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Strangers On A Train by Patricia Highsmith
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Strangers On A Train (original 1950; edition 1999)

by Patricia Highsmith

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2,596875,735 (3.7)244
In Patricia Highsmith's debut novel, we encounter Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno, passengers on the same train. But while Guy is a successful architect in the midst of a divorce, Bruno turns out to be a sadistic psychopath who manipulates Guy into swapping murders with him. As Bruno carries out his twisted plan, Guy is trapped in Highsmith's perilous world-where, under the right circumstances, anybody is capable of murder. The inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1951 film, Strangers on a Train launched Highsmith on a prolific career of noir fiction, and proved her mastery of depicting the unsettling forces that tremble beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.… (more)
Member:RMXtreme
Title:Strangers On A Train
Authors:Patricia Highsmith
Info:Vintage (1999), Edition: New Ed, Paperback, 256 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:****
Tags:None

Work Information

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (1950)

  1. 00
    Double Indemnity by James M. Cain (sturlington)
  2. 00
    The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson (AKBouterse)
    AKBouterse: This is a modern reimagining of Strangers on a Train
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» See also 244 mentions

English (79)  Spanish (3)  Catalan (2)  Danish (1)  French (1)  Swedish (1)  All languages (87)
Showing 1-5 of 79 (next | show all)
I was very excited to read Patricia Highsmith's first novel, Strangers on a Train. Everyone thinks of the Hitchcock film that this book was adapted into, which I have not seen. This book started off great, it was great until the end. The ending was not what I wanted to see happen, it was quite anticlimactic. So much so that I already forgot what happened... ( )
  tayswift1477 | May 15, 2024 |
I thought this was going to be better, more suspenseful. I didn't care for the characters.
  bcrowl399 | Jan 29, 2024 |
I have wanted to read this book for a long time, so when I was challenged to read something off a backlist, this was my choice! It is such a great psychological thriller, showing the guilt of a murderer, albeit a reluctant one.
When 2 strangers, Guy Haines and Charles Bruno, meet on a train, and start talking about people they despise, Bruno plants a seed that they should each kill the other person's target. Who would suspect strangers of plotting such a thing?
As the story develops, Guy can't deal with the guilt that he unwittingly triggered Bruno to kill Guy's wife, and now is in an untenable position. Bruno continues to threaten Guy, until Guy kills Bruno's father for him.
Eerie, twisted story! ( )
  rmarcin | Sep 15, 2023 |
2nd time 6/1/23-6/6/23, better the 2nd time, the decent into madness could use more, but for a debut novel, very impressive, now 3 stars ( )
  jimifenway | Jun 1, 2023 |
Great book. This audiobook version is really awful due to the narration by Bronson Pinchot. I usually like it when a narrator "acts" the parts but Pinchot almost makes a joke out of the book. ( )
  soraxtm | Apr 9, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 79 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (58 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Highsmith, Patriciaprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Andrew, IanIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ayala, JoanTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Docktor, IrvIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Eräpuro, AnnikaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hitchcock, AlfredForewordsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Pinchot, BronsonNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Roberts, WilliamNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Für alle Virginias
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The train tore along with an angry, irregular rhythm. It was having to stop at smaller and more frequent stations, where it would wait impatiently for a moment, then attack the prarie again. But progress was imperceptible. The prarie only undulated like a vast, pink-tan blanket being casually shaken. The faster the train went, the more bouyant and taunting the undulations.

Guy took his eyes from the window and hitched himself back against the seat.
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In Patricia Highsmith's debut novel, we encounter Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno, passengers on the same train. But while Guy is a successful architect in the midst of a divorce, Bruno turns out to be a sadistic psychopath who manipulates Guy into swapping murders with him. As Bruno carries out his twisted plan, Guy is trapped in Highsmith's perilous world-where, under the right circumstances, anybody is capable of murder. The inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1951 film, Strangers on a Train launched Highsmith on a prolific career of noir fiction, and proved her mastery of depicting the unsettling forces that tremble beneath the surface of everyday contemporary life.

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Almost against his will, Guy Haines is trapped in a nightmare of shared guilt when he agrees to kill the father of the man who will kill Guy's wife.
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