbeth & William Blake. I found the start a little slow, but from about the 4th coach the pace really picks up! And Mary Stewart's descriptive powers made me feel like I was in France.
My first reading I gave this book 3.5★ I still feel very sorry but I think the main problem I had on the first reading was I hadn't completely gone back to my retro roots. Phillippe is one of the best children in adult fiction by anyone, the resourceful Linda one of Stewart's best heroines. A believable if rapid romance.
What's not to love? ♥
Read with the Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? group.
Read
December 18, 2021Source of book: owned by moi
Relevant disclaimers: none
I am incredibly fond of this book, and re-read it recently.
It is, however, incredibly difficult to talk about because it has an absolute appalling portrayal of disability right at its centre. Of course, part of that is to do with the time when the book was written and set, and we cannot measure the value of every books that exists by how well it reflects contemporary ideas. But, by the same token, being all like “this book villainises a man who uses a wheelchair but it’s chill because it was written in the 1950s” is in itself extremely problematic, and comes from a place of privilege.
So: there are many things this book does well, and it has the capacity to be a really absorbing read, being a sort of gothic rom-sus, BUT there’s some non-ideal gender dynamics (the hero at one point kisses the heroine so hard, he makes her lip bleed, and still insists she was into it) and the, uh, whole terrible disability rep issue mentioned above. All of which is to say, I’m going to talk about what works about the book for me. But I’m not trying to diminish the fact it contains multiple elements of what could rightly be MASSIVE DEAL BREAKERS.
Anyway, the deal here is that the heroine, Linda Martin, was orphaned at a young age. Having been raised in France (her mother was French, her father English) she is educated in England before taking a job as a teacher at a boy’s prep school. From there, she secures a position of governess to Philippe de Valmy, the also orphaned heir to great estate in France. There’s an unusual emphasis on Philippe needing a native English speaker as a governess, which leads to Linda to obfuscate her background, including her fluency in French. In any case, Philippe turns out to be a sad and lonely that Linda cannot help but feel a sense of kinship towards (given they are both orphans). His estate, meanwhile, is currently in the care of his uncle, Leon de Valmy: the aforementioned unfortunate portrayal of a man with a disability.
Not remotely to defend the portrayal (it is inexcusable by modern standards) and putting aside the unfortunate tendency to situate disability as a challenge to masculinity (much like Lady Chatterley’s husband in Lady Chatterley’s Lover) … Leon is kind of a charisma bomb. A malicious charisma bomb, sure, but a charisma bomb nonetheless. Watching the heroine grapple frankly with both attraction and mistrust, as he dominates every scene in which he participates, is kind of a guilty pleasure.
As for Linda herself, she’s just amazing. She’s pretty and lively and clever, and she knows it, though she’s also humble and compassionate. It’s kind of so refreshing to get a gothic heroine who is neither a bargain basement Jane Eyre or else so absurdly strong-willed and pragmatic that there’s no real sense of narrative threat. Nine Coaches pulls off the seemingly impossible trick of never allowing its heroine to act implausibly: she’s no Catherine Morland seeing mystery in laundry lists, but when the threat escalates she takes action. More significantly, at the height of the shit hitting the fan, she’s uncertain who is safe to trust, which leads her commit an act of emotional betrayal. She apologies for it later, but she also stands by it because it she put what she saw as her duty above her, well, her romantic subplot I guess? Again, I found this admirable and unusual. The romantic stakes weren’t super high for me because I wasn’t particularly keen on the hero (more on this later) but they’re significant enough to Linda: essentially she’s willing to sacrifice her own HEA to do what she believes is right. That’s some hardcore heroine-ing right there.
Little Philippe is also just an absolute lamb—although I always resent books that make me care for fictional children. Dammit. As I’ve said above, the only narrative thread that didn’t fully work for me as a reader was the romantic subplot: ultimately it ends up being quite a private business for Linda. She falls in love off-page without really giving us any details and, ultimately, what she sees in the romantic lead ends up being quite personal and not particularly accessible to the reader. This was interesting, but I don’t think it was entirely successful in giving me romancey-feels.
At the end of the day, Nine Coaches feels like a very modern (I mean, modern in terms of when the genre happens to be set—it’s full of motorcars roaring about, and planes sweeping people about Europe) take on the gothic. Yes, it has problems (and I feel I’ve touched on these in some detail) but it’s impeccably structured: the sustained tension in the final 40% of the book is a fucking masterclass in suspenseful writing. Plus the denouncement goes to some places that, while also problematic in some regards, offer such a fascinating perspective on a character who might have been previously dismissed and really foregrounds the book's complicated themes of family, legacy, and gender.
I think why I am more forgiving of Nine Coaches that it probably deserves… I mean, apart from the fact it’s SATURATED in literary references: there are epigraphs on epigraphs on epigraphs here, and part of Leon’s sinister perspicacity appears to be a meta-textual capacity to engage directly with his literary archetype, like he’s Mr Nobody from the first season of the TV-version of Doom Patrol. In any case, part of the reason I’m more forgiving of Nine Coaches than I probably should be is that the catharsis of certain types of gothic fiction comes from the re-establishment of … y’know … normative stuff. The mentally unwell WOC jumps off the burning battlements, freeing her dickhead husband to marry the nice white lady. The corrupted seat of power annexed by the ambitious bisexual lady and her lesbian housekeeper burns down liberating the dickhead husband and his second wife from the chains of duty. But in Nine Coaches, it is the people willing to sacrifice anything to consolidate heteronormative social and material power who are ultimately destroyed. Leaving the orphaned, the lost, the damaged and the lonely to create between them a kinder, gentler, more accepting version of family.
But yeah. Still got an evil disabled man in it.
(PS: I know language around disability is quite complicated, and there isn’t—as far as I’m aware—consensus whether the preferred term is “people with disabilities” or “disabled people”. I think in the US the former tends to be preferred, whereas in the UK it’s more common to see the latter. I’ve therefore used both).
Relevant disclaimers: none
I am incredibly fond of this book, and re-read it recently.
It is, however, incredibly difficult to talk about because it has an absolute appalling portrayal of disability right at its centre. Of course, part of that is to do with the time when the book was written and set, and we cannot measure the value of every books that exists by how well it reflects contemporary ideas. But, by the same token, being all like “this book villainises a man who uses a wheelchair but it’s chill because it was written in the 1950s” is in itself extremely problematic, and comes from a place of privilege.
So: there are many things this book does well, and it has the capacity to be a really absorbing read, being a sort of gothic rom-sus, BUT there’s some non-ideal gender dynamics (the hero at one point kisses the heroine so hard, he makes her lip bleed, and still insists she was into it) and the, uh, whole terrible disability rep issue mentioned above. All of which is to say, I’m going to talk about what works about the book for me. But I’m not trying to diminish the fact it contains multiple elements of what could rightly be MASSIVE DEAL BREAKERS.
Anyway, the deal here is that the heroine, Linda Martin, was orphaned at a young age. Having been raised in France (her mother was French, her father English) she is educated in England before taking a job as a teacher at a boy’s prep school. From there, she secures a position of governess to Philippe de Valmy, the also orphaned heir to great estate in France. There’s an unusual emphasis on Philippe needing a native English speaker as a governess, which leads to Linda to obfuscate her background, including her fluency in French. In any case, Philippe turns out to be a sad and lonely that Linda cannot help but feel a sense of kinship towards (given they are both orphans). His estate, meanwhile, is currently in the care of his uncle, Leon de Valmy: the aforementioned unfortunate portrayal of a man with a disability.
Not remotely to defend the portrayal (it is inexcusable by modern standards) and putting aside the unfortunate tendency to situate disability as a challenge to masculinity (much like Lady Chatterley’s husband in Lady Chatterley’s Lover) … Leon is kind of a charisma bomb. A malicious charisma bomb, sure, but a charisma bomb nonetheless. Watching the heroine grapple frankly with both attraction and mistrust, as he dominates every scene in which he participates, is kind of a guilty pleasure.
As for Linda herself, she’s just amazing. She’s pretty and lively and clever, and she knows it, though she’s also humble and compassionate. It’s kind of so refreshing to get a gothic heroine who is neither a bargain basement Jane Eyre or else so absurdly strong-willed and pragmatic that there’s no real sense of narrative threat. Nine Coaches pulls off the seemingly impossible trick of never allowing its heroine to act implausibly: she’s no Catherine Morland seeing mystery in laundry lists, but when the threat escalates she takes action. More significantly, at the height of the shit hitting the fan, she’s uncertain who is safe to trust, which leads her commit an act of emotional betrayal. She apologies for it later, but she also stands by it because it she put what she saw as her duty above her, well, her romantic subplot I guess? Again, I found this admirable and unusual. The romantic stakes weren’t super high for me because I wasn’t particularly keen on the hero (more on this later) but they’re significant enough to Linda: essentially she’s willing to sacrifice her own HEA to do what she believes is right. That’s some hardcore heroine-ing right there.
Little Philippe is also just an absolute lamb—although I always resent books that make me care for fictional children. Dammit. As I’ve said above, the only narrative thread that didn’t fully work for me as a reader was the romantic subplot: ultimately it ends up being quite a private business for Linda. She falls in love off-page without really giving us any details and, ultimately, what she sees in the romantic lead ends up being quite personal and not particularly accessible to the reader. This was interesting, but I don’t think it was entirely successful in giving me romancey-feels.
At the end of the day, Nine Coaches feels like a very modern (I mean, modern in terms of when the genre happens to be set—it’s full of motorcars roaring about, and planes sweeping people about Europe) take on the gothic. Yes, it has problems (and I feel I’ve touched on these in some detail) but it’s impeccably structured: the sustained tension in the final 40% of the book is a fucking masterclass in suspenseful writing. Plus the denouncement goes to some places that, while also problematic in some regards, offer such a fascinating perspective on a character who might have been previously dismissed and really foregrounds the book's complicated themes of family, legacy, and gender.
I think why I am more forgiving of Nine Coaches that it probably deserves… I mean, apart from the fact it’s SATURATED in literary references: there are epigraphs on epigraphs on epigraphs here, and part of Leon’s sinister perspicacity appears to be a meta-textual capacity to engage directly with his literary archetype, like he’s Mr Nobody from the first season of the TV-version of Doom Patrol. In any case, part of the reason I’m more forgiving of Nine Coaches than I probably should be is that the catharsis of certain types of gothic fiction comes from the re-establishment of … y’know … normative stuff. The mentally unwell WOC jumps off the burning battlements, freeing her dickhead husband to marry the nice white lady. The corrupted seat of power annexed by the ambitious bisexual lady and her lesbian housekeeper burns down liberating the dickhead husband and his second wife from the chains of duty. But in Nine Coaches, it is the people willing to sacrifice anything to consolidate heteronormative social and material power who are ultimately destroyed. Leaving the orphaned, the lost, the damaged and the lonely to create between them a kinder, gentler, more accepting version of family.
But yeah. Still got an evil disabled man in it.
(PS: I know language around disability is quite complicated, and there isn’t—as far as I’m aware—consensus whether the preferred term is “people with disabilities” or “disabled people”. I think in the US the former tends to be preferred, whereas in the UK it’s more common to see the latter. I’ve therefore used both).
July 26, 2014
I have a good friend from Mexico City who sounds exactly like Wilmer Valderrama's character, Fez, from That 70's Show. I just love his movie recommendations...and his accent! I laugh to myself when I remember his sparkling recommendation of Terminator 3 back in its heyday. "Eve, it's a classic film! It's got comedy, romance, and action!"
Though we definitely don't agree on what a certified "classic" is, his equation for good entertainment is right on par. Nine Coaches Waiting was a thrill to read, namely because it was a cocktail of comedy, romance, and action. Written by Mary Stewart in 1958, it had elements from many different works of fiction including Jane Eyre, Cinderella, and even Rebecca, yet it maintained it's own style and originality.
Linda Martin, a twenty-something teacher and orphan from England, accepts an exciting job as a governess at a chateau in the French Alps. Her ward, 9-year-old Philippe, has just lost his parents to a terrible accident, and is sullen and detached. His guardians, although genteel and generous, lead Linda to think that there is something more to the situation than meets the eye.
This isn't the most brilliantly written book out there, but I appreciated it for the same reasons I loved Rebecca. Stewart takes her time relaying events to you as a reader. Before you realize what's going on, you're completely involved with her characters. I haven't been to Thonon-les-Bains, but I feel like I've traveled there! I know every square inch of Chateau Valmy and it's grounds. It's...real! That's when you know that the author writes out of a need and love for her characters and the craft.
I have a 1966 ex-library book edition that I picked up at a library sale. Embossed on the inner cover page are the words: PROPERTY OF NORTH OLMSTED JR. HIGH LIBRARY. It's definitely been read and loved by many students, that's for sure. It smells old, and the mylar cover makes it crinkle when it's handled. Those are the best sounds and smells in the world! At any rate, get your hands on this book! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Though we definitely don't agree on what a certified "classic" is, his equation for good entertainment is right on par. Nine Coaches Waiting was a thrill to read, namely because it was a cocktail of comedy, romance, and action. Written by Mary Stewart in 1958, it had elements from many different works of fiction including Jane Eyre, Cinderella, and even Rebecca, yet it maintained it's own style and originality.
Linda Martin, a twenty-something teacher and orphan from England, accepts an exciting job as a governess at a chateau in the French Alps. Her ward, 9-year-old Philippe, has just lost his parents to a terrible accident, and is sullen and detached. His guardians, although genteel and generous, lead Linda to think that there is something more to the situation than meets the eye.
This isn't the most brilliantly written book out there, but I appreciated it for the same reasons I loved Rebecca. Stewart takes her time relaying events to you as a reader. Before you realize what's going on, you're completely involved with her characters. I haven't been to Thonon-les-Bains, but I feel like I've traveled there! I know every square inch of Chateau Valmy and it's grounds. It's...real! That's when you know that the author writes out of a need and love for her characters and the craft.
I have a 1966 ex-library book edition that I picked up at a library sale. Embossed on the inner cover page are the words: PROPERTY OF NORTH OLMSTED JR. HIGH LIBRARY. It's definitely been read and loved by many students, that's for sure. It smells old, and the mylar cover makes it crinkle when it's handled. Those are the best sounds and smells in the world! At any rate, get your hands on this book! I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
September 11, 2014
Readers beware: what might be construed as mild spoilers follow.
According to Mary Stewart's Wikipedia entry, Stewart "developed the romantic mystery genre, featuring smart, adventurous heroines who could hold their own in dangerous situations". This novel is one of Stewart's "romantic mysteries", or as the Wikipedia article also classifies it, a "Gothic romance". The heroine is Linda Martin, who is engaged as a governess for a young French orphan of aristocratic background. She comes to realise that her charge's life is in danger and resorts to desperate measures to protect him.
I'm not a reader of romances.* However, I've spent a lifetime reading mysteries. What I expect from a mystery is that it will be, well, mysterious. Part of the convention of mysteries is that there'll be a twist and part of the fun of reading them is identifying the twist and trying to work out whodunit (or whydunit, or howdunit). The most fun of all is when the writing is so clever that you can't solve the mystery, even though all the clues are there in the text.
As far as I'm concerned, the major problem with this novel is that the narrative makes it abundantly clear from the very beginning whom Stewart wants the reader to suspect. In any decent mystery, the obvious suspect is unlikely to be the villain. Knowing this, I was working on at least a couple of theories about who wanted to kill young Philippe. And then I realised that the twist in this novel is that there is no twist. Not only that, but the confirmation that there's no twist is set out in pages of excruciating exposition after chapters of what's supposed to be suspenseful action but which is in fact nothing of the kind.
So much for the mystery. There's not much point in writing about the romance. It's there, but it's not terribly convincing. This is particularly so when for most of the novel the heroine is wondering whether her true love is really a would-be murderer.
Stewart doesn't write badly. On the contrary, she writes lovely descriptions of the beautiful locations in which she sets her novels. That said, the prose in this particular novel occasionally verges on the purple and it was rather hard to accept that a young woman on the run from a ruthless assailant would spend quite so much time noticing the trees and the flowers as Linda seems to.
This is the fourth Mary Stewart I've read. Madam, Will You Talk? was a lot of fun because of its 1950s style and its South of France setting. This Rough Magic I also enjoyed, at least in part because of its Corfu setting. The Ivy Tree I wasn't impressed with for a number of reasons, one of which was that what passed for a twist was patently obvious from early on. This one is pretty much on a par with The Ivy Tree, but whereas I gave that one three stars, I don't think I can do that with this novel: my disappointment with the complete fizzer of an ending is too great. Not even the Haute Savoie setting could save it.
I really wish that my response to this novel was more positive as many of my GR friends love it. I completely understand having a sentimental attachment to Mary Stewart's writing, as I have such an attachment to Georgette Heyer's writing. I may even, at some point, read another of Stewart's novels. Maybe she wrote one which really is both romantic AND mysterious.
I'm glad that I read this book with my friend Anna. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who found it disappointing. For me, this was a barely scraping in 2 1/2 star reading experience.
*The exception being the novels of Georgette Heyer, for whose work I cherish a strong attachment, largely because she was introduced to me by my mother when I was in my teens. Hers are the novels I turn to when I want something funny and light to cheer me up when I'm feeling sick or sad.
April 1, 2019
Re-read.
Just so well written. Mary Stewart is the master of Romantic Suspense and has influenced so many writers. If you are an Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels fan, a lot of her early books channel Stewart.
She takes the time to build the story, no word count issues here, and develops the heroine, the hero and the secondary characters in ways that add to the plot and how it plays out.
The heroine is smart and caring, and while she falls in love she still maintains brain function. Passion but no sex scenes.
It has been a long time since I read this book, but it's one that cemented Mary Stewart's reputation as romance/suspense writer. She has influenced so many writers.
No sex scenes, bodice ripping, but a great build up of both suspense/mystery and romance. Yes, it has one of the biggest tropes, the orphaned girl, but you are the author that helps create and define the trope you are excused.
Just so well written. Mary Stewart is the master of Romantic Suspense and has influenced so many writers. If you are an Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels fan, a lot of her early books channel Stewart.
She takes the time to build the story, no word count issues here, and develops the heroine, the hero and the secondary characters in ways that add to the plot and how it plays out.
The heroine is smart and caring, and while she falls in love she still maintains brain function. Passion but no sex scenes.
It has been a long time since I read this book, but it's one that cemented Mary Stewart's reputation as romance/suspense writer. She has influenced so many writers.
No sex scenes, bodice ripping, but a great build up of both suspense/mystery and romance. Yes, it has one of the biggest tropes, the orphaned girl, but you are the author that helps create and define the trope you are excused.
November 26, 2017
"Nine Coaches Waiting" is a riveting romantic suspense novel set in a French chateau near the Swiss border. Linda Martin, with roots in both France and England, was hired as a governess to the orphaned nine-year-old Philippe, the heir to the beautiful estate. His paralyzed uncle, Leon de Valmy, runs the Chateau Valmy until Philippe comes of age. Leon lost most of the things he loved in a tragic car accident, and his life revolves around his obsessive love for the Chateau Valmy. When Philippe has multiple "accidents", his governess becomes suspicious. Can she trust Philippe's aunt and uncle and their attractive son Raoul?
This is a fast-paced romantic mystery with a Gothic atmosphere. There's a Cinderella feeling that runs through it with Linda, who spent years in an orphanage, meeting the tall, dark, handsome, and titled Raoul. Fast cars racing around mountain curves replace Cinderella's pumpkin coach. There are sweet times between Linda and little Philippe as well as times of terror. Although it was written in 1958, it still remains a page turner today.
This is a fast-paced romantic mystery with a Gothic atmosphere. There's a Cinderella feeling that runs through it with Linda, who spent years in an orphanage, meeting the tall, dark, handsome, and titled Raoul. Fast cars racing around mountain curves replace Cinderella's pumpkin coach. There are sweet times between Linda and little Philippe as well as times of terror. Although it was written in 1958, it still remains a page turner today.
November 29, 2017
Loved this! My first Mary Stewart, the first of many more! I’d heard great things about this book and Mary Stewart, but never quite got round to it. It was not what I expected at all. I think the coaches reference in the title led me to believe it was historical fiction in the style of a mash up of Jamaica Inn and Jane Eyre. It was definitely reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier . Is there a film of this? I feel there might be one out there and if there isn’t, maybe there should be. I very much enjoyed its gothic nature.
Recommended.
Recommended.
January 31, 2016
Linda Martin, an orphaned English girl, has accepted a job as governess at Chateau Valmy in the French countryside. We know immediately that all is not as it seems in the Valmy household, as does Miss Martin, and the sorting of the good from the bad is a dangerous endeavor.
Reading Nine Coaches Waiting again was like coming home and finding someone had already lit you a fire and left you a hot toddy. I sank back into it, and it was as wonderful as the very first time I read it. When I was young I read this book more than once, and I thought I might find it had lost some of its allure now that I am so much older--NOT SO. It has all those wonderful details that draws one in: the orphaned governess, posing as less than she is, the French mansion with vast estate grounds and gardens, the handsome but rakish gentleman, and a life-or-death mystery that must be solved. The thing about Mary Stewart is that she takes all those well-worn elements and creates something new and thrilling from them. She transports you into this imagined world and anything that sounds unbelievable or cliche in a blurb just disappears into her creative and believable writing style. You find yourself holding your breath with Linda Martin and feeling her desperation as she attempts to unravel her suspicions from the facts.
I cannot express how much I love Mary Stewart and her writing. I have discovered that there are two books she has written that I have not read. I am waiting for copies of them to arrive. It is like knowing there is a Godiva chocolate bar hidden just out of reach. I want it now, but I am savoring the knowledge that it will be a delight beyond measure when I finally find its hiding place. Meanwhile, I decided to resample the chocolates that are already sitting on my shelf.
Reading Nine Coaches Waiting again was like coming home and finding someone had already lit you a fire and left you a hot toddy. I sank back into it, and it was as wonderful as the very first time I read it. When I was young I read this book more than once, and I thought I might find it had lost some of its allure now that I am so much older--NOT SO. It has all those wonderful details that draws one in: the orphaned governess, posing as less than she is, the French mansion with vast estate grounds and gardens, the handsome but rakish gentleman, and a life-or-death mystery that must be solved. The thing about Mary Stewart is that she takes all those well-worn elements and creates something new and thrilling from them. She transports you into this imagined world and anything that sounds unbelievable or cliche in a blurb just disappears into her creative and believable writing style. You find yourself holding your breath with Linda Martin and feeling her desperation as she attempts to unravel her suspicions from the facts.
I cannot express how much I love Mary Stewart and her writing. I have discovered that there are two books she has written that I have not read. I am waiting for copies of them to arrive. It is like knowing there is a Godiva chocolate bar hidden just out of reach. I want it now, but I am savoring the knowledge that it will be a delight beyond measure when I finally find its hiding place. Meanwhile, I decided to resample the chocolates that are already sitting on my shelf.
November 9, 2014
I bought this book because it was mentioned as being a modern gothic title.
Not quite.
The author tries to convey unease from time to time, but that's not pervasive like one would expect in a gothic novel. 95% of the time, the plot has a light atmosphere. As for the setting, the large chateau seems to fit with typical gothic placings, but its description isn't right for it, nor does the heroine feel scared or intimidated by it at all during her stay. The author probably didn't intend to label this book a gothic, so I'm not going to say she fell short of an intention that wasn't there to begin with. I'm just stating for the record that whoever suggests this as a good gothic title is not quite in the right.
The hero fits in with the stereotypical love interest who appears in gothic novels, surely, but he and the entire aspect of the relationship falls very short. If I'd read the blurb preceding the novel before buying it, I would've realized I was going to be faced with a predictable romance and stayed away from the book. Yet even predictable can be executed well, such as in the book Jane Eyre, a book whose main character the heroine of THIS book compares herself to. And this book doesn't do predictable well. I certainly didn't get a good feel for the relationship when our heroine, Linda, expresses her love in her inner monologue to the reader...after having known the man one night. When the actual affair begins, Linda allows it to flesh out at the possible expense of her own job, even though she should know that her being fired would be detrimental to her young charge, Phillippe.
The characters' personalities also fall short, and their places in the story seem rather forced. One character is introduced and brought back later on with no real purpose. I don't buy certain motives the characters had; even though they're clearly "real", they feel like they're playing a part. It's not good when an author can't make believeable the characters she owns and created.
Certainly not a book worth the $15.00 it costs. I would return it if I could. I have enough books without a lackluster one taking up space.
Not quite.
The author tries to convey unease from time to time, but that's not pervasive like one would expect in a gothic novel. 95% of the time, the plot has a light atmosphere. As for the setting, the large chateau seems to fit with typical gothic placings, but its description isn't right for it, nor does the heroine feel scared or intimidated by it at all during her stay. The author probably didn't intend to label this book a gothic, so I'm not going to say she fell short of an intention that wasn't there to begin with. I'm just stating for the record that whoever suggests this as a good gothic title is not quite in the right.
The hero fits in with the stereotypical love interest who appears in gothic novels, surely, but he and the entire aspect of the relationship falls very short. If I'd read the blurb preceding the novel before buying it, I would've realized I was going to be faced with a predictable romance and stayed away from the book. Yet even predictable can be executed well, such as in the book Jane Eyre, a book whose main character the heroine of THIS book compares herself to. And this book doesn't do predictable well. I certainly didn't get a good feel for the relationship when our heroine, Linda, expresses her love in her inner monologue to the reader...after having known the man one night. When the actual affair begins, Linda allows it to flesh out at the possible expense of her own job, even though she should know that her being fired would be detrimental to her young charge, Phillippe.
The characters' personalities also fall short, and their places in the story seem rather forced. One character is introduced and brought back later on with no real purpose. I don't buy certain motives the characters had; even though they're clearly "real", they feel like they're playing a part. It's not good when an author can't make believeable the characters she owns and created.
Certainly not a book worth the $15.00 it costs. I would return it if I could. I have enough books without a lackluster one taking up space.
August 11, 2009
I have fond memories of Mary Stewart books from my tween days, but I didn’t expect to enjoy one now that I’m old and critical (that's just sad; maybe “mature and learned”?). What a fun surprise! This one has all the elements you could hope for in a 1950’s adventure/thriller/romance — a young woman trying to start a new life; a mysterious French count; suspicious happenings at a chateau; a handsome and swarthy Frenchman who MIGHT BE DANGEROUS; midnight picnics; near-death adventures; and. . . hold on to your hat. . . a perilous car chase! And, as a bonus, the main character takes at least two days, not ten minutes, to fall helplessly in love. Fiction so light it's "lite," but tons of fun.
September 21, 2021
[7/10]
I could see it in my mind’s eye now, as I had pictured it a hundred times since the journey started – the fairy-tale castle of a dream, something remote and romantic and impossible – a sort of Walt Disney advertisement for Gibbs Dentifrice.
The novel deserves an extra half-star for doing a good job of escapism at a time when I needed to forget a little about my troubles and go on a long delayed holiday to Lake Geneva, even if it is a fictional one.
This is my first novel I think from Mary Stewart, and I was well satisfied with the presentation: an easy and natural flow of storytelling with a personable young woman as the narrator. I believe the genre is called gothic romance, and even if the story doesn’t quite achieve the same quality as ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne de Maurier, Chateau Valmy near Soubirons in the Haute-Savoie is well worth a visit, under the guidance of Linda Martin.
Banquets abroad by torchlight!
music! sports!
Nine coaches waiting –
hurry – hurry – hurry –
Ay, to the devil ...
When orphan and impoverished young lady Linda Martin is offered a job as a governess to a young boy who is heir to a castle in France, she jumps at the chance to escape a dreary job as a school tutor in foggy England. This is also a chance to return to precious memories about her childhood in Paris, before both her parents were killed in an accident and she was forced to go to an orphanage in England. Linda tries to hide her French language proficiency from her employer, the young boy’s aunt, who wanted an English speaking governess, but she is secretly thrilled to the bottom of her romantic soul to have an adventure in a fairytale castle.
The lyrics of a childhood poem echo through her mind with the persistence and the rhythm of the locomotive that drives her towards her destination.
On arrival at Castle Valmy, Linda realizes that she has landed in a nest of vipers, as the sickly nine years old boy is apparently a victim of repeated assassination attempts from his very own relatives. Falling in love with the dashing [tall, dark and handsome] uncle of the boy will only serve to complicate her life beyond reason.
... Ay, to the devil! indeed.
I have spent numerous holidays myself around Lake Geneva, mostly on the opposite [Swiss] shore, away from Evian-les-Bains and environs, so I can argue that Mary Stewart did a great job in bringing the landscape and its people alive in her novel. The denouement lacked something in subtlety and/or surprise, but it compensates by being very cinematic and intense in the best tradition of historical romance.
I might come back to Mary Stewart in the future.
June 5, 2009
A mystery, a romance and a perfect blend of gothic spookiness, what's not to love? Linda Martin arrives at the Chateaux Valmy high in the French Alps to care for young Comte Philippe, recently orphaned and in the care of his uncle Leon and step-aunt Heloise de Valmy. When Leon's son Raoul arrives, Linda finds herself falling in love, although things are not as they appear and Philippe begins to have several life threatening accidents. Or are they accidents? Is there something more sinister involved? Could the person behind these attempts want to set Linda up as the scapegoat? What about her beloved Raoul? Could he have a part in this deadly scheme?
That's about all I'm going to tell, you know I'm not into book reports or spoilers. Linda was a charming Jane Eyre-ish type of heroine, and I loved the dark mysterious Raoul (ooh, that midnight "buffet"). Stewart has a lovely, subtle style of story telling and keeps the plot moving without too much in-your-face telling instead of showing and very reminiscent of Du Maurier. I also loved how she worked the mists and clouds of the high mountains (as well as that hair raising zig-zag drive to the Chateaux) to set a properly spooky atmosphere,
"Out into a patch of clear darkness, and then another cloud was on us, but this time thin, so that our yellow-dimmed lights made rainbows in it that wisped away along our wings, and we were through."
All in all a perfect book to cuddle up with for a rainy day, my only complaint is she took a tad bit too long to wrap all the lose ends up, so I'm knocking off one star. 4/5.
That's about all I'm going to tell, you know I'm not into book reports or spoilers. Linda was a charming Jane Eyre-ish type of heroine, and I loved the dark mysterious Raoul (ooh, that midnight "buffet"). Stewart has a lovely, subtle style of story telling and keeps the plot moving without too much in-your-face telling instead of showing and very reminiscent of Du Maurier. I also loved how she worked the mists and clouds of the high mountains (as well as that hair raising zig-zag drive to the Chateaux) to set a properly spooky atmosphere,
"Out into a patch of clear darkness, and then another cloud was on us, but this time thin, so that our yellow-dimmed lights made rainbows in it that wisped away along our wings, and we were through."
All in all a perfect book to cuddle up with for a rainy day, my only complaint is she took a tad bit too long to wrap all the lose ends up, so I'm knocking off one star. 4/5.
March 20, 2015
Nine Coaches Waiting, ★★★★★
Linda Martin's father was English, but her mother French. So she grew up with both as her 'mother tongue'. Now though they are both dead and for some seven years she has lived in an English orphanage, first as a waif and now as a governess how is to be sent out to a post. What could be better than a post in France, teaching a little boy English? True they said they didn't want a governess who spoke French but, since she needs the job badly she goes as an all English teacher. Without saying a word of her French. Stooping so low as to talk school girl French, which puts everyone into fits of laughter.
Soon though she realizes that not all is as it seems, someone doesn't want her there and they will stop at nothing to get rid of her and Philippe, her little charge.
I love the pace of this. The setting is atmospheric and the characters compelling. Philippe is my favorite character, I just loved him! Linda was the perfect heroine, she was wrong, right and confused all at once. She wanted to act on her hunch but didn't dare put Philippe's life at risk.
What an adventure! What suspense! This is the perfect Cinderella/Jane Eyre mix. I wasn't sure who to trust till the second to last chapter, I was as much in the dark as Linda. 5 stars for suspense, Philippe, Linda, romance and plot. This is my third favorite Mary Stewart after Wildfire at Midnight and Madam Will You Talk
There is talk of mistresses and a few swears as well as drinking. I'm pleased to say there were hardly any cigarettes in this Mary Stewart.
Linda Martin's father was English, but her mother French. So she grew up with both as her 'mother tongue'. Now though they are both dead and for some seven years she has lived in an English orphanage, first as a waif and now as a governess how is to be sent out to a post. What could be better than a post in France, teaching a little boy English? True they said they didn't want a governess who spoke French but, since she needs the job badly she goes as an all English teacher. Without saying a word of her French. Stooping so low as to talk school girl French, which puts everyone into fits of laughter.
Soon though she realizes that not all is as it seems, someone doesn't want her there and they will stop at nothing to get rid of her and Philippe, her little charge.
I love the pace of this. The setting is atmospheric and the characters compelling. Philippe is my favorite character, I just loved him! Linda was the perfect heroine, she was wrong, right and confused all at once. She wanted to act on her hunch but didn't dare put Philippe's life at risk.
What an adventure! What suspense! This is the perfect Cinderella/Jane Eyre mix. I wasn't sure who to trust till the second to last chapter, I was as much in the dark as Linda. 5 stars for suspense, Philippe, Linda, romance and plot. This is my third favorite Mary Stewart after Wildfire at Midnight and Madam Will You Talk
There is talk of mistresses and a few swears as well as drinking. I'm pleased to say there were hardly any cigarettes in this Mary Stewart.
September 25, 2023
Re-read audio book, 9/12/23: I loved it just as much this time around, but something else struck me that I couldn't have caught the first time:
Read 6/28/18: I haven't read much Mary Stewart aside from the Arthurian trilogy a million years ago. This one kept popping up as one of her best, and I thought, why not?
I absolutely loved it. I wish I could be more specific. It just worked for me. I don't normally like the alpha male type, but in this case Raoul was...there was something else going on beneath his playboy exterior. And I really, really didn't know who the villain was until everything was revealed, so I was in suspense the whole time.
Now I need to find out if there are any other Mary Stewart novels that are this good.
Read 6/28/18: I haven't read much Mary Stewart aside from the Arthurian trilogy a million years ago. This one kept popping up as one of her best, and I thought, why not?
I absolutely loved it. I wish I could be more specific. It just worked for me. I don't normally like the alpha male type, but in this case Raoul was...there was something else going on beneath his playboy exterior. And I really, really didn't know who the villain was until everything was revealed, so I was in suspense the whole time.
Now I need to find out if there are any other Mary Stewart novels that are this good.
September 29, 2012
Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart has been on my radar for quite awhile. I even have it on my Project Fill in the Gaps list. That, along with the combined recommendations of Holly, Chachic and Angie (three people I trust more than most for recs) finally urged me to pick it up.
I don’t have much previous experience with Mary Stewart – but let me tell you. That will be changing. Nine Coaches Waiting is nothing short of stellar. Everything from the plot to the characters to the writing (the writing, you guys – oh my stars) left me all but speechless.
Let me give you one – very important – piece of advice about Nine Coaches Waiting. Don’t try to learn anything about it before just picking it up. If you enjoy historical novels, mysteries, thrillers and/or suspense – I promise you’ll love it. Let it be a surprise!
Can y’all imagine a better way to describe falling in love than the following?
“It was stupid, it was it was terrifying, it was wonderful, but it had happened.”
The way Mary Stewart has with words kills me, y’all. From giving the characters distinct personalities to describing feelings to invoking fear and suspense…she does it all in Nine Coaches Waiting. When my twitter status updated my currently reading status, the fabulous Deanna Raybourn said the following:
“NO ONE can write more suspenseful pages about absolutely nothing than Mary Stewart–and I mean that as profound compliment.”
Isn’t that delicious? I wasn’t that far into Nine Coaches Waiting yet, but I found that statement so intriguing. Since I am nowhere close to the wordsmith Deanna Raybourn is, I had to steal that for my review. I can’t think of a better way to describe Mary Stewart’s writing!
If you’re a fan of romantic suspense and old fashioned mysteries, this is definitely a book you have to read! I absolutely can’t wait to dive into more of Mary Stewart.
I don’t have much previous experience with Mary Stewart – but let me tell you. That will be changing. Nine Coaches Waiting is nothing short of stellar. Everything from the plot to the characters to the writing (the writing, you guys – oh my stars) left me all but speechless.
Let me give you one – very important – piece of advice about Nine Coaches Waiting. Don’t try to learn anything about it before just picking it up. If you enjoy historical novels, mysteries, thrillers and/or suspense – I promise you’ll love it. Let it be a surprise!
Can y’all imagine a better way to describe falling in love than the following?
“It was stupid, it was it was terrifying, it was wonderful, but it had happened.”
The way Mary Stewart has with words kills me, y’all. From giving the characters distinct personalities to describing feelings to invoking fear and suspense…she does it all in Nine Coaches Waiting. When my twitter status updated my currently reading status, the fabulous Deanna Raybourn said the following:
“NO ONE can write more suspenseful pages about absolutely nothing than Mary Stewart–and I mean that as profound compliment.”
Isn’t that delicious? I wasn’t that far into Nine Coaches Waiting yet, but I found that statement so intriguing. Since I am nowhere close to the wordsmith Deanna Raybourn is, I had to steal that for my review. I can’t think of a better way to describe Mary Stewart’s writing!
If you’re a fan of romantic suspense and old fashioned mysteries, this is definitely a book you have to read! I absolutely can’t wait to dive into more of Mary Stewart.
December 23, 2012
Even though I've read this book at least twice before, I still ended up staying up to the wee hours of the morning finishing it. That's how good the suspense is. While this could be considered a period piece (it was written and set in the late fifties), and certainly has gothic elements (the orphaned young English woman serving as a governess in a remote French chateau), Mary Stewart's writing elevates it above the typical genre fare. She is simply the best at romantic suspense, and that is why I indulge myself with re-reading her on a regular basis. Nine Coaches Waiting unfolds slowly, but the brooding atmosphere is in place immediately, though Stewart is never heavy-handed with it. She even has the character question her own sense of something-not-right. One of the pleasures of reading Mary Stewart is her evocative descriptions of the setting and her lyrical writing style. That she is well versed in English literature and poetry is obvious. While there are elements of Cinderella and Jane Eyre, to both of whom the character ironically compares herself, and even a bit of The Sound of Music quality (the book pre-dates the movie), it is still a compelling mystery/romance with a totally sympathetic and likable heroine. She protects her defenseless charge at the price of the loss of her own private fantasy, bravely stands up to the "Demon King," and, as any lonely woman would, inevitably falls for the handsome charming heir far above her station. The tension in the last third of the book, with the life of a young boy - and her own - at stake, when she can trust no one except a chance acquaintance, is riveting.
September 18, 2017
Read to fill the “Romantic Suspense” square of my 2017 Halloween Bingo card.
This Bingo was a great excuse to revisit an old favourite, which only been slight worn by the passage of time. It is very much a gothic romance, with the heroine having the usual attributes—she is an orphan, she needs to pay her way in the world, and she is hired by a French family to school a young nobleman in English. The young Comte is nine years old and it takes a bit for Linda Martin to make friends with him and get him acting like a real small boy, but they manage to make the connection just before sinister things begin to happen. Has Linda been chosen because she is an orphan with no real connections in France? Will she be the scapegoat when young Philippe is killed?
Add the complication that Linda has fallen in love with Raoul, her employer’s son, who manages another large family estate. Raoul is as sophisticated as Linda is naïve, which causes much of the romantic tension, as the reader wonders whether he is serious or just playing with Linda. Stewart actually uses Cinderella imagery to reassure the reader—there is an Easter ball, of course, for which Linda sews her own dress and during which she dances with Raoul and they agree to become engaged. She has promised to visit her charge, Philippe, in “the dead of night” so he can feel included in the event, so she & Raoul take a “midnight feast” pilfered from the buffet table up to the little boy’s room. On her way up to the nursey, Linda’s shoe comes undone and she almost loses it, completing the Cinderella reference.
Nor is that the only literary reference. The book’s title comes from the poem The Revenger’s Tragedy, a tale of lust and ambition suited to the story line of Nine Coaches Waiting. Each of the chapters is referred to as a coach and Linda takes some kind of conveyance (train, car, plane) in each. The poem also includes a tempter’s list of pleasures: coaches, the palace, banquets, etc., all of which decadent indulgences may lure our heroine to overlook the attempts on her student’s life.
One of the joys of the book for me was the description of the French countryside and communities. These descriptive interludes extend the tension of both the mystery & the romance and give the reader some time to assimilate the clues and try to see the road ahead. It also gave me breathing room to assess the very whirlwind nature of the romance, something that I would usually find unrealistic & therefore off-putting (and which I never noticed as a teenager reading this novel).
I am delighted to report that I enjoyed this novel almost as much forty years later as I did when I first read it.
This Bingo was a great excuse to revisit an old favourite, which only been slight worn by the passage of time. It is very much a gothic romance, with the heroine having the usual attributes—she is an orphan, she needs to pay her way in the world, and she is hired by a French family to school a young nobleman in English. The young Comte is nine years old and it takes a bit for Linda Martin to make friends with him and get him acting like a real small boy, but they manage to make the connection just before sinister things begin to happen. Has Linda been chosen because she is an orphan with no real connections in France? Will she be the scapegoat when young Philippe is killed?
Add the complication that Linda has fallen in love with Raoul, her employer’s son, who manages another large family estate. Raoul is as sophisticated as Linda is naïve, which causes much of the romantic tension, as the reader wonders whether he is serious or just playing with Linda. Stewart actually uses Cinderella imagery to reassure the reader—there is an Easter ball, of course, for which Linda sews her own dress and during which she dances with Raoul and they agree to become engaged. She has promised to visit her charge, Philippe, in “the dead of night” so he can feel included in the event, so she & Raoul take a “midnight feast” pilfered from the buffet table up to the little boy’s room. On her way up to the nursey, Linda’s shoe comes undone and she almost loses it, completing the Cinderella reference.
Nor is that the only literary reference. The book’s title comes from the poem The Revenger’s Tragedy, a tale of lust and ambition suited to the story line of Nine Coaches Waiting. Each of the chapters is referred to as a coach and Linda takes some kind of conveyance (train, car, plane) in each. The poem also includes a tempter’s list of pleasures: coaches, the palace, banquets, etc., all of which decadent indulgences may lure our heroine to overlook the attempts on her student’s life.
One of the joys of the book for me was the description of the French countryside and communities. These descriptive interludes extend the tension of both the mystery & the romance and give the reader some time to assimilate the clues and try to see the road ahead. It also gave me breathing room to assess the very whirlwind nature of the romance, something that I would usually find unrealistic & therefore off-putting (and which I never noticed as a teenager reading this novel).
I am delighted to report that I enjoyed this novel almost as much forty years later as I did when I first read it.
May 16, 2012
I am a HUGE fan of the "Gothic" Romances of the 60's and 70's. Mary Stewart was one of the most popular authors in this period. This book would be placed under the romantic suspense genre today. ( no paranormal activity in this one) I picked this up in a used book store several months back. The copright was 1958, 272 pages long. The story is set in France. A young English orphan takes a job as a governess for 9 year old Phillipe. Phillipe is the owner of the property and a vast fortune. His aunt and wheelchair bound uncle are his guardians/trustees. Linda meets Raoul, her employer's son, and falls madly in love with him, but after a series of random "accidents" involving Phillipe, Linda doesn't know who she can trust. She must protect Phillipe from a sinister plot, and Raoul may be involved.
Although the book is only 272 pages long, the words were so small I had to squint, and I wear glasses. But, the first 125-140 pages are nearly boring. The lengthy set up could have been cut back to fewer pages. But, you have to remember the time the book was written and the popular style of writing in that era. But, once you got to about the halfway mark, things did start to get pretty interesting. This book would be hard to find maybe. Amazon may have it, I'm not sure. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and the story did have the old "Jane Eyre" feel in the beginning. Although slow moving, the suspense was really tense. I would recommend it for fans of the this genre, or for those who like romantic suspense today. There was no explicit sex, (just some kissing), everything was left to the imagination of the reader in that area. There was some VERY mild occasional language.
Although the book is only 272 pages long, the words were so small I had to squint, and I wear glasses. But, the first 125-140 pages are nearly boring. The lengthy set up could have been cut back to fewer pages. But, you have to remember the time the book was written and the popular style of writing in that era. But, once you got to about the halfway mark, things did start to get pretty interesting. This book would be hard to find maybe. Amazon may have it, I'm not sure. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and the story did have the old "Jane Eyre" feel in the beginning. Although slow moving, the suspense was really tense. I would recommend it for fans of the this genre, or for those who like romantic suspense today. There was no explicit sex, (just some kissing), everything was left to the imagination of the reader in that area. There was some VERY mild occasional language.
August 14, 2022
4.5* Re-read
Still my favourite of Mary Stewart, so far.
Niece Coaches Waiting is a 1950s suspense novel, full of charm and humour. It starts slowly, setting the scene and players, drawing you into this picturesque world, full of beauty, while steadily increasing the underlying threat. Add to this Stewart's spellbinding style and by the time the pace quickens, you just can't stop.
Linda is an amazing character, full of life and positivity, and her voice rang true. I kept expecting her to behave in the usual damsel in distress role of the time, but that is totally not what we get. Here is a woman who is courageous, kind, funny, intelligent, down to earth, and who does the saving herself. She literally shines through. Yes, there were some dated elements, and a case of instal-love, but even these didn't shadow my enjoyment. On the contrary, the author dealt with these in a most modern way that impressed me .
Additionally, Stewart uses tons of literary references, from Shakespeare and fairy tales to Buchan, and focusing quite a bit on Rebecca and Jane Eyre, which are favourites of mine. Not only this, but I could feel her having fun with these allusions, twisting them, and playing with our expectations!
I'm truly won over by Stewart and can't wait to discover another of her books :O)
Still my favourite of Mary Stewart, so far.
Niece Coaches Waiting is a 1950s suspense novel, full of charm and humour. It starts slowly, setting the scene and players, drawing you into this picturesque world, full of beauty, while steadily increasing the underlying threat. Add to this Stewart's spellbinding style and by the time the pace quickens, you just can't stop.
Linda is an amazing character, full of life and positivity, and her voice rang true. I kept expecting her to behave in the usual damsel in distress role of the time, but that is totally not what we get. Here is a woman who is courageous, kind, funny, intelligent, down to earth, and who does the saving herself. She literally shines through. Yes, there were some dated elements, and a case of instal-love, but even these didn't shadow my enjoyment. On the contrary, the author dealt with these in a most modern way that impressed me .
Additionally, Stewart uses tons of literary references, from Shakespeare and fairy tales to Buchan, and focusing quite a bit on Rebecca and Jane Eyre, which are favourites of mine. Not only this, but I could feel her having fun with these allusions, twisting them, and playing with our expectations!
I'm truly won over by Stewart and can't wait to discover another of her books :O)
May 26, 2014
Since I discovered what a wonderful writer Mary Stewart was – just a few years ago, though my mother had recommended her books many years earlier – I’ve noticed that many readers name ‘Nine Coaches Waiting’ as a particular favourite. Now that I’ve read ‘Nine Coaches Waiting’ I can understand why, and I think that it might be my favourite too.
It’s not a realistic, real-world story; but it is a glorious entertainment
And it’s a ‘governess novel’ – a kind of book that I love
The story begins as Linda Martin lands in Paris on a cold, grey, rainy day. She was the son of an English father and a French mother, but they died when she was still quite young, and so she finished her education and became a governess inside an orphanage.
When the chance of a job in France appeared she was thrilled at the prospect of returning to the country she hadn’t seen for many years, and she secured the position. An English girl had been requested, and so she thought it sensible not to mention that she spoke the language fluently.
I warmed to Linda from the start, and I saw such promise in the story that was unfolding.
Her charge was Philippe, who also lost both his parents in a tragic accident. He was the heir to his father’s title, and to his estates, and he lived in the family home that he inherited, the vast and ornate Château Valmy, in the French Alps.
Linda was enchanted by the house, by its beauty and history, but she also saw that it was not a happy home.
She warmed to Philippe though, and a strong bond grew up between them.
He didn’t care for his Uncle Leon and Aunt Heloise, but Linda told herself that was just because they weren’t warm or demonstrative, because their lifestyle wasn’t suited to being parental figures, because they weren’t his beloved parents …..
Linda is shaken when two accidents, one in the countryside and one at home, come close to taking Philippe’s life. She knows then that something is wrong then, but she doesn’t know who to trust. She only knows that she will do whatever she can to protect Philippe.
She wanted to trust Raoul, the dark and dashing young man who had her utterly smitten, but she knew that he was Leon’s son, and that he might have had a hand in those accidents ….
I’d love to say more, but I mustn’t give away any more of the story than I have already.
But I must say what makes this book so special.
Mary Stewart always evokes the settings of her stories wonderfully well, and in a way that feels so natural; she does that here with the loveliest of settings. I was transported to the big house, to the nearby village, to the countryside. I loved it all.
The cast of characters was wonderful. Linda was plucky – but not too plucky – and I found it easy to understand her feeling and how she reacted to people and situations. Her relationship with Philippe was caught perfectly, and he was an utterly real child; he understood what was happening, but he needed guidance and support; and he needed a friend. The relationship between Linda and Philippe, and the way it evolved, was lovely, and exactly right.
All of the characters were simply drawn; but they had such depth. Uncle Leon was particularly interesting; a strong powerful man, confined to a wheelchair after an accident, and constrained by the role he had to play as his nephew’s trustee …..
The story was perfectly judged; mystery, suspense, romance, and just a dash of the gothic, woven together by a craftswoman at the height of her powers. And there was a nice balance of elements that were recognisably ‘Mary Stewart’ and elements that made this story distinctive. It was full of wonderful details; and I particularly liked the way that the small debt to Jane Eyre was acknowledged.
As events played out I was so caught up, so concerned for Linda and Philippe. I wasn’t sure that she was doing the right thing, but I knew that she was acting was the best of intentions. I could think of no better alternative, and I had no more idea than she did, or who she should or should not trust.
I realised, just a little before she did, that a new governess with no home and no family of her own might be a perfect scapegoat ….
The tension grew and grew. I knew how I wanted the story to play out, but I wasn’t sure that it could.
It did. I think ….
It’s not a realistic, real-world story; but it is a glorious entertainment
And it’s a ‘governess novel’ – a kind of book that I love
The story begins as Linda Martin lands in Paris on a cold, grey, rainy day. She was the son of an English father and a French mother, but they died when she was still quite young, and so she finished her education and became a governess inside an orphanage.
When the chance of a job in France appeared she was thrilled at the prospect of returning to the country she hadn’t seen for many years, and she secured the position. An English girl had been requested, and so she thought it sensible not to mention that she spoke the language fluently.
I warmed to Linda from the start, and I saw such promise in the story that was unfolding.
Her charge was Philippe, who also lost both his parents in a tragic accident. He was the heir to his father’s title, and to his estates, and he lived in the family home that he inherited, the vast and ornate Château Valmy, in the French Alps.
Linda was enchanted by the house, by its beauty and history, but she also saw that it was not a happy home.
She warmed to Philippe though, and a strong bond grew up between them.
He didn’t care for his Uncle Leon and Aunt Heloise, but Linda told herself that was just because they weren’t warm or demonstrative, because their lifestyle wasn’t suited to being parental figures, because they weren’t his beloved parents …..
Linda is shaken when two accidents, one in the countryside and one at home, come close to taking Philippe’s life. She knows then that something is wrong then, but she doesn’t know who to trust. She only knows that she will do whatever she can to protect Philippe.
She wanted to trust Raoul, the dark and dashing young man who had her utterly smitten, but she knew that he was Leon’s son, and that he might have had a hand in those accidents ….
I’d love to say more, but I mustn’t give away any more of the story than I have already.
But I must say what makes this book so special.
Mary Stewart always evokes the settings of her stories wonderfully well, and in a way that feels so natural; she does that here with the loveliest of settings. I was transported to the big house, to the nearby village, to the countryside. I loved it all.
The cast of characters was wonderful. Linda was plucky – but not too plucky – and I found it easy to understand her feeling and how she reacted to people and situations. Her relationship with Philippe was caught perfectly, and he was an utterly real child; he understood what was happening, but he needed guidance and support; and he needed a friend. The relationship between Linda and Philippe, and the way it evolved, was lovely, and exactly right.
All of the characters were simply drawn; but they had such depth. Uncle Leon was particularly interesting; a strong powerful man, confined to a wheelchair after an accident, and constrained by the role he had to play as his nephew’s trustee …..
The story was perfectly judged; mystery, suspense, romance, and just a dash of the gothic, woven together by a craftswoman at the height of her powers. And there was a nice balance of elements that were recognisably ‘Mary Stewart’ and elements that made this story distinctive. It was full of wonderful details; and I particularly liked the way that the small debt to Jane Eyre was acknowledged.
As events played out I was so caught up, so concerned for Linda and Philippe. I wasn’t sure that she was doing the right thing, but I knew that she was acting was the best of intentions. I could think of no better alternative, and I had no more idea than she did, or who she should or should not trust.
I realised, just a little before she did, that a new governess with no home and no family of her own might be a perfect scapegoat ….
The tension grew and grew. I knew how I wanted the story to play out, but I wasn’t sure that it could.
It did. I think ….
May 14, 2016
I have to admit I was a little disappointed in this typical romantic mystery by Mary Stewart. I can't remember if I've ever read it before, but perhaps I did and that was why it all seemed to unfold in a predictable way to me. Our young heroine Linda arrives in France to take care of nine-year old Philippe and finds herself in what turns out to be a very strange situation. How will she deal with the events that take place? And does she really have to worry so much about everything? Or explain things for so long in the middle of the night when action is needed? I couldn't identify with Linda, she annoyed me except for the tender and loyal way she cared for Philippe. That devotion to her duty impressed me. Otherwise I generally got very impatient with her. But I also must admit to having a bad head cold these days so maybe I should re-read this book some time when I'm less likely to sneeze it across the room.
April 20, 2020
Re-read, April 2020. Keeping it at five stars for a first-time reader, though of course as a reread it doesn't pack quite as much punch because you know what's going to happen. Still, the suspense and the action scenes remain pretty breathtaking!
PS. The romance is pretty dated! But it works within the suspenseful, broody atmosphere, I guess.
Original review:
It's the wee hours of the morning but I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
Ugh, a book like this might wreck your bedtime, but it's amaaaazing suspense.
PS. The romance is pretty dated! But it works within the suspenseful, broody atmosphere, I guess.
Original review:
It's the wee hours of the morning but I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
Ugh, a book like this might wreck your bedtime, but it's amaaaazing suspense.
October 16, 2017
Rating Clarification: 4.5 Stars
Original review:
May, 2013 Group Read for the Mary Stewart Group
Original review:
May, 2013 Group Read for the Mary Stewart Group
January 26, 2015
I guess mysteries have always been a part of my life. Ever since my mom handed me that first Nancy Drew--The Hidden Staircase--that thirst for the clues, the search, the not knowing has stuck with me. That, combined with the fact that they are very nostalgic for me, and you get to read about a lot of them. Mary Stewart is my very favorite when it comes to romantic suspense and her many mysteries are serial re-reads for me. In the best of times and the worst of times, she comes through with an unrivaled spirit of adventure, panache, and wanderlust. I will forever have my mom to thank for finding her first Mary Stewart in a small town library when she was in high school, painstakingly collecting lovely used copies over the years, and reading them over and over again so that one day I would grow up and want to do the same. If you ask my mom which one is her favorite she'll probably tell you Airs Above the Ground. It takes place in her beloved Austrian Alps and features a dangerous fire, a missing husband, and a legendary horse. It's definitely the one I saw her re-reading most often. If you ask me, I get "that look" on my face and dither around about the virtues of this one and that one. Which is exactly what I did trying to decide which one to post on today. I ended up with NINE COACHES WAITING because it may be the most potent combination of every element I love about Ms. Stewart's novels. It's certainly one of the ones I re-read most often.
Belinda Martin (Linda for short--or for pretty, as her mother used to say) lands in Paris on a cold, gray, and rainy day. She is on her way to her brand new post as a governess to the young Count Philippe de Valmy. Having lost both his parents in a tragic accident, the nine-year-old little boy lives with his aunt and uncle in the vast and ornate Château Valmy in the French countryside. Léon de Valmy, Philippe's uncle, runs the estate on behalf of his underage nephew until he comes of age and arranged for a proper English governess for his charge. When Linda arrives at the imposing manor, she is at once enchanted by its beauty and history, but is also immediately struck by the sense of menace and doom surrounding the land and its inhabitants. Léon is a charismatic force of nature and quite charming with it, and when Linda meets his reckless and rakishly handsome son Raoul, she understands a bit more about the Valmy heritage and what makes this family tick. As she becomes closer to Philippe and Raoul, Linda draws ever nearer to putting her finger on the source of the threat. But the layers of danger and darkness run deeper than any of them guessed and she may not be able to trust those she wants to, no matter how innocent or attractive they may seem. Soon it is up to the shy young governess to beat the clock in order to save Philippe's life as well as her own.
This is the kind of heady, romantic, foreboding tale that wraps you up in its elegant wings and carries you off for parts unknown. Linda is immediately sympathetic, with her loneliness wrapped around her like a threadbare cloak, her fierce protectiveness of Philippe, and the way she verbally spars with Léon de Valmy and manages to emerge unscathed. She is what this darkly glorious place needs and there are wonderful little touches here and there of the Jane Eyre and Rebecca about this novel. A favorite passage early on:
And the entire story winds on in that delicious vein. The exquisite suspense lingers to the very last and the relationships between the characters are real, romantic, and wholly delightful. Every time I read it I fall in love all over again with lovely Linda, dangerous Raoul, adorable Philippe, and beautiful, haunting Valmy. And I get chills at the same parts every time single time. NINE COACHES WAITING showcases a master storyteller at her very best. Highly recommended.
Belinda Martin (Linda for short--or for pretty, as her mother used to say) lands in Paris on a cold, gray, and rainy day. She is on her way to her brand new post as a governess to the young Count Philippe de Valmy. Having lost both his parents in a tragic accident, the nine-year-old little boy lives with his aunt and uncle in the vast and ornate Château Valmy in the French countryside. Léon de Valmy, Philippe's uncle, runs the estate on behalf of his underage nephew until he comes of age and arranged for a proper English governess for his charge. When Linda arrives at the imposing manor, she is at once enchanted by its beauty and history, but is also immediately struck by the sense of menace and doom surrounding the land and its inhabitants. Léon is a charismatic force of nature and quite charming with it, and when Linda meets his reckless and rakishly handsome son Raoul, she understands a bit more about the Valmy heritage and what makes this family tick. As she becomes closer to Philippe and Raoul, Linda draws ever nearer to putting her finger on the source of the threat. But the layers of danger and darkness run deeper than any of them guessed and she may not be able to trust those she wants to, no matter how innocent or attractive they may seem. Soon it is up to the shy young governess to beat the clock in order to save Philippe's life as well as her own.
This is the kind of heady, romantic, foreboding tale that wraps you up in its elegant wings and carries you off for parts unknown. Linda is immediately sympathetic, with her loneliness wrapped around her like a threadbare cloak, her fierce protectiveness of Philippe, and the way she verbally spars with Léon de Valmy and manages to emerge unscathed. She is what this darkly glorious place needs and there are wonderful little touches here and there of the Jane Eyre and Rebecca about this novel. A favorite passage early on:
I heard nothing. I turned quickly. Even then it was a second or so before I saw the shadow detach itself from the other shadows and slide forward.
Though I had known what to expect, instinctively my eye went too high, and then fell--again by instinct, shrinkingly--to the squat shape that shot forward, uncannily without sound, to a smooth halt six feet away.
Pity, repulsion, curiosity, the determination to show none of these . . . whatever feelings struggled in me as I turned were swept aside like leaves before a blast of wind. The slightly dramatic quality of his entrance may have contributed to the effect; one moment a shadow, and the next moment silently there . . . But, once there, Léon de Valmy was an object for no one's pity; one saw simply a big, handsome, powerful man who from his wheel chair managed without speaking a word to obliterate everyone else in the hall--this literally, for almost before the wheel chair stopped, the servants had melted unobtrusively away. Only Mrs. Seddon was still audible, steaming steadily up the right-hand branch of the staircase toward the gallery.
It was a tribute to Léon de Valmy's rather overwhelming personality that my own first impression had nothing to do with his crippled state; it was merely that this was the handsomest man I had ever seen. My experience, admittedly, had not been large, but in any company he would have been conspicuous. The years had only added to his extraordinary good looks, giving him the slightly haggard distinction of lined cheeks and white hair that contrasted strikingly with dark eyes and black, strongly-marked brows. The beautifully shaped mouth had that thin, almost cruel set to it that is sometimes placed there by pain. His hands looked soft, as if they were not used enough, and he was too pale. But for all that, this was no invalid; this was the master of the house, and the half of his body that was still alive was just twice as much so as anybody else's . . . .
He was smiling now as he greeted his wife and turned to me and the smile lit his face attractively. There was no earthly reason why I should feel suddenly nervous, or why I should imagine that Héloise de Valmy's voice as she introduced us was too taut and high, like an overtight string.
I thought, watching her, she's afraid of him. . . . Then I told myself sharply not to be a fool. This was the result of Daddy's intriguing build-up and my own damned romantic imagination. Just because the man looked like Milton's ruined archangel and chose to appear in the hall like the Demon King through a trap door, it didn't necessarily mean that I had to smell sulphur.
And the entire story winds on in that delicious vein. The exquisite suspense lingers to the very last and the relationships between the characters are real, romantic, and wholly delightful. Every time I read it I fall in love all over again with lovely Linda, dangerous Raoul, adorable Philippe, and beautiful, haunting Valmy. And I get chills at the same parts every time single time. NINE COACHES WAITING showcases a master storyteller at her very best. Highly recommended.
September 25, 2024
I know, I know, that post title could apply to basically every single gothic romance ever. In fact, as my friend, author & generally brilliant human Linda Hilton, knows, as I actually cribbed the title from an essay she discusses in this post (which is well worth reading, so you should read it!).
Nine Coaches Waiting centers around Linda Martin, a young French woman who is hired as the English speaking governess for Count Philippe Valmy, the nine year old heir to the Valmy estate and fortune. There are a couple of "accidents" where Philippe is nearly killed, at which point Linda begins to wonder if they were really "accidents" at all, or if someone really is trying to get rid of the young count.
As always, Mary Stewart's descriptions are truly lovely and evocative. Linda meets Raoul Valmy, Philippe's much older cousin, who is dashing and handsome and oh so mysterious. He doesn't live at Chateau Valmy, rather he lives at one of the lesser Valmy family properties near by. As the conspiracy unfolds, Linda falls head over heels in love with the enigmatic Raoul, which she realizes after possibly the most epic first date ever set down in fiction.
I am not going to describe that evening in detail though, as it happens, it was desperately important. It was then, simply, one of those wonderful evenings … We stopped in Thonon beside a stall where jonquils and wallflowers blazed under the gas-jets, and he bought me freesias which smelt like the Fortunate Isles and those red anemones that were once called the lilies of the field. Then we drove along in a clear night with stars as warm and a waxing moon staring pale behind the poplars. By the time we reached Geneva – a city of fabulous glitter and strung lights whose reflections swayed and bobbed in the dark waters of the Lake – my spirits were rocketing sky-high; shock, loneliness, the breath of danger all forgotten.
OMG, can Mary Stewart turn a phrase or what?
Linda realizes the truth about the so-called accidents and takes flight from the Chateau with young Philippe, and what follows is several chapters of suspense where the two of them are being chased, hiding, escaping and trying to make their way to safety, without really knowing who is behind the attempts to murder Philippe. As was true of This Rough Magic, Stewart has a definite talent for ratcheting up the reader's anxiety. As is de riguer with romantic suspense, there is a happy ending.
This is my fifth Mary Stewart, each one more delicious than the last. At some point, I assume, I will have to hit a clunker.
Nine Coaches Waiting centers around Linda Martin, a young French woman who is hired as the English speaking governess for Count Philippe Valmy, the nine year old heir to the Valmy estate and fortune. There are a couple of "accidents" where Philippe is nearly killed, at which point Linda begins to wonder if they were really "accidents" at all, or if someone really is trying to get rid of the young count.
As always, Mary Stewart's descriptions are truly lovely and evocative. Linda meets Raoul Valmy, Philippe's much older cousin, who is dashing and handsome and oh so mysterious. He doesn't live at Chateau Valmy, rather he lives at one of the lesser Valmy family properties near by. As the conspiracy unfolds, Linda falls head over heels in love with the enigmatic Raoul, which she realizes after possibly the most epic first date ever set down in fiction.
I am not going to describe that evening in detail though, as it happens, it was desperately important. It was then, simply, one of those wonderful evenings … We stopped in Thonon beside a stall where jonquils and wallflowers blazed under the gas-jets, and he bought me freesias which smelt like the Fortunate Isles and those red anemones that were once called the lilies of the field. Then we drove along in a clear night with stars as warm and a waxing moon staring pale behind the poplars. By the time we reached Geneva – a city of fabulous glitter and strung lights whose reflections swayed and bobbed in the dark waters of the Lake – my spirits were rocketing sky-high; shock, loneliness, the breath of danger all forgotten.
OMG, can Mary Stewart turn a phrase or what?
Linda realizes the truth about the so-called accidents and takes flight from the Chateau with young Philippe, and what follows is several chapters of suspense where the two of them are being chased, hiding, escaping and trying to make their way to safety, without really knowing who is behind the attempts to murder Philippe. As was true of This Rough Magic, Stewart has a definite talent for ratcheting up the reader's anxiety. As is de riguer with romantic suspense, there is a happy ending.
This is my fifth Mary Stewart, each one more delicious than the last. At some point, I assume, I will have to hit a clunker.
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