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Persephone Books

The Blank Wall (Classic edition)

For a reader who likes crime fiction and forgotten mid-century novels; the grey Persephone editions look good on a shelf.

British brand

Where to buy

We do not sell this. These are the shops where we checked it, by country. Prices change; the shop's page is always the final word.

Sold to: United Kingdom. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. How we make money

Why it made our lists

  • Gifts for book loversBest on a budget

    For a reader who likes crime fiction and forgotten mid-century novels; the grey Persephone editions look good lined up on a shelf. The plain edition is the cheap one; the wrapped versions cost more.

  • Christmas gifts in the UK

    A 1947 noir thriller about a mother protecting her daughter from blackmail, in the grey Persephone edition. For a crime reader who likes forgotten mid-century novels. Wrapped versions cost more than the plain one.

  • Mother's Day gift ideas

    A 1947 noir about a mother protecting her teenage daughter from blackmail, in Persephone's grey edition. For a mum who reads crime and likes forgotten novels. A cheap gift that looks good on a shelf.

What it is

A 1947 noir thriller by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding: a mother on the American home front protects her teenage daughter from blackmail. Persephone classic edition, 240 pages. Gift-wrapping options cost more.

A 1947 American suspense novel by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, reissued by the London publisher Persephone Books. A mother on the home front during the Second World War, with her husband away in the Navy, gets drawn into blackmail and crime while trying to protect her teenage daughter. It mixes ordinary wartime household life with a tense crime plot. It was filmed as The Reckless Moment in 1949 and The Deep End in 2001. When ordering you can add tissue and endpaper wrapping, a printed paper wrap or a fabric napkin.

The details

Pages
240
ISBN
978 1 906462 64 2
First published
1947
Series
Persephone Classics edition
Wrapping options
None, tissue/endpaper, Cambridge Imprint paper, or reusable fabric napkin
Other formats
Persephone Grey, audiobook, eBook

From the shop's product page, read October 3, 2026.

Worth knowing

The 12.00 GBP price is the plain edition; the wrapped versions cost up to 22.00 GBP.

Skip it for someone who avoids crime and blackmail plots, since that is the core of the story.

Good for
Mom, Wife, Partner, Friend, Grandparent, Teacher, Boss
Interests
Books & reading
Occasions
Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, Thank you

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