| Tom Ripley, the American conman and sociopathic killer, returns in the second entry in Highsmith's series.
Now living in a villa in southern France, Tom is almost completely retired from his life of crime, drawing income from his wealthy wife's family and a will that he forged years before. He spends his days painting, gardening, and playing the harpsichord. But Tom still operates one illicit enterprise: in London, there is a gallery that sells the recent works of the famous and reclusive painter Derwatt. The only thing odd about this is that Derwatt has, in fact, been dead for nearly 10 years. Now, Tom's business is threatened by a wealthy American collector who has recognized his purchase as a fraud, a squad of policemen who are nosing around Derwatt, Ltd., and an unstable art forger who wants out from the scheme. Tom must now go to great lengths to protect his business, his veneer of respectability, and his marriage, and someone might just have to die to make that happen... | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical Time/era of story: Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book The crook is.... - commit white collar fraud or con descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes Is MAIN CHARACTER an EVIL criminal? Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - an organization Profession/status: Setting Europe Yes European country: - France City? Yes City: - London Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Misc setting - fancy mansion Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Unusual forms of death - dropped from large heights - blunt clubbing (like seals) Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
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