Month: September 2026

Given my background in crime writing, it’s amazing I’ve gone this far in life without reading Patricia Highsmith. I’m happy to correct that mistake now. This book is a simple, straightforward anti-hero character study about a guy who’s doing everything he can to get away …

Here’s a unique premise: a spaceship lands on Earth, and a notable American is promptly murdered. One of the visitors stands trial for the crime. This is a brisk, enjoyable courtroom drama. It’s not (pardon the cliche) out of this world, but it’s curiously digestible. …

I’m told this novel is loathed by many and loved by many more. Is it wishy-washy to fall squarely in the middle of that range? The story: classics students at a New England college immerse themselves so deeply in their studies that a bacchanalia inevitably …