Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
USA, ca 1955
En ung mand Bud Corliss slår sin forlovede Dorothy ihjel. Hans ide var nemlig at få hende med faderens velsignelse og penge, men nu er hun blevet gravid og så er der ingen velsignelse og ingen penge, og den nemme vej ud er at droppe hende.
Siden bliver han også nødt til at slå
Alle gode gange tre?
Til sidst gennemskuer familien ham dog. De konfronterer ham på et kobbersmelteværk og han falder på spektakulær vis ud af historien. Men det er lidt synd for hans mor, der ingen anelse har om at sønnen var stjernepsykopat.
Ganske raffineret thrille
En ung mand Bud Corliss slår sin forlovede Dorothy ihjel. Hans ide var nemlig at få hende med faderens velsignelse og penge, men nu er hun blevet gravid og så er der ingen velsignelse og ingen penge, og den nemme vej ud er at droppe hende.
Siden bliver han også nødt til at slå
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hendes søster og en anden mand ihjel. Egentlig er han ude efter de to søstres fars firma og penge og der er jo en tredie søster.Alle gode gange tre?
Til sidst gennemskuer familien ham dog. De konfronterer ham på et kobbersmelteværk og han falder på spektakulær vis ud af historien. Men det er lidt synd for hans mor, der ingen anelse har om at sønnen var stjernepsykopat.
Ganske raffineret thrille
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Genres
Publication
Kbh Schønberg 1974 222 s. 5.opl.
Description
Fiction. Thriller. HTML: A modern classic, this novel set a new standard in the art of mystery and suspense in its exploration of the criminal mind. A Kiss Before Dying not only debuted the talent of best-selling novelist Ira Levin to rave reviews and an Edgar Award, it also set a new standard in the art of psychological suspense. It tells the shocking tale of a young man who will stop at nothing�??not even murder�??to get where he wants to go. For he has dreams, plans. He also has charm, good looks, intelligence. And he has a problem. Her name is Dorothy; she loves him, and she's pregnant. The solution may demand desperate measures. But, then, he looks like the kind of guy who could get away with murder
Media reviews
Grim Nederland
Vrij Nederland heeft gelijk
Sinds jaar en dag wordt - Een kus voor je sterft - in de VN thrillergids beloond met vijf sterren. Het boek dateert uit 1953 en is vertaald door Remco Campert. Jaren geleden heb ik dit boek gelezen en ik vond het ook een absolute topper binnen het genre. Levin is
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van oorsprong toneelschrijver en heeft na dit werk nog een aantal zeer 'eigen' boeken geschreven zoals: Rosemary's Baby en De Jongens uit Brazilië.
Voordat ik het nu, anno 2003, opnieuw ging lezen vroeg ik me af of het boek inmiddels gedateerd zou zijn. Zo ja, op welke punten dan wel? Na herlezing vind ik het niet verouderd. Het verhaal kun je gemakkelijk anno 2003 plaatsen omdat het universeel is. Een man die rijk wil worden en daarvoor tot het uiterste gaat. Een psychopaat die zich zo inleeft in de rol van de ander dat hij geloofwaardig is. Wat de schrijfstijl betreft, Levin houdt de vaart er flink in. De wendingen zetten je soms op het verkeerde been, waardoor de spanning alleen maar stijgt. Het eind is verrassend en bij de laatste regels vraag je je af hoe het verder gaat. Wat is er dan wel anders tegenwoordig? Er wordt veel gerookt in het boek. Daarnaast zijn de liedjes die genoemd worden voor niemand meer herkenbaar en bij sommige kledingstukken (strikje bij een vrouw) kun je je weinig meer voorstellen. Maar verder..... nog steeds spannend, goed geschreven, uitermate onderhoudend. Knap dat iemand dit boek op zijn 22ste heeft geschreven.
Vrij Nederland heeft gelijk: vijf sterren. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member mrtall
A Kiss Before Dying is stylish, smart and remarkably suspenseful. I can't remember the last time I read a book that gave me the same kind of heebie-jeebies all the way through.
Levin wrote it when he was only 23, and although there's no sign of immaturity in his assured, urbane prose, his tender
My only gripe: the book's third act is just slightly off in comparison with the totally creepy parts I and II.
Levin wrote it when he was only 23, and although there's no sign of immaturity in his assured, urbane prose, his tender
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age must have been a factor in the book's structure: the plot is so audacious in its initial implausibility that it must be the work of either a young writer who feels invulnerable, or a very experienced writer who knows through long experience exactly what he can get away with. In any case, Levin build up his symmetrical if unlikely structure with elan; it's just sufficiently believable to allow all of the book's other manifold excellence to shine: sharp dialog, crisp description, and tight, active scenes, one after another.My only gripe: the book's third act is just slightly off in comparison with the totally creepy parts I and II.
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LibraryThing member agarcia85257
A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin is a prime example of how mysteries were written. Before CSI and the overload of forensic science became the norm for a good crime/mystery. This tale is as much about the drama of the characters as it is about the crimes themselves.
"...His plans had been running so
And she, she kept on sobbing weakly in the dark, her cheek pressed against his bare chest, her tears and her breath burning hot. He wanted to push her away..."
Every young man makes a plan and he has made one for his whole future. For his life beyond the small town he grew up in and the traps that had befallen his friends and his father. Trapping him in a dead end job with an unhappy wife and a dead end life. That was not for him. That was why he was gone into the military and then to college. For his future. For his life and she was about to take that all away from him. But he wasn't going to let that happen, he wasn't going to let her take that all away from him.
"...It still wasn't too late. People wrote suicide notes and then stalled around before actually doing it. He looked at his watch; 9:20. The earliest Ellen could get the note would be...three o'clock. Five hours and forty minutes. No step by step planning now. It would have to be quick, positive. No trickery that counted on her doing a certain thing at a certain time. No poison. How else do people kill themselves? In five hours and forty minutes she must be dead..."
A Kiss Before Dying was written back in 1953. The stark differences in a crime novel then and what is now are startling. This is beyond pretend noire. This is the real thing. This is from when Hitchcock reigned supreme and not someone that gets a honorable mention in film class. The subtleties, the pacing, the slow build of tension until when the killer is unveiled and the scope of his plan becomes clear. This is what writing was and should have always been. There is some violence in this tale but actually very little of it. It is not the act of murder itself that holds importance, but the motive and the slow unraveling of the crime that on the surface, seems to be one thing but is in essence, only the strand in a much larger web of blood and deceit.
Levin is an accomplished author whose tales of crime and horror are now classics. The Boys From Brazil. The Stepford Wives. Rosemary's Baby. You've heard of them and you owe it to yourself as a reader to enjoy them. A Kiss Before Dying is another such novel.
A very good read.
"...His plans had been running so
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beautifully, so goddamned beautifully, and now she was going to smash them all. Hate erupted and flooded through him, gripping his face with jaw aching pressure. That was all right though; the lights were out.And she, she kept on sobbing weakly in the dark, her cheek pressed against his bare chest, her tears and her breath burning hot. He wanted to push her away..."
Every young man makes a plan and he has made one for his whole future. For his life beyond the small town he grew up in and the traps that had befallen his friends and his father. Trapping him in a dead end job with an unhappy wife and a dead end life. That was not for him. That was why he was gone into the military and then to college. For his future. For his life and she was about to take that all away from him. But he wasn't going to let that happen, he wasn't going to let her take that all away from him.
"...It still wasn't too late. People wrote suicide notes and then stalled around before actually doing it. He looked at his watch; 9:20. The earliest Ellen could get the note would be...three o'clock. Five hours and forty minutes. No step by step planning now. It would have to be quick, positive. No trickery that counted on her doing a certain thing at a certain time. No poison. How else do people kill themselves? In five hours and forty minutes she must be dead..."
A Kiss Before Dying was written back in 1953. The stark differences in a crime novel then and what is now are startling. This is beyond pretend noire. This is the real thing. This is from when Hitchcock reigned supreme and not someone that gets a honorable mention in film class. The subtleties, the pacing, the slow build of tension until when the killer is unveiled and the scope of his plan becomes clear. This is what writing was and should have always been. There is some violence in this tale but actually very little of it. It is not the act of murder itself that holds importance, but the motive and the slow unraveling of the crime that on the surface, seems to be one thing but is in essence, only the strand in a much larger web of blood and deceit.
Levin is an accomplished author whose tales of crime and horror are now classics. The Boys From Brazil. The Stepford Wives. Rosemary's Baby. You've heard of them and you owe it to yourself as a reader to enjoy them. A Kiss Before Dying is another such novel.
A very good read.
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LibraryThing member john257hopper
This was an excellent, taut thriller which really gripped me. I don't want to give away spoilers, but the murderer is certainly one of the most cunning, ruthless, cool and determined of his breed one is likely to find. 5/5
LibraryThing member arielfl
I picked this up on the heels of another Levin classic, Rosemary's Baby. This was Levine's take on the seductive psychopath murderer. My favorite exploration of this type of character is presented in Agatha Christie's Endless Night but this would be a close second. In this novel you are presented
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with the murderer up front and although you are privy to his thoughts his name is deliberately kept from the reader. The clues are that he is a college aged male and blond. The reader is then introduced to other characters fitting the same description and left to unravel which one is the true killer. The story was very clever and kept me turning the pages. To say much more would be to give too much away. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
I've never been big into crime books, but this one was enjoyable, mostly for its good characterisation, and the attention Levin pays to the little details. The plot itself is original - a man commits his first murder to get out of a forced marriage to a pregnant girl, and goes on to date her
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sister. His identity in the first part is not revealed, which proves highly entertaining come the second act, but at the same time it made for some annoying grammar and style decisions in the first. Show Less
LibraryThing member cammykitty
This post World War II mystery is very tightly plotted, yet structured like a fairy tale. Things move in threes, and we know the first two princes (or princesses) always fail before the last one succeeds. That said, there were enough twists to keep it interesting. To avoid slipping into
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spoiler-city, I'll just say this. You have to acknowledge a novel that has enough staying power and detail to be "a fresh contemporary setting" at its initial publication, but becomes "historic" during its lifetime. Show Less
LibraryThing member mcelhra
A young college man is dating Dorothy, the daughter of a wealthy copper tycoon, hoping to marry her and eventually inherit her father's money. His plan hits a roadblock when Dorothy tells him that she's pregnant and they must marry right away. Not only that but her father will disown her for
A Kiss Before Dying, first published in 1953, is Ira Levin's debut novel. It won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Levin is a master of suspense and this novel does not disappoint. He does not reveal the identity of Dorothy's boyfriend in the first part of the book, referring to him only with pronouns. When Dorothy's sister Ellen goes hunting for her murderer, the reader is right alongside her discovering clues and trying to figure out who the killer is. I was on the edge of my seat and as confused as Ellen about who was the murderer. Even after the identity of the killer is discovered the suspense continues right up until the very end.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator, Mauro Hantman, did an excellent job. He was able to convincingly voice all of the characters - from tough as nails Leo Kingship to soft spoken naive Dorothy. I especially loved the voice he gave Gordon Gant.
I highly recommend A Kiss Before Dying.
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getting pregnant out of wedlock - that means no money for the young man. The only way the man can get out of this predicament is to kill Dorothy. If only that was the end of his problems...A Kiss Before Dying, first published in 1953, is Ira Levin's debut novel. It won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Levin is a master of suspense and this novel does not disappoint. He does not reveal the identity of Dorothy's boyfriend in the first part of the book, referring to him only with pronouns. When Dorothy's sister Ellen goes hunting for her murderer, the reader is right alongside her discovering clues and trying to figure out who the killer is. I was on the edge of my seat and as confused as Ellen about who was the murderer. Even after the identity of the killer is discovered the suspense continues right up until the very end.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator, Mauro Hantman, did an excellent job. He was able to convincingly voice all of the characters - from tough as nails Leo Kingship to soft spoken naive Dorothy. I especially loved the voice he gave Gordon Gant.
I highly recommend A Kiss Before Dying.
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LibraryThing member datrappert
A smart, ambitious young man, with a penchant for killing, discovers that finding and marrying a rich girl is a difficult proposition--but perhaps if he can keep it all in the family, practice will make perfect! This is a real page-turner, marred by a few significant flaws, notably that a lot of
Along the way, however, we can certainly enjoy the ride. The killer himself is quite an interesting character, and even has a few sympathetic traits. His mother is well drawn also. And the book's settings, whether a college town, New York City, or the final scenes (which not to spoil anything I won't identify the location of), come to life with the details the author adds, such as the art or books the characters like. This sets it apart from a lot of pulp novels that may have deft plots or action sequences but lack the depth Levin provides here.
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the plot depends upon women acting really stupid, and lots of typos. There is also a really stupid male police chief. But neither stupidity or anything else is going to stop Levin from getting to his goal--even though we can see it coming from a mile away--and he speeds through roadblocks and even a couple of "Bridge Out" signs to get there.Along the way, however, we can certainly enjoy the ride. The killer himself is quite an interesting character, and even has a few sympathetic traits. His mother is well drawn also. And the book's settings, whether a college town, New York City, or the final scenes (which not to spoil anything I won't identify the location of), come to life with the details the author adds, such as the art or books the characters like. This sets it apart from a lot of pulp novels that may have deft plots or action sequences but lack the depth Levin provides here.
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LibraryThing member JenneB
It's not going to set the world on fire with its originality or anything, but all I'm going to say is that I was late to work this morning because I had to finish reading it.
I won't say anything about the plot--don't even read the dust jacket. Just jump right in.
I won't say anything about the plot--don't even read the dust jacket. Just jump right in.
LibraryThing member dionne
The book is so much better than the movie.
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I don't know what people expect when they read classic novels... Car chases and stuff blowing up and the main character having graphic sex and swearing every 2nd sentence? This is a classic, and has none of those things. What it does have, though, is suspense, tension, to the point writing, and a
It is written in 3 "sections", which makes sense once you realize what the main character is up to. Section 2 is definitely the most suspenseful and I found section 3 went on a bit too long - really, I didn't need a long description of the view of a smelter, followed by a walkthrough description of how a smelter worked, and so on... I guess the reason for all this detail comes clear at the end, but I don't think it was as much of a surprise ending as the author intended (which makes all this build up to an ending you expect a bit.... well... long winded.).
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horrible key character. Pretty much exactly what you'd look for in a noir crime suspense novel.It is written in 3 "sections", which makes sense once you realize what the main character is up to. Section 2 is definitely the most suspenseful and I found section 3 went on a bit too long - really, I didn't need a long description of the view of a smelter, followed by a walkthrough description of how a smelter worked, and so on... I guess the reason for all this detail comes clear at the end, but I don't think it was as much of a surprise ending as the author intended (which makes all this build up to an ending you expect a bit.... well... long winded.).
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LibraryThing member Nataliec7
Loved this book. Easy to read, a great thriller element, great character development.
I'm in love with Ira Levin's books! Better review to follow!!
I'm in love with Ira Levin's books! Better review to follow!!
LibraryThing member melydia
Wow, that was so good. One of the more disturbing books I've read in recent memory, but not because of gore, of which there is almost none. It's not really a whodunit, since the reader knows who the killer is from the beginning, but it's engrossing to watch the characters try to figure it out. A
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man's girlfriend reveals that she is pregnant, and he decides to take drastic measures to "fix" the situation. The creepiest part is how justified he feels he is in all his actions. The best villains think they are heroes, after all, Recommended if you're looking for a good psychological thriller. Show Less
LibraryThing member DaveWilde
Ira Levin is well-known as a writer whose novels have been turned into wildly successful movies, including A Kiss Before Dying, Rosemary’s Baby, The Boys From Brazil, and The Stepford Wives. A Kiss Before Dying first came to the silver screen in 1956 starring Robert Wagner, Joanne Woodward, and
This, however, is the book and it came before any of the movies. In fact, what is amazing about it is that it was Levin’s very first novel and was published at age 23. Otto Penzler, in his introduction to the book, marvels at how much genius was shown by this early success, comparing it to Bobby Fischer’s success at chess.
The book is divided into three parts for the three sisters: Dorothy, Ellen, and Marion Kingship.
A Kiss Before Dying is the story of a young man from a poor family in rural Massachusetts, a fair-haired boy who charms everyone he meets. The narrative is so matter-of-fact as he, seemingly on the outside being this normal guy, plans his atrocious deeds step-by-step. And, it is striking how he pulled off the perfect crime, leaving behind such scant evidence that he could never be prosecuted. No one, least of all the authorities, could possibly suspect this fine young man could be capable of such horrendous things. The greatness of this book is how a charming, intelligent man who no one could possibly suspect of being a murderering sociopath who will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. The story is haunting in the way it is told and the way Levin slowly takes the reader along for a ride on the creepy express. This book is highly recommended.
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Mary Astor. It was remade in 1991, starring Matt Dillon, Sean Young, and Diane Ladd.This, however, is the book and it came before any of the movies. In fact, what is amazing about it is that it was Levin’s very first novel and was published at age 23. Otto Penzler, in his introduction to the book, marvels at how much genius was shown by this early success, comparing it to Bobby Fischer’s success at chess.
The book is divided into three parts for the three sisters: Dorothy, Ellen, and Marion Kingship.
A Kiss Before Dying is the story of a young man from a poor family in rural Massachusetts, a fair-haired boy who charms everyone he meets. The narrative is so matter-of-fact as he, seemingly on the outside being this normal guy, plans his atrocious deeds step-by-step. And, it is striking how he pulled off the perfect crime, leaving behind such scant evidence that he could never be prosecuted. No one, least of all the authorities, could possibly suspect this fine young man could be capable of such horrendous things. The greatness of this book is how a charming, intelligent man who no one could possibly suspect of being a murderering sociopath who will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. The story is haunting in the way it is told and the way Levin slowly takes the reader along for a ride on the creepy express. This book is highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member bontley
Part one: plodding exposition; part two: better and the reason for the two stars; part three: lousy and stretched.
LibraryThing member John_Warner
A handsome and manipulative young college man in the early 1950s hoping to become rich in a hurry decides to marry into wealth. However, when the young man is informed by the wealthy debutant that she is pregnant, he fears that the father will disown her leaving him and her in poverty. She is
Ira Levin's first published novel was later followed by other noted works including Rosemary's Baby and The Stepford Wives. A Kiss Before Dying is a classic example of crime-noir, which has been adapted twice into film, once starring a young Robert Wagner and the second with Matt Dillon. The author skillfully builds the suspense causing the reader to turn pages at a faster pace to see what happens next. While reading, I kept waiting for the young man to receive his comeuppance which never seems to come.
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insistent that the two should elope and find their way in the world without her father's fortunes. However, he is determine to achieve his life dream even if he has to resort to murder.Ira Levin's first published novel was later followed by other noted works including Rosemary's Baby and The Stepford Wives. A Kiss Before Dying is a classic example of crime-noir, which has been adapted twice into film, once starring a young Robert Wagner and the second with Matt Dillon. The author skillfully builds the suspense causing the reader to turn pages at a faster pace to see what happens next. While reading, I kept waiting for the young man to receive his comeuppance which never seems to come.
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LibraryThing member AliceAnna
Really quite good. In the first part of the novel, Levin manages to get the reader into the mind of the murderer-to-be, so much so that I actually felt anxiety and empathy for the bad guy. That didn't last, but it was a unique feeling to be practically rooting for the murderer (at least for me). It
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probably helped that the victim wasn't all that likeable. The plot plays out beautifully with a few twists and turns along the way and a very satisfying ending. The characters weren't cardboard cutouts, but also weren't fleshed out too thoroughly given the short length of the book. But the little plot details here and there really sold it for me. Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Thriller/Suspense — 2012)
Edgar Award (Nominee — First Novel — 1954)
Julian Symons' 100 Best Crime Stories (1953 — 1954)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1953
Physical description
210 p.; 18.6 cm
ISBN
8757000670 / 9788757000672
Local notes
Omslag: Inge Larsen
Omslaget viser en forskrækket ung kvindes ansigt
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "A Kiss Before Dying" af Else Nørvig
Omslaget viser en forskrækket ung kvindes ansigt
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "A Kiss Before Dying" af Else Nørvig
Similar in this library
Pages
210
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |