Strangers On A Train Book Review by Patricia Highsmith

After reading several novels that reference Patricia Highsmith’s story, as well as the Hitchcock film adaptation, I decided to give this piece of fiction a try. The premise is well-known and undeniably captivating, laying the groundwork for a stellar book. I found myself eager as I read the first portion of the novel, but then the excitement waned for me. Perhaps I was missing something, but I did not feel the jolting sentiment or sustained hype, which lessened the book’s impact for me. Patricia Highsmith’s concept is golden, but something did not click for me here.

When Guy Haines and Charles Anthony Bruno meet on a train, it is completely by chance. Haines is an established architect about to get divorced, while Bruno is a young, suave man who dislikes his family. Bruno proposes a plan he believes will work for them both: he’ll kill Haines’ wife if Haines will kill his father. Haines is shocked and taken aback, rushing off and trying not to think anything of it. However, Haines leaves something in Bruno’s sleeping car that allows the young man to reconnect later.

Days after Haines arrives at his destination, he learns that his wife has been murdered. Soon thereafter, calls from Bruno and random letters suggest that things are not as they seem. As Haines tries to distance himself from the crime he is certain Bruno has committed, he finds himself pulled deeper into the middle of it. Guilt consumes him in a story that becomes increasingly problematic for the troubled architect.

As Highsmith weaves the story along, she explores how easily such a murder swap could occur and what two men with no prior connection might do, given the desire to plan the perfect crime. A psychological thriller like no other, it is no surprise that Alfred Hitchcock adapted it into a movie.

The premise of Patricia Highsmith’s novel is strong, with well-developed narrative and great dialogue. I could sense the impending doom after the chance meeting on the train, and the stark contrasts between Haines and Bruno. I was eager to see how the story would build, but found it fell flat at times, leading me to skim rather than feeling fully immersed.

The character development was engaging and kept me interested for a while, though I wished for more surprises in what we discovered about both men. I needed something more sinister and conniving, but Highsmith kept things relatively tame.

While there were plenty of twists, they did not save the story for me. I hoped Highsmith would dazzle with numerous great aspects to the story, but it became drab and left me wondering when the next twist might occur to liven things up. I love a good thriller, especially of the psychological variety, but this one did not have what I needed to stay alert.

Kudos, Madam Highsmith, for penning this cult classic.