Anatomy of a Murder Free Discussion
This page is for an open-ended discussion of the book. Add a comment to raise any issue you'd like.
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This page is for an open-ended discussion of the book. Add a comment to raise any issue you'd like.
Here's the list of other questions.
[This topic is now archived and comments are disabled.]
Comments
A love story?
Polly is so in love with his fishing that it seems he barely has time for women. Yet at the end of the book, there are hints that he may have found a love interest. But I kind of think nothing will come of it. Polly is too old and used to his bachelor lifestyle, to much in love with fishing, and he won't want to cause any hurt to his friend and partner, Parnell.
The 1950s
I really liked the book and the author's style. Everything felt so real and immediate. I usually don't like the use of first-person narration, but it helped this time to see things from Paul's perspective and to be just as in the dark about the motivations of Lt. Manion as Paul was himself.
One thing that struck me a few times was the depiction of the female characters, from Laura to Maida to the "virginal" juror. I thought it odd, and a sure sign of the time of the writing, that such an obviously intelligent and sensitive and thoughtful person as the author would not lend much depth to the women in the book, and focus mainly on their "womanly virtues". Even after a whole book of that, I was still fairly well shocked that Paul slaps his secretary's behind at the conclusion. -j