Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell is a darkly delicious psychological thriller. First published in 1960, this gothic tale of sibling rivalry, fading stardom, and festering resentment is a masterclass in suspense, blending campy melodrama with some creepy scares yet still delivering real emotional depth. The novel centers on the Hudson sisters: Blanche,…|
Donald E. Westlake’s The Ax (1997) is a darkly funny, razor-edged thriller that slices into middle-class anxiety with unnerving precision. I’ve never read Westlake before, but he built his reputation on clever crime stories and comic heist novels, unlike this book which offers a grim yet oddly hilarious look at desperation, morality, and the extremes…|