Classic French Noir.
She Who Was No More was written by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac in 1952. One of France's most successful writing duos, producing over fifty thrillers over four decades - including the inspiration for Hitchcock's film Vertigo and this crackerjack which inspired Henri-George Clouzot's classic Les Diaboliques. This is a dreamlike mystery that gets tighter and tighter, like water whirlpooling down the drain.
Ravinel and his mistress Lucienne carry out their plan to murder his unassuming wife Marielle in an apartment outside Paris; her body submerged in a bathtub for two days, as Ravinel and Lucienne are definitely seen at work. Later, they transport her wrapped body home, dumping it into a pool on his property where Ravinel will theatrically discover his wife's 'accidental drowning'. The next day, Ravinel prepares his grief stricken face for the big scene - but she has completely disappeared.
What? There is a lot of mystery packed into this short novel, and I've said too much already. As Ravinel's tryst with Lucienne begins to unravel, so does his sanity, chilling him to the bone, plunging him into the dark and foggy night, walking the streets of Paris - into a world of delusions he may never return from.
This was a real treat, highly recommended for mystery fans. Ten out of ten. The tension is thick and the mystery deepens so far that you get caught up in Ravinel's ravings.
One odd note is Lucienne, the outsider who comes between the Man and the Woman. Described as living a bachelor existence, with thick ankles and flat chest, her movements can be abrupt and vulgar. Interesting to have an androgynous beauty disrupt a marriage, though they don't mention that in 1952.
The first British edition of this book, as well as the film Les Diaboliques, ended with a request to keep the details of the plot secret, so as not to spoil others enjoyment:
This amazing novel is a story of suspense and terrors perfectly constructed that not even a hint of the plot can be given away. The publishers respectfully request early readers to resist the temptation to reveal it.
My other reviews for Boileau-Narcejac:
1952 / Tradeback / 190 pages
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