Customer Reviews

Phantom Lady

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you see an opening chapter of a book titled `The Hundred and Fiftieth Day Before the Execution', as this one is, you get an immediate impression of what lies ahead, as well as a sense of inevitable doom. I found this to be a very clever method of piquing the interest, compelling me to read on.

The man facing execution is Scott Henderson, and we meet him as the story opens when he picks up a girl in a bar based solely on her outrageous hat. For some reason he's in a foul mood and pays her little attention, even though he takes her out to dinner, a theatre show and then back to the bar. When he gets home to his apartment he is greeted by the police...and the body of his strangled wife. Things start getting really interesting from here on out.

We find the story revolving around the careful recounting of Scott Henderson's movements on that night as he desperately tries to establish an alibi. As the title of the book suggests, the lady he was with that night has disappeared, leaving him in deep trouble. Chapter by chapter the clock ticks down building tension and adding an enormous feeling of desperation to the search. Three people, each of whom is willing to put themselves in danger to see that justice is served, conduct the search for that elusive alibi. Firstly, Henderson's girlfriend / mistress gets herself deeply involved, at times placing herself in extreme danger. The second person is an old school friend who Henderson calls, in the belief that he is the only person who would care enough to help. And thirdly, and most surprisingly, is the police officer that was instrumental in seeing Henderson convicted. He begins to hold grave misgivings about his guilt and provides the impetus behind their quest.

Cornell Woolrich expertly weaves an exhausting tale as lead after lead is explored in an all out effort to save Scott Henderson's life. As can be expected, given the nature of the chapter titles, the story culminates in a nail-biting ending, making it a most satisfying reading experience.

I am making my way through noir writers, starting with one of each by Goodis, Gil Brewer, Peter Rabe and now Woolrich. This book was a pleasant suprise and I'll come back around to read more by Woolrich, one of the fathers of the genre.The previous reviewer gave a good description of the story-all I'll add is that the writing is good, the story timeless, the plot suspenseful and the book is just an all around good read.

'Phantom Lady' by Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish) is an extremely enjoyable pulp fiction read. While the author is known for his storytelling abilities rather than literay skills (prose/characterizations), and he has written plenty of shoddy and ridiculous stuff, 'Phantom Lady' is a classic page-turner. I personally rate this on par with his excellent 'Waltz Into Darkness' as his best (..or at least among the dozen Woolrich novels I've read, plus many more short stories).

In 'Phantom Lady' we have a man wrongly accused of murder (of his wife) sitting on death row. The only person who can verify his alibi is a nameless and non-descript woman he shared an otherwise forgettable evening with. As the clock ticks towards his final hour we are entertained with a mad chase to find this woman. Believable? Let's just say it's all barely plausible, which was enough to keep this reader thoroughly entertained.

Bottom line: a real treat for Woolrich fans. A must read.

Most novels and short stories authored by Cornell Woolrich are characterized by the use of finely honed suspense to induce in the reader a visceral, heart-pounding reaction. In Phantom Lady, Woolrich uses the impending execution of an innocent man to provide himself perfect narrative grist with which to make the element of suspense come alive.

In many ways, Phantom Lady is the quintessential Cornell Woolrich novel. Not only is the overall storyline highly suspenseful, many of the individual chapters are richly suspense-laden in and of themselves. As always, Woolrich's exquisite command of the English language makes for cleverly evocative descriptions.

Unfortunately, as is often the case in Woolrich's fiction, there is an almost willful disregard for plausibility. Minor holes in the plot can be forgiven when the writing is otherwise strong. But in the case of Phantom Lady, the explanation of the underlying mystery is so preposterous, Woolrich's considerable storytelling skill proves only partially redemptive. Three stars.

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"- a manipulative cliché that comes to light and helps make Cornell Woolrich's "Phantom Lady" an absolute noir classic. The plot twists and turns keep you on edge because of the circumstances surrounding the main character, Scott Henderson-he is about to be executed for a murder he has not committed and his only alibi-the Phantom Lady-can not be found. Each chapter is titled "[Blank] Days Before the Execution," creating an even greater sense of urgency. Woolrich knows how to successfully develop his characters to make them almost tangible; at times, you will want to shake one character out of frustration, and then hug him later out of glee. Each character, whether major or minor, holds captivating charisma that stays sharp throughout the entire work. Woolrich gives many of the minor characters accents that easily create a voice within your head, allowing you to truly become a part of the action. The plot keeps a steady pace, each different setting of an appropriate length that does not become droning. Woolrich's style also holds vivid imagery using the minimum number of words needed; his language is simple and direct. For those who cherish a strong, well-written, winding mystery, this is a novel for you. Woolrich's title as "America's Master of Suspense" is certainly not disappointed by this work, but only strengthened.