The Blunderer, Patricia Highsmith, Coward-McCann, 1954, 265 pp
This was Highsmith's third novel, published a year before The Talented Mr Ripley. As in Strangers On A Train, her first novel, it concerns a double murder. Two men lose their wives to what appears to be murder, but one of those men did kill his wife and the other did not. To twist things a bit more, both wives died in similar ways.
The two husbands become involved with each other in an antagonistic manner. Then there is the cop who wants to make a name for himself by solving the murders and pits these two men against each other further, in an effort to get confessions from both.
Her theme of the psychology of evil and violence which pervades her novels in is full play in The Blunderer. I have quite a few of her novels left to read and I am curious as to whether she just keeps working on that theme or if it evolves into more.
I guess I will find out eventually.
This sounds good. Highsmith sounds like a writer worth reading. I may have mentioned this before, but Strangers on a Train is one of my favorite films ever.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the Strangers on a Train film. The book is good too!
DeleteI haven't read any books by Patricia Highsmith. This one sounds like a good one.
ReplyDeleteShe is a master of psychological thrillers.
Deletei tried to read her once, but got psyched out... not too much like Wodehouse, actually...
ReplyDeleteIf you mean like creeped out, I get it!
DeleteIf someone who has never read Highsmith (me) wanted to dip into her works, which book would you recommend?
ReplyDeleteStart with The Talented Mr Ripley. If you can tolerate that one you can read any of the others. Also, The Price of Salt, from which the movie Carol was made, is another side of her wherein she dishes up her views on a lesbian relationship and the men who try to stop such things.
DeleteNice to know that The Talented Mr Ripley is the novel to start with. :-)
DeleteWell, that is just my opinion, probably because that is where I got hooked!
DeleteAnd thanks for your opinion!
DeleteThis sounds like one that would really mess with your mind and keep you invested till the end!
ReplyDeleteYes it would. In fact, all of her books do that.
DeleteI think it is safe to say that I will be reading her books before too long. You've got me terribly intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI will be watching for your reactions!
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