Cassie McCullough

He's Machiavelli.

He's, you know, he's classic.

if you've just joined us this is the book club on abc radio national with me cassie mccullough kate evans and our guests today playwright joanna murray smith and crime writer michael robotham and we're talking about the works of the american-born writer patricia highsmith and not just her works but her complex and fascinating personality as well let's hear from another devotee

That's really funny.

And she's right, of course.

Jane Clifton, who is a crime writer as well, as well, everything else that she is.

What is she?

She's a singer, songwriter.

Well, let's talk about Carol then, which is the one non-crime novel and originally published as The Price of Salt.

When I began this, I was thinking of the Madeline St.

John book, Women in Black, you know, the sort of girl in the shop and her aspirations.

And even Clara and the Son, it was a little bit like that.

But I also was thinking that Madeleine St.

John's, the end of her life, her difficult life, you know, very humble circumstances in a flat in England were a little bit like Patricia Highsmith's.

What about you, Joanna?

Because the response from the publishers to this book after the smash hit of Strangers on a Train was very muted and they insisted on the name change.

Do you think that maybe that was the end of another type of Patricia Highsmith career?

Maybe they put the lid on that?

Yes, and you say he's a man looking behind him.

He's literally doing that in the very first words.