Strangers on a Train: Patricia Highsmith

Patricia Highsmith is known for her dark, suspense-filled novels and Strangers on a Train was my introduction to her writing. (It was also her debut novel.) I had been wanting to read it for years and Peggy at Peggy's Porch very kindly sent me her copy. The basic story is that two men meet on a train, and one of them suggests a murder pact. If they each murder a person that the other wants to get rid of, then they can get away with the perfect crime.

Charles Anthony Bruno is the one who proposes the pact; he is a rich young man, dependent on his father for funds, and indulged by his mother. The other young man is Guy Haines; he is embarrassed by the encounter, determined not to take Bruno seriously. Guy is an architect, just starting out, with a wife he wants to divorce and a girlfriend he wants to marry. Most of the story is told from Guy's point of view, although we get to know Bruno's thoughts very well also.

My assessment:

A very good novel, but a disturbing read. I read the first 100 pages enjoying Highsmith's wonderful way with telling a story. I liked the buildup of tension, the introduction of the characters, and the laying out of the story. But beyond that point I had to slow down and only read a bit of it a day. It was too intense and very unpleasant. The ending was a complete surprise to me and I did not find it convincing.

For readers who have not already experienced this novel, I would only recommend it to those who enjoy highly suspenseful noir novels. This novel proves to be more of a character study than the exploration of a crime, and that is usually an approach I like. This time it did not prove to be enjoyable.

The film:

There is well-known film adaptation of this novel, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Farley Granger as Guy and Robert Walker as Bruno both handle their roles very well. Robert Walker's acting is especially chilling. I had seen the movie before reading the book, but enough years had passed that I wasn't sure how much was changed in the film. The basic story and the ending of the film are quite different. I liked the film a lot, but it does not have the emotional impact or the depth of the book. In the book it is hard to have sympathy with anyone, in the film the characters are more likable.

Other thoughts on the novel:

• Marie's review at Goodreads
• At Peggy's Porch
• Moira's review at Past Offences
• Rich's  review at Past Offences
• At Col's Criminal Library

I still plan to read at least one other novel by Highsmith, The Talented Mr. Ripley, the first in a series. I will probably try some of her other stand alone novels. Suggestions are welcome.


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Publisher:   W. W. Norton & Company, 2001 (orig. publ. 1950)
Length:       280 pages
Format:      Trade paperback
Setting:      USA
Genre:        Mystery
Source:      A gift.