'After Dark, My Sweet' by Jim Thompson is a noir crime novel that follows the story of William Collins, a former boxer and escaped mental patient, who gets involved in a kidnapping plot orchestrated by a femme fatale named Fay and her uncle, a con artist. The plot unfolds with dark and gritty elements, filled with unredeemable characters and a sense of impending doom. The narrative is told from Collins' unreliable point of view, keeping the reader on edge with its unpredictable and violent nature. Thompson's writing style delves into the twisted minds of the characters, creating a warped and crazy world where trust is a rare commodity.
The book is known for its gripping and engaging storyline that keeps the reader's interest until its final, unpredictable ending. Thompson's mastery of the noir genre shines through in his portrayal of morally complex characters and the dark atmosphere he creates. The plot, filled with double-crosses and tension, is complimented by the author's skillful writing that immerses the reader into the paranoid and violent world of the protagonist.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers for After Dark, My Sweet include mental illness, violence, kidnapping, alcoholism, and themes of betrayal.
From The Publisher:
A classic crime novel about a kidnapping scheme gone wrong from Jim Thompson's, America's "Dimestore Dostoevsky."
William "Kid" Collins was once a respected boxer. Now he's a drifter, on the run after escaping from a mental institution.
One afternoon he meets Fay, a beautiful young widow. She is smart and decent - at least when she's sober. Soon Collins finds himself involved in a kidnapping scheme that goes drastically wrong almost before it even begins. Because the kid they've picked up isn't like other kids: he's diabetic and without insulin, he'll die. Not the safest situation for Collins, a man for whom stress and violence have long gone hand-in-hand.
After Dark, My Sweet once again displays Jim Thompson as the undisputed master of American noir. The basis of James Foley's critically acclaimed film of the same name, with the sweep of an epic tragedy, Thompson's classic limns the dangerous territory of honest people all-too-easily sucked into wickedness, with no way out but down.
Ratings (1)
Loved It (1) |
Reader Stats (5):
Read It (1) | |
Want To Read (4) |
What can you read after
After Dark, My Sweet?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
