The Two Faces of January and Other Novels

Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995) is called the most murderous existentialist in detective prose. She "awoke famous" in 1950, just after the release of her debut novel "Strangers on a Train," which inspired Hitchcock's acclaimed noir. Patricia Highsmith can generally be termed... a record holder for the number of adaptations. According to Forbes Woman, her books, including the bestsellers in the Mr. Ripley series, have been adapted into films 40 times. In 1999, Anthony Minghella’s "The Talented Mr. Ripley" was released, and in 2024, on Netflix, a miniseries titled "Ripley" will premiere.
Highsmith's literary work includes over 20 novels and several short story collections. Her works have received the Grand Prix for French detective literature and the "Silver Dagger" from the British Crime Writers' Association; they are included in the list of "100 Best Detectives" by English author and critic Henry Keating.
"Strangers on a Train" is a classic of the psychological detective genre. Random commuters chat about various topics, and one suddenly presents the other with an absurd idea about "cross killing." The other does not pay much attention to this conversation; however, the wheel of crime is already set in motion...
"Whether you love detective stories or not, 'Deep Water' is essential reading" (Sunday Times). The hero, tired of enduring his wife's infidelities, one day concocts a murder story... The novel was adapted for film in 1981 and 2022 (directed by Adrian Lyne, starring Ben Affleck).
According to Highsmith's biographer Andrew Wilson, the title of the novel "The Two Faces of January" emphasizes the dual, changeable nature of the main characters linked by a common crime. The book has also been adapted twice: in 1986 and 2014. The second version, directed by Hossein Amini, starred Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac.
"Those Who Go" is a mysterious work that sparks controversy.
"Before us is the deepest psychological study of an extremely rare collision" (Times Literary Supplement). November in Venice, deserted waterfronts, a pursuer and a victim strangely switching roles...