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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Murder and violence as part of the noir world; the climactic violence is deeply disturbing
Language
Some
Some strong language in the crime fiction register
Sexual Content
A lot
Adult sexual content; an incestuous dynamic between Roy and Lilly is part of the novel's horrifying resolution
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological portrait of grifters who cannot stop grifting — even when it destroys them — and the dark resolution create a deeply unsettling reading experience
What this book is about
Jim Thompson's 1963 noir masterpiece follows three grifters whose lives intersect: Roy Dillon, a low-stakes con man; his mother Lilly, who works for mob bookmakers; and his girlfriend Moira, who has plans of her own. Thompson's psychological noir is as dark as anything in the genre — the ending is one of the most disturbing in crime fiction, involving violence and incest. For readers who appreciate hard-boiled noir at its most unsparing.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Incestuous dynamic and horrifying climax
Noir violence and murder
Reader Verification
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