THE QUEEN BEE

by Edna Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 15, 1949

The story of an avid female (analyzed by Elizabeth Hawes in Anything But Love) this tells of general and assorted bitchiness of Eva as revealed by her orphan niece, Jennifer. Jennifer comes to Eva's home in Georgia after the death of her parents, and at first taken in by Eva's smooth performance, gradually recognizes the venomous life her aunt is living. She sees what a wreck Eva has made of her husband, Beauty, in her insidiously insulting behavior, how she has mangled the emotions of her two children, thwarted Beauty's sister, entangled the man she loves. Jennifer's growing love for Beauty draws Eva's fire and helps Beauty fight his alcoholism but when Eva drives his sister to suicide he is at last fully aroused and kills himself and his wife. A tale of popular appeal, as was her earlier The Web of Days (which reached a million copies) even though it nearly overbalances in its unbelievable exaggeration of the central character.

Pub Date: Aug. 15, 1949

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Appleton-Century-Crofts

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1949

Categories: FICTION