We started to discuss about her book “The Cry Of The Owl”, a psychological thriller and the two other short stories “Slowly, Slowly in the Wind” and “Woodrow Wilson's Tie”.
Most of the attendants thought that the atmosphere of the novels is sombre and even a little perverse. Others made a comparison between the life of Patricia Highsmith and those of her characters, her life influencing the life of her characters.
We also mentionned other thriller writers and their famous characters such as Patricia Cornwell and Doctor Kay Scarpetta, a forensic scientist; Michael Connelly and Harry Bosch; Mary Higgins Clark; Ian Rankin. Some said that those writers usually stay true to their main characters to keep their readers true to their books.
I've never been a fan of thrillers but I found 'the Cry of the Owl' rather compelling. Once I started reading it I needed to know what would happen next and it wasn't what I expected! It is a good demonstration of how the main characters' poor judgment and bad choices ruin their lives just as it happens in real life! So thank you Jacqueline for the advice.
Then I read a few others short stories, I found "the snail watcher" a bit weird (apparently P Highsmith suffered from a snail's obsession) but I actually prefer a weird but original story than a common one, at least it is more fun.
I could'nt attend the session on Patricia Highsmith, but I've read the short stories sent by Brigitte : Slowly in the Wind and Woodrow Wilson's Tie. I am very fond of this author's humour. I don't find it perverse, and I would rather say that the atmosphere is so dark and so unrealistic that I don't take it seriously and it would rather make me smile or even laugh ! In fact, I am a great fan of thrillers and have a real admiration for their authors' imagination. For me, a good thriller is an enjoying and relaxing lecture.