Rating: 
Summary: Excellent beginning and middle section. Weak ending
Review: The first two parts of this book are excellent. Part One is chilling because of its depiction of what is now known as Anti-Social Personality Disorder. The fact that it was written way back in the 50's long before American Psycho's Patrick Bateman makes this even more creepy. Part One manages to put the reader in the killer's deranged little mind and even makes us cheer him on a little bit.Part Two of the book is excellent because it is completely different from Part One. It puts us in the shoes of the victim from Part One's sister as she tries to discover the identity of the killer and narrows it down to two men, but which one? It's unfortunate that Part Three is so typical after the cleverness of Parts One and Two. The ending isn't nearly as shocking as the end of Levin's later masterpiece, Rosemary's Baby but up until Part Three you'll be on the edge of your seat.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent beginning and middle section. Weak ending
Review: The first two parts of this book are excellent. Part One is chilling because of its depiction of what is now known as Anti-Social Personality Disorder. The fact that it was written way back in the 50's long before American Psycho's Patrick Bateman makes this even more creepy. Part One manages to put the reader in the killer's deranged little mind and even makes us cheer him on a little bit. Part Two of the book is excellent because it is completely different from Part One. It puts us in the shoes of the victim from Part One's sister as she tries to discover the identity of the killer and narrows it down to two men, but which one? It's unfortunate that Part Three is so typical after the cleverness of Parts One and Two. The ending isn't nearly as shocking as the end of Levin's later masterpiece, Rosemary's Baby but up until Part Three you'll be on the edge of your seat.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Enjoyable
Review: The thing that sets this book apart from other, similarly plotted stories is the way that Levin plays with our emotions concerning the murderer. For the first third of the novel, there is a small part of us that is sypathetic with this man; we almost catch ourselves hoping that he does not get caught. Several surprises later, however, and our emotions are totally flip-flopped. Now we are gived things from another persons perspective, and we can see just how monstrous this man really is. The book is very addictive (I finished it easily in two days), but the ending left me slightly unsatisfied. I would still place Levin's "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Stepford Wives" above it, but it is impressive nonetheless considering that it is one of Levin's earlier novels.
Rating: 
Summary: A Brilliant First Novel
Review: This book began my love for the writing of Ira Levin. It is so stylish and damnably clever and holds up perfectly, these many years later. I have given this book to several people recently and they all have been amazed by it. So deftly plotted, the writing so assured. And even though the plot device has been ripped off ad nauseum by many lesser talents, this book still packs a helluva wallop. Bravo
Rating:
Summary: An amazingly good thriller
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read. The characters are very real, and the description is better than if watching a movie. This book, as with all of Mr.Levin's classics, is a work of art
Rating:
Summary: A Hitchcock Movie in Words
Review: This is one of the most suspenseful, most enjoyable books I've ever read. How tired I was on 3 workday mornings because I'd stayed up late reading this book, unable to put it down - only 3 mornings because I read it all in 4 evenings. This book is too good to give away any of the plot. Reading it, I felt I was watching one of Hitchock's best movies playing in my brain. There's a point about 1/3 through the book where I stopped dumbfounded and said to myself "no way - that can't be", and then thumbed through the pages I'd just read to confirm it *was* true. An absolutely ingenious element left me feeling like I was starting from the beginning after reading 1/3 of the book. There are many other twists and surprises in this story, too, and the subject matter is surprisingly contemporary.
I can't imagine anyone not loving this book.
Rating: 
Summary: OUTDATED, VISIONARY THRILLER
Review: When this book came out in 56, it must have caused a sensation. Thinking in 50's terms, the book certainly was a great and thrilling read, but audiences are more sophisticated today, and what was probable in 56 is not so probable today, and even seems a little dumb. But, if you've managed to hold on to your innocence and haven't plowed through a thousand illogical TV and Film mysteries, you might get a kick out of this one-time great mystery which spawned copies everywhere.
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