Book of the Week

The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Recommended by Robert Daniel

The Talented Mr Ripley is a very good book which explores the inner turmoils of a charming, yet tortured murderer set against the backdrop of some of the most beautiful places in Europe (the Amalfi coast, Venice, Paris, Rome and the Cote d'Azur).

The story is gripping as Ripley impersonates Dickie Greenleaf, the young man whom he murdered and whose identity he stole. It is fascinating to see Ripley adapt his speech, looks and lifestyle to become Dickie, but the image soon begins to crumble and Ripley must adapt and improvise to survive. The way by which Highsmith explores this change is masterful and is what the book is really about. Ripley himself blows any other characters out of the water, making them seem boring and forgettable compared to him, and his inner dialogue is brilliant. I especially loved the scene where he plans, with a chilling logic and calm, how he will murder Dickie the following day. Of course, the locations are also incredible, especially as Highsmith uses different writing styles and description to give a sense of the atmosphere of each place, but this is really in the background compared to Ripley's brilliant character.

In conclusion, The Talented Mr Ripley is an excellent crime thriller written from an unusual perspective which I would recommend highly.