Return To Peyton Place - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

After the phenomenal success of her first novel, Metalious hastily penned a sequel centering on the life and loves of bestselling author Allison MacKenzie, who ironically follows in the footsteps of her mother by having an affair with a married man, her publisher Lewis Jackman. In the finale of the book, Lewis is killed, which destroys Allison. The similarity of their situations bond Allison and her mother, whom advises Allison to live for him by returning to her writing, which she does.

When she returns to her hometown following the publication of her first novel, Samuel's Castle, she is forced to face the wrath of most of its residents, who are incensed by their barely disguised counterparts and the revelation of town secrets in the book. Certain members of the community stood by the MacKenzies, most notably, Seth Buswell, the newspaper editor; and his oldest friend, Dr. Matthew Swain. In fact, whenever anyone came into Dr. Swain's office and complained about Allison's book, he would roar them down and after a tongue lashing from him, that person wouldn't ever complain about Allison's novel after that.

However, Roberta Carter, a member of the school board, makes it her mission to ban the book from the high school library.

She also punishes Allison by firing her stepfather, Michael Rossi (a decision which she eventually reverses, to the anger of her former friend, Marion Partridge); while at the same time trying to dissolve her son Ted's marriage to his snobbish bride. Roberta is eventually murdered by her scheming daughter in-law, Jennifer Burbank.

Another union in trouble is that of Allison's mother Constance, who is shocked by her daughter's exposé, but nonetheless stands by her, and stepfather Michael Rossi, the school principal and one of the novel's defenders.

Betty Anderson returns from New York, after giving birth to Roddy, the child she had by Rodney Harrington and, along with her co-hort and Roddy's babysitter, Agnes, moves to Peyton Place, so she can allow Leslie, Roddy's grandfather to know him.

Selena Cross, who had been acquitted of murder in the previous novel, was trying to make a life for herself and her brother, Joey. She is manager of the Thrifty Corner Apparel Shoppe, and is a success. She meets Timothy Randlett, an itinerant actor, who after attacking her, ended up getting hit with fireplace tongs, similar to how Lucas Cross was killed. She eventually decides to marry Peter Drake, her former attorney. In this book, Selena and Allison had rebonded as friends, and Allison's roommate, Stephanie, was also part of their circle.

Return to Peyton Place had many of the same soap opera elements of the original. Although it sold well, its total sales did not equal those of its predecessor.