Mid-20th Century North American Crime and Mystery
COUNTDOWN: BOOK 78 (of 250)
"Psycho" serves as an excellent companion piece, offering a view from the outside in. In contrast, this work provides a perspective from the inside out of a character very much like Norman Bates from "Psycho".

The hook of this book is quite engaging. With a title that grabs attention and a cover on the "Vintage Crime" paperback that is equally captivating, it also has an impressive pedigree. The opening line, "I'd finished my pie and was having a second cup of coffee when I saw him," immediately piques the reader's curiosity. Saw who? And what kind of pie was it?

The pace of the story is blistering, making it a one-sit read. However, there are some drawbacks. The plot has a significant flaw. It seems too convenient that several characters are willing to take the blame for the killer, Lou Ford. Given that Lou starts his murderous rampage at a young age in a small town, this is a flaw that's hard to ignore. What happened to his "hooker girlfriend" and his other girlfriends?

The characters in the story are a bit of a mixed bag. We have regular characters using phrases like "Well, of course, poor old Descartes, Aristototle, Diogenes, Euclid et al. are dead but I think you'll find quite a few people around who'll defend their theories." It's a bit strange that a town full of seemingly smart people can't see a murderer right in front of them and that they use such language in regular conversation. As the bodies pile up, the ladies of the town show no qualms about the killer Ford. Still, the "killer inside" is both perplexing and fascinating, if also repulsive. I found myself searching for reasons, something that might have set him off, but I didn't find one, perhaps I overlooked it. Maybe it was a bad-pie day?

The setting of the story is well-done. It takes place in the underside of a small town in Texas, similar to Mayberry, North Carolina. Thompson captures the atmosphere almost perfectly. However, there are some slips in jargon, as it seems unlikely that the people in this town would talk about philosophers so casually. Overall, I give this book a rating of 3.4. The atmosphere and pace are both fantastic, but the plot has too many holes and the characters' dialogue can be a bit odd. Despite these flaws, I'm still interested in reading more of this author's work as there are more to come in my countdown. And I still wonder, what KIND of pie was it?

\\n  “It’s—it’s always lightest j-just before the dark.” Tired as I was, I laughed. “You got it wrong, Bob,” I said.\\n

A serial killer story told from the killer’s perspective? This unique narrative approach immediately grabs the reader's attention.

\\n  \\n

Originally published in the 1950s, this story, The Killer Inside Me, has aged remarkably well. It contains way more gory details than one might expect for its age, which adds to its shock value. In fact, it would have made an A+ Hitchcock movie. The way the story unfolds, with the killer's thoughts and actions being revealed, creates a sense of unease and anticipation.

Many thankings to J. Kent Messum for putting this one on my radar. He's one of the few authors who have made the cut of remaining on my friends list. Not only does he write great stuff, as seen in his highly recommended works Bait and Husk, but he's also an avid reader whose tastes seem to match mine remarkably well. He rarely attempts to peddle his own wares and has never shown his ass as a "badly behaving author." That's a win win win situation for both readers and fellow authors.

Overall, The Killer Inside Me is a must-read for fans of crime and mystery novels, and J. Kent Messum is an author to watch out for.

The threat of violence in the small Texas town described in Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me is extremely low. So much so that the patrolling sheriff, Lou Ford, doesn't even feel the need to carry a gun. Lou isn't worried because, after all, who could be more dangerous in Central City than good old Lou himself? He speaks in clichés and presents a friendly demeanor, but behind this social mask lies his true nature; a terrifying homicidal maniac capable of killing at any moment.

This was my first encounter with Jim Thompson's work. While the brutality of the violence and the pleasure that Thompson's Lou Ford derives from administering beatings and committing murder will remain with me for a long time, the writing style initially threw me off. I suppose I haven't read many West Texas noir novels, and the language, combined with the manner of speaking, seemed disjointed and difficult to identify with. Maybe it has something to do with being a Canadian living on the eastern seaboard, born some thirty-two years after this book was published. Who knows?

I'm definitely intrigued to explore more of Thompson's work and perhaps give this one a re-read at some point. After all, it's only a few hundred pages. Stephen King writes the foreword (where he admittedly rambles), and it's listed as a crime classic with its influence reaching many of the top writers in the genre.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing.

On the front cover of this book, there is a quote from Stanley Kubrick, hailing it as "the most chilling and believable first-person story of a criminally warped mind I have ever encountered."

However, I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Kubrick. Perhaps it is due to the changing times or my own evolving perspective, but I found this book to be sickening and devoid of any heart.

The story revolves around a deputy sheriff in a small Texas town who embarks on a spree of beating and killing people, with a particular focus on women. He claims to have a reason for his actions - a desire for revenge against the rich businessman responsible for his brother's death. But what he does is so outrageously crazy and evil that it makes for truly painful reading.

He derives real pleasure from beating people, especially women, to a pulp, and yet they somehow come back for more. The question remains: Did such things really occur 50 years ago? Regardless, it is far from enjoyable to read about now.

I am not one who only relishes in reading poems about butterflies. I do have an appreciation for a good noir title or mystery. However, Thompson is not the most talented writer in the world, although I did greatly enjoy his autobiographical book "Roughneck."

Meet Lou, a sheriff with an undeniable charm.

Surprisingly, he doesn't even carry a gun and always appears to be unwaveringly calm, at least on the surface.

But don't be fooled by this composed exterior. Beneath it lies a mind that is profoundly disturbed.

Lou is a psychopath and a merciless murderer. He views people not as sentient beings with feelings and emotions but as mere objects.

This story, which was published in 1952, has withstood the test of time and still holds a significant impact.

It is unquestionably top-notch material, yet it is not recommended for those who are looking for stories centered around virtuous individuals.

Instead, it invites you to take a dark and thrilling ride inside the mind of a psychopath, offering a unique and disturbing perspective on the human psyche.

Prepare to be challenged and perhaps even a little bit scared as you explore the depths of Lou's twisted world.

Moby Dick is a classic novel that can be simply summarised in ten words - Boy meets whale, boy loses whale, boy gets whale back. However, this might seem a bit wordy. A more concise way to sum it up could be in four words - all killer no filler.

There is a song by Jacques Brel where the Devil, after staying in Hell for a long time, decides to visit the earth to see what's happening. He strolls around, smiles, and says "Not bad.... not bad at all....". This could be yet another way to describe this remarkable book.

Moby Dick is a captivating tale that takes readers on a thrilling adventure. It explores themes such as obsession, revenge, and the power of nature. The story follows the journey of Ishmael as he joins Captain Ahab in his hunt for the white whale, Moby Dick.

The novel is filled with vivid descriptions, complex characters, and profound insights. It has been widely regarded as a masterpiece of American literature and continues to be studied and enjoyed by readers around the world.

Whether you choose to summarise it in ten words or four, or simply let the Devil's words describe it, Moby Dick is a book that leaves a lasting impression.

**Lucida follia**

In 2021, after 10 years, I wanted to reread the novel because the initial 3-star rating for a title considered among its peaks seemed strange to me, given that the author, in his genre, is at the top of my preferences. I imagine then that I wasn't ready for Thompson, surely not as I am today. During this time span, I have read many other of his stories and understood that Jim is always able to draw me into his web of desperate pessimism, branded on the skin of his protagonists, even in the works considered minor. Which, as far as I'm concerned, I appreciate more than the major ones of some of his colleagues. That sense of (apparent) calm that Thompson places everywhere, in contrast to what really happens, has a charm on me that I don't know and don't want to resist. Ever. Because I trust. This of "L'assassino" is a story all in the mind of Sheriff Lou Ford, a man divided between the routine of a provincial Texas life and the homicidal and lucid impulse of his "illness". And in the middle, there we are. "Colpo di spugna" still remains at my first place. In 2011, it was rated ***. There's nothing to say about the author, he has built a story of lucid folly with few strokes.

In 1990, I was completely unaware of Jim Thompson. However, that year, two movies were released, both of which were adaptations of his books. The Grifters made a significant impact and rightfully received all the attention it deserved. But in my opinion, it was the lesser-known After Dark, My Sweet that truly stood out. It was a perfect and utterly brilliant desert noir, with Jason Patric, Rachel Ward, and Bruce Dern constantly getting on each other's nerves in a half-hearted, on-again off-again plot to kidnap a wealthy family's child. It is highly recommended.

So, over the next few years, I read several of his books. The Killer Inside Me was the first and most impressive one. In the vast field of sociopathic killers in crime literature, Lou Ford still manages to be distinct. Partly, it's because of the first-person narration, which allows you to spend the entire book inside Lou's head. Partly, it's his ingenious technique of hiding in plain sight, burying his razor-sharp intellect beneath a dumb hick persona. Thompson liked this angle so much that he only slightly modified the main character when he wrote Pop. 1280 a decade later. Well, if it ain't broke...

Is it misogyny or just portraying misogyny?

An interesting incident occurred when Michael Winterbottom made a film of this in 2010. (There was an earlier film version made in the 1970s with Stacy Keach, but I've never been able to find it.) It was immediately accused of misogyny due to the violence against women depicted. Regarding this, first, this is a very faithful adaptation of the book. Second, in the book, Lou Ford is a blatant sadist, and while his victims are both men and women, it's hard not to notice an extra bit of relish when he attacks a woman. The strange thing (and needless to say, these are just my personal subjective thoughts and not any definitive statement) is that I did find the movie a bit problematic, yet I had no such issue when I read the book. I have two theories about this. One is that a film makes everything literal, and how a scene unfolds is determined not by your own mind as in a book, but by the director, and you have no say in it. Second, the movie loses the first-person point of view. Lou may still be the main character, but you're no longer seeing through his eyes. So what? Well, in the book, you're being told a story by a psychopath who enjoys his violence, so when Joyce, for example, seems really into it, you're allowed to raise the Eyebrow of Skepticism. In the movie, there's no such leeway. I don't know how others perceive it, but for me, while the book was chilling, the movie had a queasy effect that may not have been what they intended.

You can smell this book.

It's a potent mix of sweat, desperation, liquor, failure, and misogyny.

This is my favorite Jim Thompson book.

Admittedly, it's an ugly book to claim that you enjoy, but I do, and yet I don't feel entirely good about saying it.

Similar to other art forms in the fifties, this book has a profound infatuation with psychology.

This psychological exploration reaches its pinnacle in the final pages.

Thompson masterfully reveals both personalities of the protagonist in alternating lines of the text.

For a pulpy crime novel, it showcases a remarkably deft understanding of a split personality.

It's an excellent read for those who sense that they suppress a secret or have lived with a degenerate past.

Enjoy it, but also be prepared to feel a tinge of sickness as you delve into its dark and complex themes.

Stephen King is a renowned author who has recommended many other talented writers. One of the authors he highly admires is Jim Thompson. In the introduction to "Now and On Earth", Stephen King expresses his deep appreciation for Thompson's work. He states that Thompson was "over the top", meaning his writing was extreme and unapologetic. King also emphasizes Thompson's bravery in his approach to writing. He let himself see the darkest aspects of human nature, write them down without hesitation, and then have the courage to publish them.

Stephen King, who has been a long-time admirer of Thompson, describes him as "crazy". He says that Thompson charged into the American subconscious with a blowtorch in one hand and a pistol in the other, screaming his head off. According to King, no other writer came close to Thompson in terms of his boldness and fearlessness.

King also proclaims that Jim Thompson is his favorite crime novelist. He notes that Thompson's style has been imitated by many but never truly duplicated. This shows the unique and influential nature of Thompson's writing.

After reading Thompson's work for the first time, the reviewer was deeply impressed. They found it challenging to be inside the head of a sociopath, but Thompson managed to put the reader right there. The character in the story justifies all his actions with twisted logic, which adds to the intrigue and suspense. The reviewer highly recommends Thompson's work and describes it as a short page-turner that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

I wonder if I liked it so much because Thompson writes incredibly or because it's summer and I'm taking a turn at the police station and enjoying it. Well, it doesn't matter, the writer's writing is what attracts you.

What made my hair stand on end is that he chose to tell the story in the first person to present us with a sick mind. Sick not just because he kills (slowly the "strange one"), but because he seems to have no specific reason to kill. Everything is blood. Brr...

Let me tell you, I saw that this was one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite books (Thompson worked with the director on the screenplay of the movie "The Killing") and Thompson is one of Stephen King's favorite writers (which I find logical). And it's a bit disturbing that I also enjoyed it, because I don't think these books have an echo in the most balanced minds. So, be careful not to annoy me, I've got some ideas. (Just kidding. Or maybe not;).

The Helper's quote hides the murderer within and engages in a series of killings, and the small and formerly peaceful town of Central City in Texas is unable to easily respond to the person who, by law, should keep its citizens safe.

The well-known, countless compliments about Jim Thompson and his writing style could be said again (and again and again), but the point of reference here is not the author, but his creation; the anti-hero named Lou Ford, and through his first-person account, the reader is led into the frenzied, yet also insane workings of a criminal mind; one that will coldly, calculatedly, and methodically pick them off one by one.

This story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, constantly wondering what Lou Ford will do next and how the town will ultimately deal with this menace. It is a thrilling and disturbing tale that delves deep into the psyche of a killer.