#pushkin vertigo

#BOOKMAIL - Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley @PushkinPress @PushkinVertigo @CallumMcSorley #Glasgowthriller #Crimefiction #Debut

Thank you to Pushkin Vertigo for my gifted copy of Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley. A new debut set in Glasgow, Scotland. Blurb A dark, rawly comic Glaswegian thriller for fans of Chris Brookmyre, Frankie Boyle and Joseph Knox ‘A manic tale of blood and suds told with laconic humour and warmly engaging characterisation. Callum McSorley is definitely a talent to watch’ Chris Brookmyre Half…

Plot Summary :

The Crooked House sits on a snowbound cliff overlooking icy seas at the remote northern tip of Japan . A curious place for the millionaire Kozaburo Hamamoto to build a house , but even more curious is the house itself – Hamamoto ‘ s Ice Floe Mansion is leaning at an angle of about 5 or 6 degrees – but that might be the least bizarre thing about it given its nickname . It ‘ s…

Synopsis:

Vertigo was written by the French writing duo Boileau-Narcejac and was published in 1954. The novel follows an ex policeman who’s friend asks him to follow his wife. She has been acting strange and has an obsession with her dead relative. Flavieres, the ex policeman, becomes intrigued by the the mystery of this woman, so much so that he ends up falling in love with her. What follows is a bizarre, hallucinatory story of deception, murder, and obsession. 

Storyline: 

I enjoyed the story for the most part. The novel is split into two sections and they both had a different feel. The first half was my favorite as it was the slow introduction to the mystery and what was happening and it ended with a dramatic climax. The second section happened after the dramatic climax and after some years had passed. This section was very intense and I read it all in one sitting because it was so gripping and filled with madness. It wasn’t as pleasant to read and I felt like I wasn’t going to get a straightforward answer. I thought I was going as mad as Flavieres. I am happy to say though that it ended with an explanation, so that was a relief! Besides the typical crime aspects of this book I found it to be an interesting exploration of certain topics like fear of death and the harm of being obsessed with a person and how that differs from actual love. Also the inclusion of the myth of Eurydice was fascinating. 

Setting:

Vertigo is set in France. The first section is set during World War II and the second section I believe is set after (or at least very near the end). I thought the War was an interesting backdrop to the story and the fact that what  was going on went well with one of the themes of fear of death that the main character Flavieres seems to have. 

Characters:

The two main characters were quite interesting in this novel. Flavieres the ex policeman and the woman he is following, Madeleine. Flavieres was a shock for me because I expected the calm, cool and collected type of detectives I’m used to in English mysteries like Sherlock Holmes or Poirot. Instead he was very passionate! I partly sympathized with him and then he got kinda crazy and I didn’t like him all that much. What an interesting detective! Madeleine was very mysterious the whole time and I pretty much just felt bad for her, although she had a bad side too. 

Did I lIke It?:

Yes, this was a very interesting crime novel. If you’re wondering, yes this is the book that inspired the Hitchcock film, which I’ve seen. Luckily I forgot the outcome of the film, so I was still super surprised. The book is quite different from the film however, but they are both interesting in their own right. 

Do I Recommend It?:

Yes! If you like classic crime/mystery novels, if you are looking for a french modern classic of interest or are a fan of the Hitchcock film I think you should check this out.