‘A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING’ OR WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED, ELIZABETH GAGE?!—PART 2

  

I so much love A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING by Elizabeth Gage that during the summer I made it my mission to track down a 1^st  edition hardcover. Not an easy task, as it turns out, but one I wasn’t about to give up. I mean, how can I go on without owning this gem in hardback, even if it ends up only gathering dust on my busy bookshelf? To me, it’s a no-brainer. And I’m sure it is for a lot of you bookworms out there. This novel is the epitome of perfect trash. From the well-rounded characterization to the engaging intricate plot to the oh-so fine narrative, not to mention the psychological appeal, I could read it over and over again. Oh wait, that’s what I have been doing for the last 30 some years.  This will be my fourth time this year.  Why again, you may ask? Simple, this book always ends up being my go to when compared to other reads. So why not have another go at it? It has even bumped HOLLYWOOD WIVES by Jackie Collins off the top scale. Oh, make no worry, I still find Collins to be the best (how couldn’t I if based on her entire body of work) but Gage’s first published novel just does it for me like no other novels can. 

 

The first time I ordered the book in hardcover I received—gasp!—a Book Club Edition, even though I was promised a 1^st edition. I had to insist on a refund which I ultimately got, but for a minute there it looked like I was going to be stuck with this edition until I bought another one. Of course I was ready to order again from a different vendor but I was wary of the possible outcome. What if a BCE was again sent my way? But surprise, surprise, I finally received what I had desperately hoped for and I couldn’t be happier: a 1^st edition in a very good condition. It now stands next to INTIMATE, another Gage title I own in HC—another first edition as well.

 

My fervent wish had always been that Elizabeth Gage would come out of the woodwork and write another blockbuster. Imagine how excited some of us would be just to see another release with her name on it. I think I would tear up. I kid you not. But as much as I would love it to happen, I know now it never will. I have since found out that the author has died in 2002 at the age of 54. Her real name was Susan (Rusch) Libertson and according to my research, which I partly screen-grabbed below, she supposedly co-wrote her amazing novels with her then-husband Joseph Libertson. He has since written some suspense thrillers under the name Joseph Glass. I do own one called EYES. I may review it one of these days. 

Will Joseph Libertson tackle a Gage novel on his own? I doubt it. As you can see, he has moved on since then (especially after the Simon & Schuster past debacle over the release of the Gage books, which I judiciously discussed right here), and with good reasons. It just wouldn’t be the same without his partner in crime. So, after this planned re-read of mine I think it will be time for me to turn over a new leaf and focus on something else. There are too many books that I have yet to discuss here. This is my third A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING entry on this blog and it will be my last. I have said everything I wanted to say about it and its author (s). May she rest in peace.

 Until next post—Martin