The Kill-Off

Jim Thompson

Sep 2024 · Hachette+ORM

About this ebook

The legendary author of The Getaway delivers a suspenseful tale of an ailing woman who awaits her own murder—until she turns the tables on her would-be assassins.

Luane Devore's days are numbered. All her neighbors in the declining seaside resort town of Manduwoc want her dead. Some, like her young husband Ralph and his girlfriend Danny, want the thousands of dollars she keeps hidden under the mattress she spends her days resting on. Others want her to stop her malicious gossip—some of which could ruin lives.
Told from multiple perspectives, The Kill-Off tells the story of a woman not long for this earth . . . but who will finally take matters into her own hands. This classic crime novel from Jim Thompson, one of the masters of the genre, was the basis of Maggie Greenwald's critically acclaimed film of the same name.

Ratings and reviews

In the small seaside town of Manduwoc, memories of better economic times looms over the heads of the shoe-string community. Luanne Devore is the tie that binds them together and that is not for a good reason...she has a habit of spreading horrible gossip. Her imagination and telephone are her weapons of destruction. They all want her dead. One by one, the townsfolk tell their tales. Each has valid reason but who is it going to be when the inevitable finally comes? Her husband, Ralph, and his girlfriend, Dani? After all, the bedridden woman lies upon the thousands of dollars he has earned over the years. The doctor? The lawyer? The politician? They each could very well be driven over the edge by the devastation her tongue has caused. The doctor's son, so devious that even his parents are afraid? His girlfriend whom he has turned into a junky to beat and have his way at a whim? They see the money under the mattress as a way to get out of the near ghost town. There are more, just tapping their fingers...In a twisting tale of survival and demise, the reader is given enough information to evaluate who it will be and justify the action. I listened to audio book and while it was an interesting and captivating story, there were a few parts that were confusing. Sections had to be replayed a few times to figure out what I had missed That did detract from the enjoyment somewhat. Overall, though, I recommend this book to anybody who likes a good mystery.

About the author

James Meyers Thompson was born in Anadarko, Oklahoma. He began writing fiction at a very young age, selling his first story to True Detective when he was only fourteen. Thompson eventually wrote twenty-nine novels, all but three of which were published as paperback originals. Thompson also wrote two screenplays (for the Stanley Kubrick films "The Killing" and "Paths of Glory"). An outstanding crime writer, the world of his fiction is rife with violence and corruption. In examining the underbelly of human experience and American society in particular, Thompson's work at its best is both philosophical and experimental. Several of his novels have been filmed by American and French directors, resulting in classic noir including The Killer Inside Me (1952), After Dark My Sweet (1955), and The Grifters (1963).