Patricia Highsmith – Ripley Under Water - Review

This fourth installment in a series of five novels concerning the criminal adventures, schemes, ploys and cunning machinations of Tom Ripley, ranks as high as its predecessors.

Tom Ripley has to be one of the most interesting and memorable characters ever created in modern crime literature. A man born from humble beginnings, he has re-invented himself as a man of refined taste and breeding. Basic manners and knowledge of human nature, combined with a strong will and bloody attitude of mind, he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. What makes Ripley psychologically fascinating, is his utter lack of conscience. He can murder without a hint of remorse, and has that uncanny ability to compartmentalize his thoughts and memories in order live with his many dastardly deeds. Moreover, Highsmith writes about Ripley entirely from his perspective, giving the reader an inside look at his thought processes, rationalizations and intrigues, creating a sympathy for the man, thus we cheer when he murders and are greatly relieved when he gets away with it. We want Ripley to succeed and he always does.

In this story, Ripley's chequered past catches up with him. An American couple, David and Janice Prichard, move into a villa down the way from his chateau at Villeperce. These people know Ripley from somewhere; know aspects about his past that Ripley would soon forget and then begin to relentlessly taunt him. How much do they really know? And how can Ripley handle this strange couple without implicating himself?

This book was difficult to put down in many ways. Because Ripley is such a fascinating character, the pages seemed to turn themselves to discover his next move against these people. There is a particular scene in Tangiers at a shady café, where Ripley confronts Prichard, and without warning, in a series of dangerous blows, knocks the vulgar Prichard unconscious. In fact, Highsmith's writing is so good, that I found myself cheering as Ripley pummelled him to the ground. This type of scene, really, has become Ripley's trademark: surprise with lethal violence, applied without mercy or second thought.

The Ripley novels are unique in modern crime fiction. Patricia Highsmith was not recognized in her native America, and was forced to move overseas to write, where she became a respected and best selling author. It is only in the last fifteen years, over a decade after her death, that she is receiving the acclaim that is so well deserved.