In Phyllis A. Whitney’s 1968 novel, Hunter’s Green, the female protagonist is Eve North. The genre is romantic suspense, and the novel has a first-person narrator.
Eve is a woman in peril who often experiences fear. After discovering someone stole a photo she took of the murderer, her body is “shivering” (121). Her reaction is normal; the murderer knows Eve could identify him, thus putting her life in danger. Eve’s fear heightens the suspense in the novel. With a first-person narrator, the reader’s connection to the protagonist is more intimate, and when she is in danger, this can heighten the reader’s emotional response.
Similarly, after Dacia is struck by a car and nearly dies, Eve has a “trembling reaction” (173). Dacia was wearing Eve’s coat, and the murderer targeted her, believing it was Eve. Eve’s response is not female weakness given that the murderer wanted to kill her. Anyone—male or female—might have a similar reaction.
Despite her fear, Eve can also be fearless. Seeing Marc steal Justin’s car, Eve doesn’t wait for a man to act. She gets in Marc’s car and pursues him, even though she believes he is the murderer (213). Eve acts because Justin needs the experimental car for his research. Her love for her husband gives her the strength to overcome fear.
In the climax of the novel, Eve experiences her greatest fear. Realizing that Nigel is the man in the photo, her hands were “clammy with fear” (216). Nigel reveals that he plans to kill Eve, and she experiences terror (220). Although she could die, Eve isn’t paralyzed by her fear. She puts her seatbelt on, an action that will help save her life.
Eve’s life is ultimately saved by Justin. At gunpoint, Nigel forces Eve into the car (216), and he drives toward the quarry to end both their lives. However, Justin parks his car in the middle of the road, and Nigel crashes into it (221). Justin proves his love for Eve by risking his life to save her. As a woman in peril, Eve’s life is saved by the man she loves, a common plot motif in the romantic suspense genre. When the female protagonist is rescued, the male hero is rewarded with her love.
Eve’s fear is a realistic response to being in a highly stressful situation. With her life in danger, she could have left England and returned to the United States, but she stays because she wants to reconcile with her husband. Eve tries to save her marriage despite her fear. She is an active female protagonist who shows courage.
Works Cited
Whitney, Phyllis A. Hunter’s Green. Ballantine Books, 1983.
