A Kiss Before Dying

by Ira Levin, Anthony Horowitz (Foreword by)

Overview

ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME

Iconic author Ira Levin’s Edgar Award–winning debut novel set a new standard in the art of psychological suspense. A modern classic published to rave reviews, and twice adapted for the screen, A Kiss Before Dying is a darkly thrilling, twisting tale of criminal psychopathy.

Known for his looks and charm, a young man obsessed with wealth and status will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He sets his sights on a beautiful and innocent college student named Dorothy, intent on marrying her for her family’s money. But when Dorothy becomes pregnant, his careful plans start to unravel, and he begins to take cold, calculating, and drastic measures to protect his future.

A Kiss Before Dying, told from multiple points of view, has thrilled millions of readers with its perfectly constructed plotting and is an acknowledged masterpiece of crime fiction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798212642538
Publisher:	Blackstone Publishing
Publication date:	04/02/2024
Pages:	324
Sales rank:	112,460
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The genre-defining works of novelist-playwright Ira Levin (1929–2007) include such indelible titles as Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, The Boys from Brazil, and Deathtrap—the fifth longest-running play in Broadway history. At home in nearly every genre—horror (Rosemary’s Baby), crime (Edgar-winning A Kiss Before Dying), science fiction (This Perfect Day), comedy (No Time For Sergeants), even a Broadway musical (Drat! The Cat!)—Levin’s enduring works continue to resonate with readers and audiences, serving as iconic cultural and creative touchstones. Learn more at Levin’s official website, IraLevin.org.

Anthony Horowitz is the author of the New York Times bestseller Moriarty and the internationally bestselling The House of Silk, as well as the New York Times bestselling Alex Rider series for young adults. As a television screenwriter, he created Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War, both of which were featured on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery. He regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines, and in January 2014 was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to literature. He lives in London.

Editorial Reviews

A gritty suspense story told with great élan…contains surprises which really surprise.”

Stephen King

Levin's 1953 thriller dishes up a handsome young man with great social ambitions who also happens to be a sociopath. Not wanting anything to get in his way on the road to success, he must do the right thing when his girlfriend gets pregnant. But for him the right thing is murder. The novel is told from the perspectives of the killer and the girl's two sisters, who try to solve the mystery. Levin's thrillers are always fun. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

An extraordinary suspense novel…an architecturally perfect plot…full-bodied characterization, subtle psycho­logical exploration, vivid evoca­tion of locale一with strict tech­nical whodunit tricks as daz­zling as anything ever brought off by Carr, Rawson, Queen, or Christie.”

New York Times

[Contains] one of the greatest clues in a murder mystery.”

award-winning author of Magpie Murders Anthony Horowitz

Technically flawless.”

Otto Penzler

A mystery and thriller like no other.”

Anthony Horowitz

The book is a succession of quite legitimate surprises, the suspense is admirably sustained, the detail is thorough and convincing, and the writing is considerably above the level usually associated with fictional crime and passion. A pleasure to recommend.”

New Yorker

Here is not merely an extraordinary first but an extraordinary suspense novel by the highest professional standards;
and you have an evening of incomparable excitement ahead of you. Levin combines great talent for pure novel writing with strict whodunit tricks as dazzling as anything ever brought off by Ellery Queen or Agatha Christie.

Anthony Boucher - The New York Times

The book is a succession of quite legitimate surprises, the suspense is admirably sustained, the detail is thorough and convincing, and the writing is considerably above the level usually associated with fictional crime and passion. A pleasure to recommend.

The New Yorker

The book is a succession of quite legitimate surprises, the suspense is admirably sustained, the detail is thorough and convincing, and the writing is considerably above the level usually associated with fictional crime and passion. A pleasure to recommend.

The New Yorker

This 1953 murder mystery could have been written yesterday. It's a unique, intelligent novel that dares to evolve beyond a whodunit into a thoughtful journey into the mind of a sociopath. Narrator Mauro Hantman skillfully performs, gracefully slipping from character to character so perfectly that the listener is never lost. Author Ira Levin, who also wrote ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL, shows an astounding ability to craft a portrait of a man who is determined to marry into wealth—no matter how many sisters he has to kill. Levin cleverly tosses in a few curves about the identity of the killer, which Hantman does not betray. There's an ease to Hantman's performing style that gently leads the listener along until—BAM!—things get crazy. Hantman maintains complete control. M.S. 2012 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

JULY 2011 - AudioFile