Customer Reviews

The Animal Lover's Book of Beastly Murder (Mysterious Library)

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Why is this book out of print? Why it's so hard to find in America the complete work of one of her finest writters? My copy of Patricia Highsmith's The Animals-lover's book of beastly murders is dated 1975, and it was a british edition. I bought it in Paris in the eighties and instantly devour it; almost twenty years later, this tales still hunt me. The Animal's lovers of beastly murder its a collection of tales of revenge of the animals against the human beings who explotes them: Rats, pigs, dogs, cats; take their turn getting even with human race. Its not only for animal's lovers, it works well with animal's haters too. I hate rats and the tale of a rat's revenge of a Venice'family , with complete work out guide for rats included, still gives me goosebumps. You might need a streak of black humor to love this book, because Patricia Highsmith doesn't write your typical horror story. But if you have read and loved her work before, you will find a manly crime that this book is out of print.

Would your beloved cat avenge your murder? Are those adorable hamsters planning to annhilate you? Patricia Highsmith's ingenious collection of tales is fiendish good fun sure to delight any animal lover. The ultimate excersise in anthropomorphization "The Animal Lover's book of Beastly Murder" runs the gamut from darkly funny to tragic, touching and horrifying. Its enough to make you scratch your new kitten behind the ears, give man's best friend an extra treat and maybe take a second look at exactly what those ants are so busy doing in that ant farm.

I actually read most of the stories in this book in another collection of Hightower's short stories that I checked out of the library. As an animal advocate, I positively cheered at the ends of these stories, where the animals come out on top, and decided I had to have this particular book in my collection. It doesn't often happen in real life that our fellow animals triumph over us humans, but it definitely does in these stories. It's very cathartic!

Hightower is a highly addictive writer, especially if you enjoy the dark side of life and black comedy. I've now read almost every short story she's written and I'm hooked. I would recommend any book by her.