Cornell Woolrich is closely linked with the roman noir of ‘40s America. The archetypal noir takes place in a big city, a sooty Northern town, or a sun-lit California dreamscape. In Waltz into Darkness, Woolrich winds back to the South of the late 19th century. It’s a world of rigid social codes, a bit archaic, tradition-bound, and old-fashioned. Woolrich dives into it, but doesn’t shed his bleak outlook along they way.
Louis Durand is a successful man, but one who has missed the true meaning of success, love. But someone has stepped into his life, Julia, and their waltz begins. In true Woolrich style, happiness is elusive. Woolrich’s castles are all built on foundations of air. Reality is elusive too, but love and fear are mankind’s constant companions, the mainsprings of action.
Durand discovers that the love he thought he’d found is not what he had imagined. The reader follows him on a journey of self-discovery, fraught with suspense and terror. Who is the Julia that Durand loves, and if she is not that person, does he still lover her. The reader is left guessing until the very end, just as much as Durand is.
-Dave Hardy
3 comments:
I haven't read this one, although I've got at least one copy of it. It's hard to go wrong with Woolrich.
Woolrich has been a favorite of mine for years. In addition to crime & thrillers, he wrote some that are sheer fantasy, as well as an adventure tale about a cursed diamond, THE DOOM STONE, which is very hard to find.
I've not heard of The Doom Stone. I'll have to track down a copy. Is it a novel?
Centipede Press is bringing out a 5 volume collection of his work. I think the books start shipping next week.
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