For those of us who dote on film noir, it is no secret that many of the more riveting tales of suspense were penned by women. Take one of my all-time favorite movies, Laura, based on the novel by Vera Caspary. But oddly, with the exception of Patricia Highsmith (who wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley as well as the weird Strangers on a Train,) these writers have been wiped off the literary map. Margaret Millar was married to Ross Macdonald-- and while Macdonald's reputation had remained steady or even ascended, she has been ignored or forgotten. So kudos to the Library of America for releasing a long-overdue volume of women crime writers. And my thanks to the always alert critic, Terry Teachout, for his insightful review of these writers. Rather than summarize his points, I'll direct you to his article.
The Queens of Crime - WSJ
No comments:
Post a Comment