My second copy of this book comes to me courtesy of the lovely smlwoman who, when she heard of the parlous state of my first bookring, sourced this copy so that said bookring could continue.

Thank you smlwoman!

Renewing the book's journey:
1) caligula03 (US)
2) ldpaulson (US)
3) hunnyb (Australia) --> book is here

Mr. Ripley is here.

This journal entry is for The Talented Mr. Ripley as I've just finished it. I think I've found a new favorite author. Once I got into chapter two of the book I was hooked. I managed to read most of the book today!

The story walks a fine line between the schemes of Tom Ripley and the people who try to figure out what he has done. There are many times when his plans come close to unraveling and Tom's vulnerability comes to light. Mr. Ripley while certainly tallented is also very lucky.

This entry is for Ripley Under Ground as I've just finished it.

Ripley Under Ground takes place six years (give or take) after the close of the first story. In that time Tom has matured and settled down. Ideally he would love to live a comfortable life in France with his wife and forget the sins of his past. Unfortunately Ripley's talents lie in forgery and he's been adding to his fortune by selling bogus paintings of a long dead artist. Ripley also hasn't learned to control his temper and he soon finds himself having to clean up after himself again and the police once more investigating his life and his past.

This review is for Ripley's Game.

In the third of the Mr. Ripley stories, Tom and his friends take on the Mafia for no obvious reason. While Tom manages to survive because of his luck, things otherwise don't go well. The Mafia is a professionial and highly organized criminal organization. Ripley while clever is an amature. Sure, he's killed a few people and gotten away with it but none of his crimes have been as premeditated as what he attempts in this book. Therefore the story doesn't seem as plausible and it failed to hold my attention as the previous two did.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing to ldpaulson.

Arrived in my postal box and joins the growing stack of bookrings. Fortunately, this Patricia Highsmith compendium will be one of my A-Z Reading Challenge books!

Patricia Highsmith is a new-to-me author, but I know the outlines of her work well from film adaptations. Two of the three books collected in this omnibus have been made into films as has STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, which I have seen many times, but not yet read. I'm sorry to say that I kept seeing Jude Law, Matt Damon, John Malkovich and (incorrectly) Stephen Rea ... it was Dougray Scott who played Trevanny in RIPLEY'S GAME. Memory ... oy! This whole idea Highsmith explores with these characters ... it makes me want to read ABOUT her.

Interesting old-fashioned suspense series with a psychopath as main character. The books were absorbing reads, although all things being equal and in a perfect world, I would not have chosen to read them back to back. A little unrepentant psychopathic behaviour goes a long way.

Waiting to hear from the next reader.

En route to hunnyb.

Received today :) What a lovely label if I may say so myself. Tee hee.

So disturbing. I've read "Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Ripley's Game" previously, but they scared me even more this time around. "Ripley Under Ground" effectively juxtaposed Ripley's appreciation of art with his murderous schemes. Should he be admired for wanting to protect his friends? It's a testament to Highsmith's genius that she can keep us reading even when the central character is so morally bankrupt.

Thanks for sharing this, Miss-Owl. I'll hang onto it for an in-person handover.

In-person handover accomplished. Thanks, hunnyb :)

Reserved to seek other readers.

RELEASE NOTES:

In celebration of hunnyb's 21st... enjoy!

Don't forget to come back and journal when you're done!

Oooh, this looks familiar. Mum and Dad picked it up at the end of the night... don't think it's quite Mummyb's cup of tea though :) Will seek another release spot. Thanks Miss-Owl.