Last week I posted about Black Is the Night: Stories in Tribute to the Author Who Inspired Hitchcock’s Rear Window (you can read my review here). I was dissatisfied with some of the stories because they failed to capture the tone and tension of Cornell Woolrich’s unique noir style–there was too much “sugar-coating” the danger. So, I turned to Darkness at Dawn: Early Suspense Classics by Cornell Woolrich (1985) to read the Real Deal.
When you read a Cornell Woolrich story, Woolrich takes you on a guided tour of the Dark Side of Life. Along the way, the you’ll meet foxy harlots, con artists, grifters, vamps, thieves, pimps, punks, femme fatales, liars, thugs, cheaters, and…of course, murderers.
Take “Death Sits in the Dentist’s Chair” for an example. Most of us dread dental work, but Cornell Woolrich turns the experience into a nightmare in this story. If you can imagine something worse than torture by dentistry, how about “Walls That Hear You” where the story begins with: “Eddie’s tongue had been torn out by the roots and all ten of his fingers had been cut off at the base, leaving just the stumps of both hands.” (p. 19) Eddie’s brother vows to avenge his brother’s attack…and finds himself in deep trouble! Woolrich amps up the fear and horror while the characters generate more and more suspense as they panic in fear.
Or how about setting an actress on fire in “Preview of Death. “Kiss of the Cobra” ends with a man and woman facing death in a snaky, poisonous Mexican stand-off.
Cornell Woolwich created pressure-cooker situations, racing against the clock to force his characters to find a way to survive…or die. Most of the stories in Darkness at Dawn: Early Suspense Classics by Cornell Woolrich were published in the 1930s, a particularly grim time in U.S. history. High-octane suspense, stark menace, and extreme situations highlight these vintage Cornell Woolrich stories. Don’t accept any weak-kneed substitutes! Woolrich’s undiluted noir delivers a rush that will etch itself into your memory! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION By Francis M. Nevins, Jr. — ix
Death sits in the dentist’s chair — 1
Walls that hear you — 19
Preview of Death — 44
Murder in wax — 63
The body upstairs — 82
Kiss of the cobra — 102
Red liberty — 126
Dark melody of madness — 149
The corpse and the kid — 190
Dead on her feet — 215
The death of me — 235
The showboat murders — 260
Hot water — 277
Cornell Woolrich: a checklist — 299
I was deathly afraid of dentists as a child. Imagine my dismay to discover my high school bestie’s Dad was a dentist! But a very nice one.
I’ll have to revisit Woolrich soon. As though I don’t have enough stuff to read the first time …
You are an occasion of sin, George.
Beth, that’s why Patti Abbott calls me “George the Tempter.”
Having just spent 90 minutes being tortured, I am ready for whatever he lays out.
Good choice! Mike Nevins certainly is a Woolrich expert and I read all the anthologies of Woolrich he edited, including this one. His stuff from the ‘Thirties and ‘Forties is the best, to me. Excellent book.
Jeff, Mike Nevins provides an insightful Introduction and a bibliography for this volume. Nevins knows his stuff!
I have waited too long to try Woolrich. I mentioned last week that we have a short story collection I will start with and I think we have one or two novels.
Tracy, you’ll find Cornell Woolrich to be a compelling writer. Just watch REAR WINDOW to get a sense of his takes on Life.
This is a great collection; Grade A indeed, George. Many years ago, I owned the issue of DIME DETECTIVE that contained the original appearance of “Kiss of the Cobra” (purchased from Richard Minter, I believe). Later sold it–damn. “Dark Melody of Madness” was adapted as “Papa Benjamin” with John Ireland, on BORIS KARLOFF’S THRILLER.
Fred, I’m going to try to read (or reread) more of Cornell Woolrich’s work in the upcoming months.