Monday, April 5, 2021

Book Review - Strangers on a Train; Patricia Highsmith

 


TITLE/AUTHOR:  Strangers on a Train; Patricia Highsmith

PUBLISHER: Blackstone Audio and WW Norton

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2021 (print ed. - originally 1950) (audio-2015)

GENRE: Fiction / Mystery / Psychological Thriller

FORMAT:  Audio/Print Combo Read /LENGTH: 301 pages (audio-9 hrs. 41 min.)

SOURCE: Amazon Vine and Library Download

SETTING(s):  NY, CT, DC


ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A  conversation between two men on a train (one a drunken psychopath) leads to murder.

BRIEF REVIEW:  In this story two men who have never met before are riding the same train. One man, Guy Haines is a decent man with a cheating wife named Miriam.  Guy is in the process of a divorce yet has a promising career and is involved with a nice woman named Ann.  The other guy is Charles Anthony Bruno is a lazy drunk from a rich family who can't wait for his father to die so he can inherit some money.  Bruno has a few too many drinks on the train and strikes up a conversation with Guy.  While Guy is just trying to mind his own business, he does tell Bruno a little too much info about his soon to be ex-wife.  The two part ways but before too long Miriam is dead - strangled and now Bruno is looking for Guy to help him out by getting rid of his father.  Unfortunately, Bruno is a psychopath that will stop at nothing to see that the rest of his plan is executed.

This was tense and sometimes disturbing story that pulled me in immediately.  I love deeply flawed characters and that combined with intense drama was a great combination.  It's one of this stories that shows readers what can happen when people become crippled by their own fears and guilt.

Although I saw the (1951) movie adaptation some years ago, I had never read the book until now.  I was so impressed that this book was Patricia Highsmith's debut novel (1950).  This was a combo print and audio read. The audio is read by Bronson Pinchot who did a fabulous job. Of course, now I want to see the movie again soon.

RATING:  4/5 stars

25 comments:

  1. An interesting review. Thank you.

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  2. Will add to my audio list. Pinchot does a great job narrating books!

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    1. Me too Mary, in fact I just google to see what other audios he gas read.

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  3. I've seen the movie but didn't know it was based on a book.

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    1. I definitely plan to read more of Patricia Highsmith's older books now.

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  4. I love Strangers on the Train! Both the book and the movie. :D

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  5. You captured the book very well in your review. I have read quite a few of her books and she does that thing so well.

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  6. I'm reading Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley now. Have a feeling I'll be reading some of her other books, too.

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    1. I just looked up Highsmith's books and see there are a few in that series - surprise. I loved the movie!

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  7. I haven't read this one in a while, but I remember liking it a lot more than I liked the movie. I agree with you that the fact that it was a debut novel is probably the most amazing thing about it.

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  8. We, the elder humans, remember that movie too.

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  9. I have never read Highsmith but she's been on my TBR list for a while. I'll get to her one of these days. I do remember seeing that movie and it was well done, I thought.

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    1. I am surprised Dorothy, I would have bet you read more than a few.

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  10. What a nightmare situation. You spill your guts to a stranger and they "take care of" your problem for you? Scary! The book sounds good.

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  11. I've never read this iconic novel, maybe now is the time. I'd love to see the old film, too!

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  12. I saw the Matt Damon version of the movie and loved it. I keep saying I'm going to read Patricia Highsmith but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

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  13. I've been recently hearing a lot more about Patricia Highsmith and would love to sample her books. I believe this is also the same book that keeps popping on my radar but I can't recall why. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I also need to read a book this month that's set on a train, and I was thinking of reading Murder on the Orient Express (I know, too obvious a choice) but maybe I'll look at this Highsmith book instead.

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  14. Wow. This story is pretty wild. I love how old it is! It's giving me a Hitchcock vibe.

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  15. I saw that movie. I may watch it again and pick up a copy of the book.

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