The Landlady by Roald Dahl

When last we saw Don, he was flying solo at a swanky cocktail bar, facing a blonde’s heavily loaded inquiry: “Are you alone?” Slate (Apr 4, 2013)

Professor Brown, who studied the Egyptian judiciary and met with Mr. Mansour on several occasions, described him as pleasant, smiling and congenial, but very reserved.

His eyes burned with a rapacious though restrained fire. Lathrop, George Parsons

By the end, narrative twists seem like authorial dithering.

Mr. Abraham’s distinctive physical style is compelling and exhilarating, mixing ballet, breaking and contemporary dance.

Other bad traits include a hurried attitude and a mild compulsion to arrange magazines at right angles on my coffee table.

In drama, seaside hotels are usually inhabited by retired colonels and majors in blazers, and dainty elderly ladies.

The result is 230 pages of simple recipes based on seasonal produce, accompanied by tantalizing photographs.

Even after the flood's aftermath was cleared away, the floods may have a lingering effect on the region's water supplies. Scientific American (Aug 19, 2013)

A pleased and satisfied look came over his countenance as the cooking odors emanating from the kitchen became more pronounced. Hill, Grace Brooks

The man before him did not speak, but those glittering eyes—burning, malevolent, ominous—seemed to cry out with surprise, hatred, and threats. McCulley, Johnston

But many nuns are highly educated, well-traveled and sophisticated, not naive and cloistered. Seattle Times (Aug 15, 2013)

Kids are more impulsive, gullible, and trusting, and don’t focus as much on long-term consequences. Salon (Sep 16, 2012)

Kids of all ages are riveted, in the palm of his gently beguiling hand.