I resisted this book for some time, fearing it would be a retread of The Postman Always Rings Twice. It was not.In fact, it was barely about a crime at all. What it was, was an extremely well-written meditation on loneliness and love late in life. A mediation on the vulnerability this love demands. A look at how loneliness can make you act in certain ways.
It took its time developing the characters, in bringing you to the central conflict. Russell is apparently a poet and this is very evident.
Hill is very good at describing the sheep-farming business and the English coutryside but he does not get bogged down by it. His plot moves forward and when I got to the end, he surprised me twice. Highly recommended.
5 comments:
I'm just about finished with a different Hard Case Fade To Blonde and I have three others waiting in the wings, but I will add Robbie's Wife to the list. It sounds very intriguing and I can't give Hard Case Crime Novels enough praise. It's rejuvenated the entire genre.
And if you like noir, give my daughter a try. She writes some pretty mean stuff. (Queenpin, Die a Little, The Song is You).
Ah, I knew the name but didn't make the connection. The Song is You is on my reading list. I love old, real-life Hollywood mysteries and I had read where Song is about actress Jean Spangler. I'm looking forward to reading your daughter's "mean stuff"!
I thought Robbie's wife was one of the most under rated books of last year, and should have won the Edgar for paperback original. Of course, it did have Queenpin to contend with.
There is that, Keith. Maybe the best runnerup ever. I loved it.
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