Bruno Fischer - The Lady Kills

 

I had high expectations for The Lady Kills, especially considering that Bruno Fischer was one of the authors who wrote for Gold Medal during the 1950s. Unfortunately, the novel turned out to be a rather clichéd story, and not particularly well written.

A newspaper reporter meets Betty, the daughter of his employer, and immediately falls in love with her. Soon afterwards, a murder takes place: Betty shoots the drunken father of a poor family with a rifle. The reporter and Betty quickly become lovers, but he eventually discovers that she is also involved with the assistant of the local crime boss. One night, she calls the reporter to her house, where he discovers that she has killed the man with a knife in what appears to be self-defence. He helps her dispose of the body by putting it in a car and dumping it in the woods.

Despite discovering her infidelity, the reporter remains attached to Betty, at least until she becomes involved with the local crime boss himself. He eventually quits his job and leaves town. Two months later, however, the newspaper's owner, who is suffering from cancer, calls him back and offers him the position of editor. He accepts, but Betty wants him to leave the newspaper so that she can take over. When he refuses, some criminals beat him up.

Eventually, the reporter marries Nelly, the young woman from the poor family who had previously worked as Betty's cleaner. Another murder follows, this time that of the local crime boss. Betty is initially suspected, but the real killer turns out to be Nelly's brother, who had also been having an affair with Betty and shot the man out of jealousy. The police arrive, and the story comes to an end.

What really undermines the novel is its happy ending. The reporter and Nelly ride off together into the sunset, a conclusion that feels completely out of place in a noir novel. The writing itself is also disappointing, sometimes bordering on soft porn, with several scenes described in rather explicit detail. Overall, The Lady Kills is a missed opportunity: it has the ingredients for a decent pulp noir story, but the clichéd plot, awkward writing and sentimental ending make it a disappointing read.