Many moons ago, I delved into the captivating world of Rosemary's Baby and fell deeply in love with it. Since then, I have revisited its pages not once but twice more, and each time, its sheer brilliance has remained undiminished.

So, when I chanced upon A Kiss Before Dying and discovered that it was yet another masterpiece by Ira Levin, I couldn't help but exclaim, "yes please."

This novel holds a narrative trick that I failed to detect until early in the second section. I shall refrain from spoiling it here, but suffice it to say that it initially threw me for a loop before I came to appreciate its sheer genius!

Would I wholeheartedly recommend this novel? Absolutely! It seamlessly weaves together the elements of crime, noir, and mystery, creating a captivating tapestry that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Levin truly has a remarkable knack for ramping up the tension, and he does so with great finesse and aplomb in this particular work.

Prepare to be enthralled as you embark on this thrilling literary journey.

I am currently indulging in an Ira Levin marathon, and it has been an absolute delight. This particular story is a dark and irresistibly readable one. It revolves around a man who is overly handsome and has been overly doted on by his adoring mother. When the world fails to immediately bestow upon him the wealth and recognition he believes he is entitled to, he hatches a plan to marry into it. However, things take a tragic turn, leading to deadly consequences.

Levin's construction of this novel is truly ingenious. In the first part, the story is told from the murderer's perspective, yet his name remains a mystery, which later proves to be a crucial plot point. Incidentally, the plot, although somewhat contrived, is utterly fascinating and could only have worked in the pre-internet era.

"A Kiss Before Dying" served as the basis for two movies, released 35 years apart (in 1956 and 1991), and I have had the pleasure of watching both. I didn't anticipate being surprised by anything in the novel, perhaps except for settling the argument about whether Dorrie and Ellen were indeed twins. But lo and behold! In the novel, there is a third sister, adding an unexpected twist to the story.

The main character is in a state of frustration as he struggles to find the perfect job. He realizes that getting rich on his own is an arduous task that demands a significant amount of work, time, and a healthy dose of luck. This leads him to consider an alternative path - marrying into wealth.

He reasons that it might be an easier option. After carefully evaluating all the girls at college, he finally zeroes in on Dorothy Kingship. Her name alone hints at her elevated status. Her father is a copper magnate with a fortune that is simply staggering. Dorothy is the middle daughter among three. She is not only beautiful, which is a definite bonus, but also insecure, which he sees as an even bigger advantage.

For a while, everything seems to be going according to plan. However, fate has a cruel twist in store. Dorothy gets pregnant. He had already taken the plunge, figuratively speaking, into the Kingship family's luxurious pool, but instead of a graceful swan dive, he hits the water with a resounding and ugly splash. All the glorious dreams he had entertained about his future as the son-in-law of a disgustingly rich man vanish into thin air. Now, all he can see is the image of Dorothy's expanding stomach, a constant reminder of the mess he has gotten himself into. It makes for a truly engaging read.

Savage and Entertaining

Our story kicks off with a sociopath who, by some cruel twist of fate, accidentally gets his girlfriend pregnant. Realizing that this situation won't bring him any financial or social gain, he concludes that the only option is murder. And make no mistake, there's no mercy in his heart.

….And then everyone lived happily ever after. Just kidding! Of course, that's not how it goes. No spoilers here, but let me tell you, some bananas chaos ensues. Because as we all know, nothing ever goes according to plan. This book really leans into that idea. And our little sociopath has had his fair share of experiences, so the tale takes some rather twisty turns.

I've been delving into 1950s thrillers and noir, and this one was a great start. I especially appreciate endings like this one. It's very satisfying. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a crime novel that's fairly easy to read and won't tax your brain too much. It's a wild ride that you won't want to miss!

This book is truly an underrated gem that has unfortunately been buried beneath the more renowned The Boys from Brazil and Rosemary's Baby. However, among these three, I discovered this particular one to be the most suspenseful.

The mystery within its pages is masterfully concealed; it's not your typical "whodunit" where the focus is solely on figuring out the culprit. Instead, the big revelation occurs right in the middle of the book. From that moment on, pure suspense takes over and propels the story forward.

Here's a challenge for Indian readers: try to identify the Bollywood blockbuster that is based on this novel.

Don't miss out on this captivating read. Pick up the book and let yourself be drawn into its thrilling world. You won't be disappointed.

I felt as though Ira Levin truly delved deep into the characters' minds.

Particularly, reformed party-girl Ellen and spinster-in-training Marion were well-developed. Maybe their relative depth was a welcome relief after the lovestruck and wannabe-wed Dorothy.

The novel was filled with newspaper items related to the various crimes in the story. They were all rather tongue-in-cheek and served as great palate-cleansers between the changes in point of view.

What sets this book apart from other similarly plotted suspense stories is the way Levin manipulates our emotions regarding the murderer. For the first third of the novel, there's a tiny part of us that feels sympathy for this man. We almost find ourselves hoping he doesn't get caught. After all, he worked so hard to marry money and we might think he deserved it.

However, several surprises later, our emotions do a complete flip-flop. Now, with information presented from another perspective, we can see just how monstrous this man really is.

The dialogue is so natural and effortless. I wonder if some of it made it into the film, which I'm now eager to watch. The women in the novel are lively enough, but I just wished that one of them didn't rely on a male protector.

Nonetheless, this was written in the 1950s, and I need to keep that in mind. The mind of the hero/villain is convincingly portrayed, and the overall plot makes this a real page-turner. It's an excellent guilty pleasure. Four stars indeed. I'm definitely looking forward to reading "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives" now.

If you're into the hard-boiled crime genre, definitely pick this up!

Ira Levin tries very hard to surprise the reader, but from the very beginning, the writer's hand is revealed and a predictable continuation is found.

He employs various literary devices and plot twists in an attempt to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. However, some readers may be able to see through the cleverly crafted façade and anticipate what is going to happen next.

Despite this, Levin's work still holds a certain allure. His ability to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense is undeniable. Even if the ending may not be completely unexpected, the journey towards it is often filled with excitement and intrigue.

Perhaps the predictability is not entirely a bad thing. It allows readers to engage with the story on a deeper level, as they try to figure out the clues and piece together the puzzle. In the end, whether or not the reader is caught off guard, Ira Levin's writing continues to captivate and entertain.

We all know they're out there.

Sociopaths. It is truly chilling how they manage to blend in seamlessly with everyone else.

Contrary to what one might expect, they are not apt to be loners. Instead, they are fully prepared to mix and mingle with everyday people.

It's not at all out of the realm of possibility that they may be full of charm and possess good looks, which only further aids them in their ability to deceive.

The one in this particular tale is not only charming but also resourceful and cunning.

His eye is firmly on the prize, and he intends to have it at all costs. He is relentless in his pursuit, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals.

This story was published in 1953.

I've always loved the notion that a person's books are the best index of his or her personality.

And no, you don't need to have a closer look at my bookshelves. Now, please step off.

Baazigar wishes it was this dark and grim. SRK's career would never have taken off if it were a faithful adaptation of this novel.

Our protagonist, whose name I shan't mention as it is a pivotal plot point, has run into trouble. His girlfriend, Dorothy, is pregnant, and this isn't part of his plan. You see, along with being a WW2 veteran and a man of ambition who wants to make it big, our buddy is also your run-of-the-mill sociopath. So, he devises a scheme that can ensure not only the end of the pregnancy but also, perhaps, Dorothy's life. Fingers crossed. And this is all within the first chapter!

Ira Levin's debut novel is an engaging thriller about a man willing to go to any lengths to find fortune. Dorothy, the daughter of a rich copper conglomerate, isn't the only one on his radar. Her sisters, Ellen and Marion, are also in his sights. You mustn't expect our protagonist to understand the concept of collateral damage or the value of human life.

What's interesting about this story is that you know all along what's going to happen. The beginning chapter lays out the stakes, and the end is crystal clear to the reader. What Ira does in the middle is what holds your attention and takes you from A to B. Though the book feels dated in its writing, with more talking and explaining than action, it's not a big deal. It successfully fools you by redirecting your attention to another character, a classic red herring, and it's hard not to take the bait. It's even more impressive when you realize Ira was only 23 when he wrote this.

As I was reading, I thought about how today's technology would have challenged Ira to rework much of the novel. In the 1950s, there was no concept of CCTV, social media, or cell phones. Murders were easier to get away with, information about people and their backgrounds was hard to come by, and guns and crime paraphernalia were easier to dispose of. At least on paper.

First published in 1953, this story commences in the Spring of 1950.

A young man finds himself confronted with the news that Dorothy, his girlfriend of merely a few months, is 2 months pregnant.

It quickly becomes evident that this is far from what the young man had anticipated.

He is a male gold-digger, and he dreads that Dorothy's extremely wealthy father will disinherit them completely if they are forced to marry hastily.

The question of how to best resolve this dilemma plagues him.

This narrative does not possess an action-driven plot.

Rather, it leans more towards being a psychological thriller than a genuine mystery.

Levin introduces tension right from the start, and there are few moments where we can truly unwind.

The characterizations may not be fully developed, but I'm not certain that is even necessary for this particular type of novel.

The writing is indeed better than one might initially assume.

But... Just Wow! I have a dedicated shelf for debut novels, and all I can say is that I hope the others are of equal caliber to this one.

I don't typically rate this genre 5 stars, but I'm making an exception in this case.

Three and a half stars :)

I heard about it from Cost Box on Speed 2/5.

Well, it was almost finished in three and a half hours. And during the exercise, I was coming to myself and I noticed that I had put my hand on my forehead and was reacting

It always amazes me how many people have never heard of Ira Levin.

"Ira who? Never heard of him."

"You saw the movie The Stepford Wives or Rosemary's Baby? Well, Levin wrote those."

Yup, everyone saw those movies but still they don't recognize Levin's name. It's a shame really because he was a brilliant writer with an amazing gift at storytelling.

In fact, A Kiss Before Dying was his first and it won an award. It was written over six decades ago but it's an easy to read. Not nearly as dated as you'd think.

It's kind of the opposite of a murdery-mystery. You know who did the murder because you're actually following him and his plans. At least for the first one. The plot thickens (as they say) and the murderer gets deeper and deeper into the hole he dug for himself.

The thing I really liked, once I realized it, was that the murderer's name isn't mentioned once for about half the book. Once details start being looked at and suspects named, you're just as much in the dark as the characters trying to capture him.

I recommend reading Levin in general, he's that good, but this is a great place to start.

Levin was a genius. His works have the power to captivate readers and keep them on the edge of their seats.

The way he crafted his stories, with their intricate plots and well-developed characters, is truly remarkable.

Whether it's a psychological thriller like Rosemary's Baby or a suspenseful mystery like A Kiss Before Dying, Levin always knew how to draw his readers in and make them feel like they were part of the story.

His writing style is engaging and accessible, making his books suitable for readers of all ages and backgrounds.

If you haven't read any of Ira Levin's works yet, I highly recommend that you do. You won't be disappointed.