The Killer and the Slain:
A Strange Story
Hugh Walpole
1942
5/5 stars
The less known about the plot going in, the better, in my opinion. Most of the blurbs give details, which may or may not spoil the reader's enjoyment. I would have preferred to have known less, though, so I'm only going to say that this follows mild-mannered, often bullied, John Talbot as he becomes a different man after an act of violence.
The story is one of Good and Evil, of the crumbling of the barriers that make a human act "decently", of effects that can snowball from the actions of one person. Walpole's posthumously published macabre psychological study is emotional, suspenseful, believable, and sometimes frightening. It's not a story one "enjoys"; it caused me tension, discomfort, and unease -- as was intended. It is excellently written overall, with a most gratifying ending. As an experience of the depths of a lost mind, the Killer and the Slain was exceptional.
I will note that those not believing in an Agent of Evil and a Deity of Good, may not find it as moving or satisfying as I did.
