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Books 1-10.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Solitaire by Kelley Eskridge.
32. Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith. I confess that I'm approaching each new Highsmith novel with trepidation, and while starting the last few I've thought, "This might have to be the last one for a while." Her world is dark and claustrophobic; on the other hand, her characters are odd and fascinating. "Odd" may seem an understatement for Tom Ripley or Bruno from Strangers On a Train, but it works for Ray Garrett and Ed Coleman, the men at the center of this book. Odd because the book opens with Coleman taking shots at Garrett with a gun, and instead of reporting this attempted murder to the Roman police, Ray takes off and makes his way to Venice, where he expects to meet Coleman again. Ray is Coleman's son-in-law, or rather was, because the novel opens in the aftermath of Peggy Garrett née Coleman's suicide. Both men are emotionally wrecked by Peggy's death, but the effect on Coleman is more obvious; he blames Ray for her suicide, and simmers with a homicidal rage throughout the book. Ray, on the other hand, seems willing to bear a certain amount of punishment despite having no apparent culpability for what has happened--he doesn't want to die, and yet he treats Coleman's attacks as little more than inconveniences, as if unwilling to compound his father-in-law's grief with legal consequences. A weird and fascinating novel, and one that really makes me wish I could go to Venice.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Solitaire by Kelley Eskridge.
32. Those Who Walk Away by Patricia Highsmith. I confess that I'm approaching each new Highsmith novel with trepidation, and while starting the last few I've thought, "This might have to be the last one for a while." Her world is dark and claustrophobic; on the other hand, her characters are odd and fascinating. "Odd" may seem an understatement for Tom Ripley or Bruno from Strangers On a Train, but it works for Ray Garrett and Ed Coleman, the men at the center of this book. Odd because the book opens with Coleman taking shots at Garrett with a gun, and instead of reporting this attempted murder to the Roman police, Ray takes off and makes his way to Venice, where he expects to meet Coleman again. Ray is Coleman's son-in-law, or rather was, because the novel opens in the aftermath of Peggy Garrett née Coleman's suicide. Both men are emotionally wrecked by Peggy's death, but the effect on Coleman is more obvious; he blames Ray for her suicide, and simmers with a homicidal rage throughout the book. Ray, on the other hand, seems willing to bear a certain amount of punishment despite having no apparent culpability for what has happened--he doesn't want to die, and yet he treats Coleman's attacks as little more than inconveniences, as if unwilling to compound his father-in-law's grief with legal consequences. A weird and fascinating novel, and one that really makes me wish I could go to Venice.