The Suburbs of Hell

De: Randolph Stow

Narrado por: Humphrey Bower

The final work of one of Australia's greatest writers.

'His eyes are on the one eye of the rifle. His mouth splits open his brown beard. He throws up a hand, palm outward, in an unwilled, futile gesture to ward off death.'

A killer is hounding the seaside town of Old Tornwich. Residents are gripped by fear and suspicion, and the finger of blame is pointed in all directions. But the bodies keep falling, and the crimes remain unsolved, the culprit at large.

No mere whodunit, The Suburbs of Hell - its story inspired by a real-life serial killer - is a profoundly disturbing psychological drama with a devastating conclusion, the final work of one of Australia's greatest writers.

©1984 Randolph Stow (P)2016 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Reseñas de la Crítica

"[A] murder mystery and a meditation on the random depredations of death." (Australian Book Review)
"Poetic accuracy is only one aspect of a rich talent.... Mr Stow has a narrative gift as well.... He is, in fact a real novelist." (The Observer)

I Love Randolph Stow

I particularly love Randolph Stow when his work is narrated by Humphrey Bower.
Stow is a literary novelist with brilliant use of language and character development. The novel is thoughtful and suspenseful.
If you want to be scared to death this will disappoint.

Thought required to engage

While 'Visitants'. captured me and my attention and held it leaving me breathless with admiration for Randolph Stow, I had to work a little and think a little with this and well it was just different.

After the thought and consideration the book deserves, my rating would rise. I had not long finished Visitants and my listening enjoyment was filtered or biased by that book.

This is a murder book .that captures the fear, suspicion, doubt ,loss and self examination of people in the town. There is the gut withering sadness, loneliness and yes, hope not .often .revealed in murder books.

This is a book for them that like a challenge and not an escape.
And it, like other of Stow's books needs the reader to take a long walk and just let it all rummage through prejudice, fear. and real human contact.