Two men meet in the picturesque backstreets of Athens. Chester MacFarlane is a conman with multiple false identities, near the end of his rope and on the run with his young wife Colette. Rydal Keener is a young drifter looking for adventure: he finds it in one evening as the law catches up to Chester and Colette, and their fates become fatally entwined. Patricia Highsmith draws us deep into a cross-European game of cat and mouse in this masterpiece of suspense from the author of The Talented Mr Ripley.


Patricia Highsmith has a talent for writing about flawed and basically unlikeable characters in a way that somehow keeps the reader interested in the story arc and invested in their often reprehensible and sometimes unbelievable actions. This is another suspenseful psychological thriller full of tension, as the three characters are played off against each other. Must admit the ending was a bit if a surprise to me, but I guess fits the title somewhat. If that sounds rather obtuse then you’ll just have to read the book! 😉

Hitchhiker! Hope you enjoy this one.

I have seen the film version and enjoyed it so will be interested to read this and give my verdict if the book trumps the movie as they usually do ! Thanks for including this one.

I have seen the film version and enjoyed it so will be interested to read this and give my verdict if the book trumps the movie as they usually do ! Thanks for including this one.