This Sweet Sickness

By: Patricia Highsmith

Narrated by: Tony Pasqualini

In This Sweet Sickness, David Kelsey has an unyielding conviction that life will turn out all right for him; he just has to fix "the situation" of being in love with a married woman. Obsessed with Annabelle and the life he has imagined for them, David prepares to win her over, whatever it takes. In this riveting tale of a deluded loner, Highsmith reveals her uncanny ability to draw out the secret obsessions that overwhelm the human heart.

©2016 Patricia Highsmith (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great story very entertaining

A good book for reading to pass the time. Patricia Highsmith builds up tension, keeping the reader eager to hear more about the characters. The characters are clearly painted, all domineering control freak.

Suspenseful and honest

I really enjoyed this. The narration almost makes it feel like a movie. The story is very engaging and riveting. Casually insane haha. Just like Highsmith.

Mostly drama

Think great gatsby meets Harvey. No real thriller component for me. Can not recommend. Meh

Great Tension

I’ll say it again. Patricia Highsmith is a master at her craft. She knows how to build tension in her stories by getting into the mind of a man slowly slipping into madness as he imagines a life with a woman who has rejected him. He starts to fantasize that they’re really together. He invents a new identity for himself. He drinks excessively and allows his delusions and anger to turn violent. Intense ending! Tony Pasqualini is a excellent reader, giving this character the right amount of sinister and crazy self-talk. Well done!

Written in 1960, but it is Timeless

I can’t believe I haven’t read more of Highsmith’s books; she is a master of the excruciating thriller with an exhausting protagonist who is always on the verge of getting caught.

Like the Talented Mr. Ripley, Sweet/Sickness focuses on obsession, social awkwardness, hidden identities, and the dangers of high fantasy.

File Under: Nail Biter