The Crime Writer: A Novel

ISBN: 0062669583

Author: Dawson, Jill

Condition: New

From acclaimed novelist Jill Dawson comes this imaginative psychological thriller-a dark and compelling snapshot into the life of Patricia Highsmith that immerses readers into the intoxicating, nightmarish psyche of this brilliant, complex author.When novelist Patricia Highsmith moves into a small cottage in Suffolk, England, in the mid-1960s, shes seeking seclusion and time to write. Theres another reason for seeking privacy too-Pat is involved in a secret romance with Sam, a married woman living in London.But even in this quaint village, Pat cant escape the obligations of her success. A young reporter, Virginia Ginny Smythson-Balby, sets her sights on Pat for an article shes writing. Ginny is both tenacious and oddly familiar, but Pat cant quite place where shes seen her before. Intent on unearthing details about Pats fascination with not just the subject of murder but the psychology of a murderer, Ginny constantly intrudes into the sanctuary Pat had hoped to create, much to her dismay.As Pat observes, love is a kind of madness. And when Sam comes for a visit, tension between Pat and Sams husband escalates with deadly results. For so long shes wondered what it would feel like to commit the ultimate transgression. Now shes not just a chronicler of murder and violence, but a participant as she becomes a character from her own thrilling, disturbing novels. But just like her books, she discovers crime has consequencesdark, surprising, and inescapable.Jill Dawson deftly explores the public and private life of one of the most intriguing writers of our time, blending fact and fiction in a novel as thrilling as Patricia Highsmiths own work.