In an unpublished "Short Biography" written in 1964, D. E. Stevenson assessed her own work: "The books of D. E. S. are essentially 'stories about people'[;] they can be read on the surface, for amusement only, but beneath the surface there is power and truth and a deep understanding of psychology." In the early part of her career critics concurred with Stevenson's estimate of her understanding of psychology: her characters "are all live people," said Margaret Wallace in a review in The New York Times (15 November 1942) of Stevenson's Crooked Adam (1942). Critics also praised Stevenson's wit and the "freshness" and "charm" of her novels. On the other hand her plots, which revolve around the details of the characters' daily lives and end happily, and her conventional style led critics to classify her work as light reading for a discerning audience. But Stevenson's repeated use of the point of view of...