A Suspension of Mercy: Amazon.ca: Patricia Highsmith: Books

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by Patricia Highsmith

4.3 out of 5 stars (15) CDN$ 11.32

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Six years after her death, Patricia Highsmith is in the middle of a renaissance. Since the release of Anthony Minghella's film of The Talented Mr. Ripley, her stock has been steadily rising among readers. Two reissues, A Suspension of Mercy and Strangers on a Train, feed the flames. In A Suspension of Mercy, American freelance writer Sydney becomes obsessed with the putative murder of his English wife, Alicia; in Strangers on a Train, the source for Hitchcock's 1953 classic, one man's guilty conscience disrupts two men's criminal plans. The movie rights to A Suspension of Mercy have been optioned by Warner Bros. for Heyday Films.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Time

For eliciting the menace that lurks in familiar surroundings, there's no one like Patricia Highsmith. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
The land around Sydney and Alicia Bartleby's two-story cottage was flat, like most Suffolk country. Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

9 Reviews

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Highsmith was NOT a crime writer...., Jan 8 2004

By	Cynthia Curl (Barhamsville, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspension Of Mercy (Paperback)

...and this novel is an example. Because her characters often engage in activities that are illegal or, at least, immoral, American publishers have classified her work as "crime fiction," or something similar. Highsmith's fiction was decidedly NOT crime fiction, and people who read Grafton, Cornwell, or Kellerman might be disappointed. There are no good guys, bad guys, hunky detectives, loyal girl Fridays, or love stories. Just people we normally meet, taking extraordinary chances or exploring weird indulgences. Who hasn't fantasized about killing one's spouse (or parent, child, friend, enemy, etc.)?

Read any of Patricia Highsmith's work as if you were reading a classic novelist--Dostoevsky, perhaps. In Highsmith's vision, crime is a metaphor representing the oddly amoral choices we make out of our natural narcissism or neurosis. The discomfort you feel while reading a Highsmith novel? Be warned: that's your conscience scraping its fingernails across the blackboard of your soul. Pleasant? No. Dangerous, guilty, neurotic fun? You bet!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Quite a captivating novel, Aug 31 2003

By	Kenneth Hand (Pickering, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Suspension Of Mercy (Paperback)

One of Highsmith's best novels, not only is this a thrilling work but also a literary one. I find it comparable to 'The Blunderer,' but ten times better. Definitely recommended.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable suspense novel, April 26 2002

By	Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspension Of Mercy (Paperback)

I'm so glad that the works of Patricia Highsmith have been reissued (I particularly love her Ripley series). This book is similar in many ways to the Ripley books - male protagonist who is an amoral American living in the European countryside and married to a European. Sydney is an unsuccessful American mystery writer, who finds himself unhappy in his marriage. His wife, Alicia, is a bit critical of Sydney and he finds his imagination plotting her murder. The suspense comes from guessing whether he will end up killing her and whether he will get away with it. The plot twists are rather clever, although very little of what happens is particularly believable and the ending is a let-down. Despite these flaws, Highsmith's writing style is so smooth and enjoyable that I found myself liking this book a great deal. Highly recommmended for suspense book lovers and fans of the Ripley series.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Ruth Rendell-like
Someone once said that Patricia Highsmith's novels are like bad dreams that keep us thrashing during the night. This one is no exception. Read more

Published on Feb 15 2002 by George Dellagiarino

4.0 out of 5 stars Another strange Highsmith brew
There is something tantalyzing about reading a book that could only be a book; a story that hides behind the fact that you can only know what you are told, never what you see. Read more

Published on Dec 10 2001 by Michael Schau

4.0 out of 5 stars A Suspension of Mercy requires a suspension of disbelief
Although its plot occasionally stretches credulity, this is nonetheless a fine novel by one of the masters of suspense fiction. Read more

Published on Sep 10 2001 by Slade Allenbury

4.0 out of 5 stars tense psychological thriller among Highsmith's better works.
Having read most of Highsmith's novels I've become rather critical of her work in both good and bad ways. Read more

Published on Sep 4 2001 by lazza