The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

The Killer Inside Me (Crime Masterworks, #17) (Mulholland Classic)

by Jim Thompson

Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford is a pillar of the community in his small Texas town, patient and thoughtful. Some people think he's a little slow and boring but that's the worst they say about him. But then nobody knows about what Lou calls his 'sickness'. It nearly got him put away when he was younger, but his adopted brother took the rap for that. But now the sickness that has been lying dormant for a while is about to surface again and the consequences are brutal and devastating. Tense and suspenseful, The Killer Inside Me is a brilliantly sustained masterpiece of the roman noir.

Reviewed by Michael @ Knowledge Lost on

3 of 5 stars

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The Killer Inside Me is a perfect example of Noir in its purest form; it’s disturbing, dark, gritty and chilling. The protagonist Lou Ford is an all-around nice guy – on the surface – underneath is a depraved sociopath. Ford claims this is a result of bordom; "If there's anything worse than a bore," says Lou, "it's a corny bore." The book is writing in first person; which makes the sadomasochistic relationships, child abuse and insanity just that much more chilling and disturbing.

This book is not for the weak-hearted, this is violent and disturbing, more so that you would expect from a book written in the early 1950’s. Lou Ford’s inner demons will make you feel sick at times; it’s reminds me of the same feeling I got when reading Lolita. Both great novels, that make you sick to your stomach.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 10 March, 2011: Finished reading
  • 10 March, 2011: Reviewed