It's Always Five O'clock — W.L. Heath

From the novel:
I had no idea what to expect when I arrived at the house. Would there be police cars, ambulances, lots of people? To my surprise, the house was almost totally dark. When I turned in at the gate the only light I could see was in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Maybe they'd already arrested her and taken her to jail.

I got out of the car, and with a pounding heart, ran up the steps to the front door. It was locked. I pressed the bell. Chimes sounded, deep inside the house. A minute later the door opened and Carol fell into my arms, sobbing.

I'd have a hard time describing my own emotions at that moment. I know I felt a powerful surge of compassion for her, but I was also scared and confused, still grappling with the reality of it.

I got her inside and closed the door, and we embraced again, almost desperately. I remember she was wearing a white silk robe, and even in the faint light coming down from the upstairs hall I could see there was blood on it.

Synopsis:
She was an ash blonde, in her late thirties, and good looking. Her clothes were expensive, her car was a Jaguar, and she had that air of assurance about her that people with lots of money always seem to have. But she was bored and looking for something that would bring some excitement to her life. She wanted to learn to fly.

Jack Bishop was the flight instructor who took her on as his student and she proved to be a quite capable pilot. But their relationship soon moved beyond that of teacher and student, and Jack found himself caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and ultimately murder.

“It's Always Five O'clock” is a haunting story about the dark side of human nature, and the frailty of the human psyche, which will stay on your mind long after you've finished reading the book.

About the Author:
William L. Heath was born in 1924, in Lake Village, Arkansas, and grew up in Scottsboro, Alabama. He attended the University of Virginia where he completed a B.A. degree in English Literature. During his senior year there, he published several short stories in the school magazine, won the Virginia Spectator Literary Award, and sold his first story to Collier's Magazine. He went on to publish three dozen short stories, which were published in Argosy, Esquire, Collier's, Cosmopolitan, and other publications of smaller circulation.

His first novel, “Violent Saturday,” was published in 1955 and also sold to 20th Century Fox as a motion picture with an all-star cast including Victor Mature, Richard Egan, Stephen McNally, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.

His second novel, “Ill Wind,” received literary acclaim and established him as a promising new writer with exceptional talents. He followed “Ill Wind” with five more novels over the course of his career.

Mr. Heath lived in Scottsboro, Alabama, with his wife of more than 30 years, Mary Ann Heath. After her death he moved to Guntersville, Alabama, where he lived until his death in 2007.