Francis Iles - Before The Fact

Before the Fact by Francis Iles (A key figure in development of crime genre) is a psychological thriller that delves into the destructive power of blind love. The story follows Lina McLaidlaw, a wealthy but insecure woman, who marries the charming yet irresponsible Johnny Aysgarth against her family’s wishes. As their marriage progresses, Lina begins to uncover Johnny’s true nature—a liar, a thief, and possibly a murderer.

Despite her growing awareness of Johnny’s crimes, Lina remains deeply in love with him, rationalizing his actions and ignoring the warnings of others. Her obsession leads her into a downward spiral, culminating in a chilling climax where she knowingly becomes a pawn in Johnny’s deadly schemes.

The novel is a haunting exploration of self-deception, moral weakness, and the devastating consequences of unconditional devotion. Its ambiguous ending leaves readers questioning the limits of love and trust. Upon this novel Alfred Hitchcock made the movie Suspicion, but producers wanted a happy end and he had to make it against his will.

Sebastian Japrisot - Trap For Cinderella

In this novel unknown woman awakens in a hospital, suffering from amnesia, head injury and severe burns. As we found out she was caught in a fire in her room, but as the story progresess we don't know who put the fire, or the identity of woman. Very unusual crime novel, somewhat surrealistic, which was made into film Trap For Cinderella (1963). Japrisot wrote two more crime novels, One Deadly Summer and The Lady In The Car With Glasses And A Gun. He also wrote a screenplay for And Hope To Die (1972), based on novel by David Goodis.

Celia Fremlin - The Long Shadow

Imogen husband has died and now Imogen became a widow. However, when on Christmas all her relatives and friends come in curious things began to happen and it is revealed that her husband was not very much the person they thought they know. Celia Fremlin (1914 - 2009) was a writer only of peculiar domestic thrillers where all the actions are happening in a house. It is fantastic how she make most mundane things scary and dangerous. However, Celia Fremlin's daughter commited suicide, and soon her husband commited suicide, so it is from that tragedies that her novels came upon. This particular novel is on the list of H.R.F. Keating list of best crime novels

C.H.B. Kitchin - Birthday Party

C.H.B. Kitchin (1895-1967) was a british novelist who also wrote detective novels. He was a wealthy man because of his inheritance and also a homosexual. Angry as he was for his novels didn't reach wider audience, he wrote detective novel Death Of My Aunt. People liked it and he continued to write detective novels. He was also a homosexual. This particular book is somewhat a blend of serious literature and detective fiction. It is told in chapters from a point view of four characters. After head of the family died of a gunshot that was rules by suicides, four people except something in return. Ronnie is father son and he hopes to buy the house for his communists friend, but Isabel, father's daughter don't like it. There is also Dora and Stephen Payne who also want a part of a cake. As things progresses, many unusual things happen. Good crime novel which is on the list of H. R. Keating beat crime novels.

Kobo Abe - The Ruined Map

This is a fine example of metaphysical (or postmodern) crime novel. Unnamed private detective get hired by a woman to find her husband. Detective has small clues, just a location of women's brother and some shady dealings with pornography ring. As the novel proceeds, more and more surreal things become, and in the end private investigator himself get lost in a labyrinthine. Quite dreamlike novel, like one of David Lynch's movies.

The Crime Novel : A Deviant Genre - Tony Hilfer

In this book Tony Hilfer explains the crime novel as a genre of its own, contrary to classic detective novel in England and hard-boiled variation in America, where there is a detective who investigate a crime and upon completion restore social order, whereas in crime novel that kind don't exists, we follow the path of the criminal, morality is often relative, and justice fails. In subsequent chapters author gives us an example of either a killer, a victim, a gulty bystander and someone falsely accused. Works by authors such as Patrick Hamilton, Shelly Smith, Cornell Woolrich, Marie Belloc Lowndes, John Franklin Bardin and James M. Cain are analyzed in each chapter. Final chapter is dedicated to Georges Simenon, Patricia Highsmith, Margaret Millar and Jim Thompson. Written in user friendly language, this book is fun to read and lovers of crime fiction will surely enjoy it.