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simonrtaylor's review against another edition
3.0
thekillerinsidemeJim Thompson has arguably turned literature on its head with his 1952 novel, narrated by murdering deputy sheriff Lou Ford.
Lou regularly cheats on his girlfriend Amy with a prostitute named Joyce, in an effort to purge his sadomasochistic tendencies which he refers to as “the sickness“. However, his compulsions escalate into cold-blooded murder, and Lou attempts to conceal both his crimes and nature from his colleagues and fellow townsmen.
Lou is neither sympathetic nor antagonistic and it’s that which makes The Killer Inside Me unforgivably bland. He’s not a good guy gone bad that you find yourself rooting for, but neither does he embody the psychosis of Patrick Bateman. He doesn’t really do anything. His greatest strength is his backstory, which is a solid 6-and-a-half out of ten in terms of interest and consequence.
Without connecting to any of the characters, it all falls to the plot to keep you standing. County district attorney Howard Hendricks has suspicions about Ford from the get-go. He can’t go after Ford without significant evidence, and the intellectual sparring between Hendricks and Ford is one of the most interesting elements of the book. It’s a game of chicken that Sheriff Bob Maples tries to avoid getting involved in.
Despite building some tension and covert suspicion, the changes in situation are abrupt and, for the most part, quite unexplained. Ford needs to be badder, and his colleagues more subtle. It’s a disappointing read that would be much improved with some colour and grit that is sadly lacking.
Lou regularly cheats on his girlfriend Amy with a prostitute named Joyce, in an effort to purge his sadomasochistic tendencies which he refers to as “the sickness“. However, his compulsions escalate into cold-blooded murder, and Lou attempts to conceal both his crimes and nature from his colleagues and fellow townsmen.
Lou is neither sympathetic nor antagonistic and it’s that which makes The Killer Inside Me unforgivably bland. He’s not a good guy gone bad that you find yourself rooting for, but neither does he embody the psychosis of Patrick Bateman. He doesn’t really do anything. His greatest strength is his backstory, which is a solid 6-and-a-half out of ten in terms of interest and consequence.
Without connecting to any of the characters, it all falls to the plot to keep you standing. County district attorney Howard Hendricks has suspicions about Ford from the get-go. He can’t go after Ford without significant evidence, and the intellectual sparring between Hendricks and Ford is one of the most interesting elements of the book. It’s a game of chicken that Sheriff Bob Maples tries to avoid getting involved in.
Despite building some tension and covert suspicion, the changes in situation are abrupt and, for the most part, quite unexplained. Ford needs to be badder, and his colleagues more subtle. It’s a disappointing read that would be much improved with some colour and grit that is sadly lacking.
dreevesss's review against another edition
4.0
My biggest regret after finishing The Killer Inside Me is that I had not heard of Jim Thompson earlier. Now I want to read all of his books and see the movies based on them (can’t wait to check out the two different film versions of this). I know it’s cliche to call something “gritty” or “dark”, but I’m not sure any other adjectives would describe this novel. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you wouldn’t mind reading a novel from the perspective of a serial killer this is an excellent read.
jacqui_des's review against another edition
1.0
5-Word Review:
Neo-noir, edgy, disturbing, unlikable characters
Memorable Quotes
Neo-noir, edgy, disturbing, unlikable characters
Memorable Quotes
"Anyway, people are people, even when they're a little misguided. You don't hurt them, they won't hurt you. They'll listen to reason."
"I kissed her, a long hard kiss. Because baby didn't know it, but baby was dead, and in a way I couldn't have loved her more."
"I wasn't any more cold-blooded than the dame who'd have me in hell to get her own way. I wasn't any more cold-blooded than the guy who'd had Mike knocked from an eight-story building."
"I wiped my gloves on her body; it was her blood and it belonged there."
"You've got forever; and somehow you can't do much with it. You've got forever; and it's a mile wide and an inch deep and full of alligators."
mrblonde91's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic novel that doesn't really feel like it was written in the fifties. It's brutal, uncomfortable and a bit like an early day American Psycho.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
3.0
"A weed is a plant out of place."
This is a twisted story - first hand account of a few murders and the mind that justifies them and sleeps well at night. It stands the test of time well - you can tell from each chapter as Mr. Lou Ford gets worse and worse. With each murder, he needs to justify more and pull them all together in a way that makes it all okay. He sleeps well, keeps his lies straight and can see almost every angle.
I wish I'd read this all in one sitting. I think it would have helped me keep the officer names and friends and family straight and I would have enjoyed it more. The ending was surprising and not one I'd guessed!
This is a twisted story - first hand account of a few murders and the mind that justifies them and sleeps well at night. It stands the test of time well - you can tell from each chapter as Mr. Lou Ford gets worse and worse. With each murder, he needs to justify more and pull them all together in a way that makes it all okay. He sleeps well, keeps his lies straight and can see almost every angle.
I wish I'd read this all in one sitting. I think it would have helped me keep the officer names and friends and family straight and I would have enjoyed it more. The ending was surprising and not one I'd guessed!
raoulgonzo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
drewdietsch's review against another edition
4.0
As chilly and propulsive as anything you'd read today, this is a throat-clenching classic written with the kind of easy-flow prose that most authors can't even begin to imagine. Lou Ford is an iconic pulp monster protagonist and how I wish Bruce Campbell in his prime could've played him in a movie.
fesd5's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Dark book, a quick read, but lacked the unique spark that would've made it a 5 star
pjos5252's review against another edition
3.0
Got book for reading challenge. Was okay but for some reason, didn't read well to me. A lot of it was pretty good but a big piece missing for me. Missing an angle as didn't dive deep enough into reason why/rage. Glossed over too much so didn't really make the connection. Obviously we won't understand a killer but there wasn't enough depth on motivation so seemed to be a disconnect - plus one was six years later. Where/what was brewing for six years? Don't know.