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The Blunderer

A Virago Modern Classic
3.7 goodreads logo

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( 3,493 ratings, 435 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Blunderer by Patricia Highsmith is a gripping psychological crime thriller that explores the dark complexities of human nature. The plot follows Walter Stackhouse, a successful lawyer who becomes obsessed with a murder case that eerily mirrors his own crumbling marriage. As his fascination grows, Walter finds himself entangled in a web of deceit and suspicion, leading to a perilous dance with danger and desperation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping thriller if you're captivated by psychological suspense and the intricate exploration of guilt. Patricia Highsmith skilfully intertwines complex characters with a tense and twisting plot, making it a must-read for those who appreciate tales of obsession and moral ambiguity.

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First published in 1953, The Blunderer is often hailed as Highsmith's finest novel, about the rise and fall of a faithful suburban husband who plots his wife's demise in fantasies gruesome and eerily serene.

First published in 1953, The Blunderer is often hailed as Highsmith's finest novel, about the rise and fall of a faithful suburban husband who plots his wife's demise in fantasies gruesome and eerily serene.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Blunderer was written by Highsmith in between Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr Ripley. The novel follows the young, successful, and handsome Walter Stackhouse, who seems to have it all, that is, until the day his wife's body is found at the bottom of a cliff.

Under the intense scrutiny of the investigation, he commits one mistake, then another, until—in true Highsmithian fashion—Walter finds his perfect life derailed. Now Walter is running from the obsessions of the murderer, the suspicions of the lead cop, and his own increasingly life-threatening blunders.

'The No.1 Greatest Crime Writer' — The Times

Series: Virago Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Blunderer by Patricia Highsmith is described as an almost unputdownable read, with the author being likened to a spider writing about flies, suggesting a gripping narrative. The book's unsettling nature makes it comparable to bad dreams that linger, indicative of Highsmith's ability to craft profoundly disturbing and engaging thrillers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349004525

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 May 2015

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Virago Press Ltd

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Denise Mina

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 19.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 220g

Pages: 384

About the Author

Patricia Highsmith (1921-1995) was born in Fort Worth, Texas. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, was made into a classic film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951. The Talented Mr Ripley, published in 1955, introduced the fascinating anti-hero Tom Ripley, and was made into an Oscar-winning film in 1999 by Anthony Minghella. Graham Greene called Patricia Highsmith 'the poet of apprehension', saying that she 'created a world of her own - a world claustrophobic and irrational which we enter each time with a sense of personal danger'. Patricia Highsmith died in Locarno, Switzerland, in February 1995. Her last novel, Small g: A Summer Idyll, was published posthumously, the same year.

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