DEVILS, LUSTS AND STRANGE DESIRES The Life of Patricia Highsmith

With the publication of STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1950) and THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (1955), author Patricia Highsmith came roaring onto the worldwide literary scene, giving murder mysteries and psychological thrillers a dark, intelligent sheen. Sadly, her personal life was a mess, fraught with alcoholism, anger, and shattered relationships. Narrator Daniel Henning's upbeat, almost cheerful, delivery seems at odds with the many detailed and bleak accounts of an abusive childhood, often cruel relationships with both male and female lovers, and racist/anti-Semitic political leanings. Henning's voice reflects the author's attempts to find a balance between the celebrated writer and her life, but it's difficult to listen to the story of a "genius" who hated the world and herself so much. B.P. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2021]