The Crime Writer represents an astonishing act of literary ventriloquism, easily on a par with The Master , Colm Tóibín's fine novel about Henry James. - Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday "Ventriloquy is Dawson's forte . this fascinating, skillfully constructed novel builds a convincing picture of Patricia Highsmith " - Andrew Taylor, Spectator "You do not need to be a passionate Highsmith fan to admire this beautifully written and elegant novel, but I think it will particularly appeal to those who have read her books and know something about her life; they should recognise many of the allusions and ideas." - Jessica Mann Literary Review "A beautifully crafted and utterly riveting blend of fact and fiction about a fascinating 20th-century figure." - Carla McKay, Daily Mail "Dawson has drawn a witty, creepy plot as well as a convincing character sketch of a woman all too easy to caricature." - Jake Kerridge, The Daily Telegraph "Dawson skillfully constructs a dark tale that Highsmith fans will love." - Sunday Times "All great writers' biographies are less interesting than their work, but Patricia Highsmith gave hers a run for its money.[The Crime Writer is]sharp and absorbing, with brilliant imaginative flights and a fine sensitivity to its subject's thorny, wounded, uncanny mind.
" - USA Today "Fantastically moody and appealingly unhinged -- a piece of sophisticated literary ventriloquism that achieves a wonderful blurring of the lines between fact and fantasy." - Sarah Waters, Guardian, Summer Reads "It's brilliant." - Paula Hawkins, Bestselling Author of The Girl on the Train "An ingenious concept . Dawson can be applauded for her passionate immersion in her subject, and for creating a novel as dark and odd as the subject herself." - Joanna Briscoe, The Guardian "If, as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this fictionalized account of author Patricia Highsmith's 1964 sojourn in Sussex is high-grade flattery indeed. Fans of The Price of Salt (the basis for the 2015 film Carol) will savor this phantasmagoria." - Library Journal "Suspense novelist Patricia Highsmith finds herself caught in a real-life situation that seems to have sprung from the pages of one of her novels. It's a clever conceit, plunging an author into a scenario right out of her own queasy-making fiction, and it's adroitly handled, forcing Pat to live out her ideas of crime and guilt.
" - Kirkus Reviews "[A] dreamlike, high-tension novel.Dawson smoothly marries fact with fiction to capture the famously prickly Highsmith while astutely exploring love, obsession, and the myriad shades of darkness within us all." - Publishers Weekly "A dark tale of madness and murder, of obsession and delusion, that's worthy of Highsmith herself." - Red Magazine "[An] impeccable portrait . a hugely compelling read, jam-packed full of tensions and psychological insight, all beautifully observed." - Sunday Express (London) "An assured and visceral page-turner, as convincing as it is bold." - Stephanie Cross Lady "An intoxicating, shadowy narrative . [Dawson's] version of events will delight Highsmith's fans.
" - Crime Scene magazine "This novel is the real deal. Beautifully written and a must for all Highsmith fans." - Phyllis Nagy, scriptwriter of the film Carol "This novel is one wonderful long riff on Patricia Highsmith . Unsettling, sexy and gripping." - Tim Pears.