In July I went back to re-read Highsmith's
The Blunderer (1954) — not an entirely
successful novel by the crime master
but mostly a thrilling read for 3/4s
of the book. A slight muddle
sets in where you can sense the author
has lost her story, whereas she doesn't
in her first novel Strangers on a Train.
Compared to say, Sue Grafton, Highsmith is
Shakespeare, and anything by her, including her short
stories, are well worth frightening yourself.
[ BA ]
