Rating: 
Summary: Horrible
Review: One of the worst books ever written
Rating: 
Summary: Love's Labors Lost
Review: Others have noted the writer's beautifully crafted prose, exquisitely drawn characterizations, brilliantly rendered sequences, wonderful ear for dialogue. Peter Abrahams may specialize in genre fiction, but he's as gifted an artist and as textured a stylist as any writer of mainline, literary fiction.A Perfect Crime focuses on the violent consequences of deceiving oneself and misleading others in the context of an adulterous affair. America's premier, fictional adulteress, Hester Prynne, wore the Scarlet Letter openly, and it became the symbol of her redemption. Dimmesdale's scarlet letter, invisible to the eye, burned through his breast and became the fatal emblem of his sin. Francie's scarlet letter is the voice of a conscience that she barely hears and rarely heeds, an echo that whispers of loyalty and friendship in the world of wealth and social status into whose selfish and shallow sophistication she's been successfully acculturated. Mired in a loveless marriage, for whose failure she bears an equal responsiblity, Francie begins an affair with Ned whom she imagines she loves but who serves as her means of gratifying her unfulfilled sexual needs even as Ned uses Francie to gratify his own desire for a classy and erotically passionate woman whose attentions flatter his ego, Ned having tired of Anne, his somewhat drab, unassertive wife. When their pas de deux begins to wear thin, Francie tries to bail out of the relationship, persuading herself that she's doing so out of concern for Anne with whom, by chance, she's become acquainted. Unfortunately, Roger, Francie's maniacally jealous husband, who's uncovered the affair and whose soul is tormented by his isolated contempt for the world, entices Whitey, a demented, psychopathic killer on parole, into a scheme designed to further what Roger takes to be his just revenge. Some reviewers have commented that the story's twists and turns seem contrived. If so, these contrivances parallel the twists and turns of the characters' tangled web of deception and thus seem natural and credible in the way that an expressionist painting might capture the ambiguity of an emotion or the complexity of a character even though the representation may not be photographically realistic. As with some of the writer's other novels - especially Hard Rain, Pressure Drop, Revolution # 9 and Lights Out - A Perfect Crime deserves to be read twice for an appreciation of its artistry. For example: Chapter 1 lays the groundwork, via a series of skillful, seemingly innocuous double entendres, for the tale that's about to unfold. In Ned and Francie's first intimate moment at the cabin (the first we're privy to), Ned thinks of some detail at work and is temporarily distracted just as Francie is looking to him for an intense response to something she's just said. Ned places his hand on the chill spot behind Francie's neck, knowing without effort (and perhaps, for that reason, without much real attention) how to warm it as he mouthes a platitude, referring to someone else, about those who play with fire running the risk of getting burned. On Ned's way home from making love with Francie, he stops to pick up some ice cream for his daughter and happens to notice some fresh flowers, irises, "always a safe choice. He bought some for his wife." Ned isn't Heathcliffe and Roger isn't Raskolnikov. Neither is Francie Emma Bovary. But the passions are as raw and as real.
Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Thriller
Review: Peter Abrahams is a unique author with a fine body of work. "A Perfect Crime" is his best novel yet. No matter how many crime suspense thrillers you have read, nothing will prepare you for the surprises that hit you as you read this novel. Essentially a 5 character novel (however with some key supporting players), he writes about desire, revenge, and retribution in a way unlike any suspense story I've read in years. You will be unable to put this book down as you cast the movie roles to match these fascinating characters. Each one is drawn so precisely that you have a feeling you know their personality and their strengths and weaknesses in such an intimate way that you will look forward to finding out what happens to each and every one of them. So, pick it up and be ready for a long and thrilling evening. If you haven't read his other books, you will probably be rushing to buy them after you experience Abraham's writing skills.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid, but not overwhelming
Review: Revolving around a brilliant man's desire to punish his unfaithful wife, it's not really a new story--but there's nothing inherently wrong with stories that have been told before as long as they are executed well. "A Perfect Crime" is well-executed, with a few nicely suspenseful scenes. It's hard to tell if Abrahams really means the title, or if it's a humorous allusion to the primary atagonist's extreme hubris--after all, the crime in question has more than a few flaws. As with almost any mystery, the plot relies on some developments that strain believability, although good characterization and some nicely written scenes carry the day for Abrahams here. I am a bit taken aback by the somewhat lavish praise heaped on this book, by Stephen King and others--it's certainly nothing exceptional, just well-executed suspense. Then again, with the volume of mediocre work on the shelves these days, perhaps a solidly executed story can pass for exceptional. Recommended, just don't expect the world.
Rating:
Summary: very good
Review: Roger Cullingwood discovers that his wife Francie is having an affair with Ned Demarco, so Roger decides that Francie must die. Roger hatches a perfect murder or did he? The quality of the writing grabs you on the first page. Characters are drawn with accuracy and keen insight. The plot is beautifully developed. It is suspenseful but not in a predictable way, you see what's coming, but trust me you are still surprised and amazed. This book has several graphic love scenes. Peter Abrahams is the author of eight previous novels, including " The Fan" and "Lights Out", which was nominated for an Edgar Award for best novel.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping!
Review: Roger Cullingwood discovers that his wife Francie is having an affair with Ned Demarco, so Roger decides that Francie must die. Roger hatches a perfect murder or did he? The quality of the writing grabs you on the first page. Characters are drawn with accuracy and keen insight. The plot is beautifully developed. It is suspenseful but not in a predictable way, you see what's coming, but trust me you are still surprised and amazed. This book has several graphic love scenes. Pam @ MyShelf.Com
Rating:
Summary: Mixed reaction - exciting but badly plotted
Review: Summary: an average thriller. The other book I read by Abrahams, The Tutor, was far, far superior. Let's start with the plus: the book was exciting and definitely an entertaining read. The minuses: I counted three implausible coincidences that mar the story (see below -- to be avoided if you haven't read the book). The resolution is not completely satisfactory either. Plotting mistakes: 1) the phone call to the radio show which Roger somehow overhears; 2) the lover meeting the wife at her tennis club -- couldn't this have been arranged better?; 3) the lover discovering the cheating husband is actually cheating on her -- the whole scene is very implausible. What is frustrating is that each of these developments could have been avoided pretty easily in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect thriller
Review: The dust jacket doesn't lie in this case - "A Perfect Crime is a perfect thriller." This is the kind of story I always hope I'm going to read, and rarely do! Peter Abrahams has taken some ordinary people to an extraordinary conclusion, with never a missed step. The plot is tightly woven, the characters in perfect tune with each other. The chilling undertones of a madman (or two?) kept me on the edge of my seat. Be prepared for a late night when you pick this one up!
Rating: 
Summary: Uneven and, at times, predictable
Review: The first 50 pages of the book had an astounding number of coincides -- enough to make the book completely unbelievable. However, the premise was interesting -- a genius that becomes highly motivated to commit murder, and get away with it. To be fair, the last one-third of the book moved at a good pace and was quite exciting. The two main female characters were very interesting; the mastermide was intriguing; the actual killer was spooky. This could have been a very good thriller, but the first part of the book was not well-crafted.
Rating:
Summary: For connoisseurs of excellent writing, this one's for you.
Review: The quality of the writing grabs you on the first page. Characters are drawn with deft accuracy and keen insight. The plot is beautifully developed. It's suspenseful but not in a predictable way: you see what's coming, but trust me: you're still surprised. The grace with which Abrahams accomplishes what seems to be effortlessly unfolding left me thoroughly impressed. The author does not resort to cheap tactics, no easy outs: it's just solid writing. This guy is now near the top of my list of all-time favorite authors. My only question is, why isn't he more acclaimed? If you thought Grisham was good, this makes him pale in comparison. If you think Grisham is mediocre, RUN to your keyboard and order this book, and you can thank me later.
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