An icon of crime fiction, I’m so glad I’ve finally read The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith! It’s been on my TBR list for literally years at this point. First published in 1955, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a crime thriller that delves deep into psychological motivations: it’s the story of Tom Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf.
Opening sentence: Tom glanced behind him and saw the man coming out of the Green Cage, heading his way.
Welcome to Italy!
The Talented Mr. Ripley is set in the most idyllic of locations. It’s a beautiful tour of Europe that will infuse you with wanderlust when reading. The scene setting is so evocative, you can feel the sunshine and history rippling off the pages.
When we first meet Tom he’s in his native America. He is not actually great friends with Dickie Greenleaf, more acquaintances, but Dickie’s father thinks they have a close relationship, so enlists Tom to help bring Dickie back from essentially an extended holiday in Italy. His father wants him to step up and run the family business.
Tom is no stranger to deceit in order to advance his own cause, so agrees as he sees a free trip and some payment out of it. When he lands in the (fictional) seaside village of Mongibello, Italy he sets about developing a friendship with Dickie so that he can try and persuade him to return home.
Dickie, however, is living a charmed life. He is friends with Marge, a fellow American although not his girlfriend. Things are going well, Tom soon sees the delights of Dickie’s life and, well, fancies it for himself…
Who is Dickie Greenleaf?
It was impossible ever to be lonely or bored, he thought, so long as he was Dickie Greenleaf.
What follows is a fascinating tale of identity clash, murder, lies, deception and Tom slowly merging the boundaries between what’s real and what’s fantasy. What’s acceptable and what’s despicable. What he must do for survival and what thinks he must do to live the the life he always wanted. He effortlessly draws you into his world, shows you his warped take on things and if you just go along for the ride, you’ll have a thrilling time.
There is a terrific sense of tension that just thrums through the pages – you never know what Tom might do next and that’s the fun of this.
Anticipation! It occurred to him that his anticipation was more pleasant to him than his experiencing.
A crime classic
Overall, I really enjoyed The Talented Mr. Ripley – the way Patricia Highsmith writes is so considered yet full of flair and although I was aware of the plot as I have seen the 1999 Anthony Minghella film with Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow (and couldn’t help but picture those actors while reading), as any book lover will attest to, reading it really did add so much depth and detail.
There are five books featuring Tom Ripley in the series. The next one, Ripley Under Ground, is set six years after the events in this book, definitely adding it to my reading list!
- Get your copy of The Talented Mr. Ripley here;
- First published in 1955;
- 288 pages;
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 
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