Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140036032 ISBN 13: 9780140036039

Publisher: Penguin, 1973

[Read by Tom Taylorson]

Rife with overtones of Dostoyevsky, The Glass Cell, first published in 1964, combines a quintessential Highsmith mystery with a penetrating critique of the psychological devastation wrought by the prison system.

Falsely convicted of fraud, the easygoing but naive Philip Carter is sentenced to six lonely, drug-ravaged years in prison. Upon his release, Carter is a more suspicious and violent man. For those around him, earning back his trust can mean the difference between life and death.

The Glass Cell's bleak and compelling portrait of daily prison life -- and the consequences for those who live it -- is, sadly, as relevant today as it was when the book was first published.

About the Author:

Patricia Highsmith (1921-1995) was an American author most widely known for her psychological thrillers, which led to more than two dozen film adaptations. She wrote more than twenty novels, including Strangers on a Train, The Price of Salt, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, as well as numerous short stories.

Review:

''Highsmith's writing is wicked . . . it puts a spell on you, after which you feel altered, even tainted . . . A great American writer is back to stay.'' --Entertainment Weekly, praise for the author

''There's a certain harsh power here that is compelling.'' --New York Times Book Review

''A penetrating and absorbing study . . . the reader hangs spellbound.'' --Boston Herald