What do you think?
Rate this book
後窗與另幾宗謀殺
時間靜止在黑暗的稜線上
我們站立於花開的一側
想像死亡是樹，想像一個
沒有困惑沒有孤獨的午後
靜靜分食彼此的血肉靜靜共舞
〈後窗〉（Rear Window）─攝影師意外因腿傷而足不出戶，閑來無事透過後窗觀察鄰居們。某天，看到對窗的推銷員夫婦發生爭執，當晚發現鄰居先生數度冒雨走出家門，隔日發現更多異常舉止，鄰居太太也從她卧病甚久的床上消失了……一切都令傑弗瑞不安。
〈謀殺案後的早晨〉（Morning After Murder）─劇情轉折在，偵探究竟如何與謀殺有所關聯─僅僅作為一名調查者，又或涉及更險惡的事件。令人不安的自我猜疑，讓讀者不斷質疑經典的「是或否」問題─即他是否參與其中。
〈兩宗謀殺，一樁罪案〉（Two Murders, One Crime）─故事第一部分描述一名無辜者，如何被誣告謀殺而被處決。凸顯了警察的無能─完全聽信目擊者的言詞。無辜者遭到處決之後，故事隨即轉向：警方發現了真正的兇手，卻無從起訴他，因為這意味著他們必須承認，自己誤會無辜者而使他慘遭處死的過失……這篇故事中，一窺法律體系與人心的執著癡念，也見證機遇是如何決定一個人的生死。
〈墳墓般死寂〉（Silent as the Grave）─男人向妻子坦承，曾在過去殺害他人，妻子答應保守秘密。但當男子的前上司死於非命，妻子便被丈夫是否涉及其中的問題折磨著，直到她決定深入探索，又陷入更深的懷疑中。
〈瘋狂之屋〉（Crazy House）─一名土木工程師被誣陷，在一間老屋子裡謀殺了女子，他必須回到案發現場找出兇手，才能證明清白。然而，自他在那晚逃離後，屋子就被重新布置過，而他也必須在黑暗中探索陌生的大廳，並以機智勝取真正的罪魁禍首。
〈紐約藍調〉（New York Blues）─一名男子獨坐黑暗的房間裡，懷疑自己殺了心愛的女人，而受內心責難與折磨，並等待「死亡」前來取走他的性命。他將真正的自我攤開來審視，而失憶、妄想、恐懼與焦慮也隨之淹沒他。
我們站立於花開的一側
想像死亡是樹，想像一個
沒有困惑沒有孤獨的午後
靜靜分食彼此的血肉靜靜共舞
〈後窗〉（Rear Window）─攝影師意外因腿傷而足不出戶，閑來無事透過後窗觀察鄰居們。某天，看到對窗的推銷員夫婦發生爭執，當晚發現鄰居先生數度冒雨走出家門，隔日發現更多異常舉止，鄰居太太也從她卧病甚久的床上消失了……一切都令傑弗瑞不安。
〈謀殺案後的早晨〉（Morning After Murder）─劇情轉折在，偵探究竟如何與謀殺有所關聯─僅僅作為一名調查者，又或涉及更險惡的事件。令人不安的自我猜疑，讓讀者不斷質疑經典的「是或否」問題─即他是否參與其中。
〈兩宗謀殺，一樁罪案〉（Two Murders, One Crime）─故事第一部分描述一名無辜者，如何被誣告謀殺而被處決。凸顯了警察的無能─完全聽信目擊者的言詞。無辜者遭到處決之後，故事隨即轉向：警方發現了真正的兇手，卻無從起訴他，因為這意味著他們必須承認，自己誤會無辜者而使他慘遭處死的過失……這篇故事中，一窺法律體系與人心的執著癡念，也見證機遇是如何決定一個人的生死。
〈墳墓般死寂〉（Silent as the Grave）─男人向妻子坦承，曾在過去殺害他人，妻子答應保守秘密。但當男子的前上司死於非命，妻子便被丈夫是否涉及其中的問題折磨著，直到她決定深入探索，又陷入更深的懷疑中。
〈瘋狂之屋〉（Crazy House）─一名土木工程師被誣陷，在一間老屋子裡謀殺了女子，他必須回到案發現場找出兇手，才能證明清白。然而，自他在那晚逃離後，屋子就被重新布置過，而他也必須在黑暗中探索陌生的大廳，並以機智勝取真正的罪魁禍首。
〈紐約藍調〉（New York Blues）─一名男子獨坐黑暗的房間裡，懷疑自己殺了心愛的女人，而受內心責難與折磨，並等待「死亡」前來取走他的性命。他將真正的自我攤開來審視，而失憶、妄想、恐懼與焦慮也隨之淹沒他。
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2022
96 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Cornell Woolrich
439 books473 followersCornell Woolrich is widely regarded as the twentieth century’s finest writer of pure suspense fiction. The author of numerous classic novels and short stories (many of which were turned into classic films) such as Rear Window, The Bride Wore Black, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Waltz Into Darkness, and I Married a Dead Man, Woolrich began his career in the 1920s writing mainstream novels that won him comparisons to F. Scott Fitzgerald. The bulk of his best-known work, however, was written in the field of crime fiction, often appearing serialized in pulp magazines or as paperback novels. Because he was prolific, he found it necessary to publish under multiple pseudonyms, including "William Irish" and "George Hopley" [...] Woolrich lived a life as dark and emotionally tortured as any of his unfortunate characters and died, alone, in a seedy Manhattan hotel room following the amputation of a gangrenous leg. Upon his death, he left a bequest of one million dollars to Columbia University, to fund a scholarship for young writers.
Source: [http://www.hardcasecrime.com/books_bi...]
Source: [http://www.hardcasecrime.com/books_bi...]
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 31, 2025
4.5
Who knows what is important, what isn’t important? Who is to recognize the turning-point that turns out to be a trifle, the trifle that turns out to be a turning-point?
A suspenseful, gripping and unnerving collection of nine crime stories by the master of noir, in which the plot focuses mainly on the thoughts and actions of the criminal and victim alike.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Rear Window, a man confined to a wheelchair has nothing better to do than spend his days looking out his window and watch the goings-on in the houses of the opposite building. But one day, he sees more than he's bargained for.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Corpse Next Door is a homage to “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe and as heart-poundingly excellent!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Morning After Murder did the detective do it or didn’t he?
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Two Murders, One Crime a murderer walks free because of a technicality. But would he be able to free himself from the obsessed cop who is bent on serving justice whatever the cost?
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Dusk to Dawn a man is falsely accused of murder and runs from the police, only to realize that “murder might be a habit that, once formed, would be awfully hard to break”.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Silent as the Grave, a man’s confession to his wife that he has killed someone years ago comes back to bite him when his ex-boss is found murdered.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Murder at the Automat is a locked room murder mystery with unexpected twists and turns.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Crazy House a man who finds himself framed for murder at an old house, must prove his innocence before the police arrest him for the crime.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ New York Blues. In this tale of self torture and paranoia, a troubled man waits in his hotel room for the imminent arrival of the police, believing he has killed the woman he loved.
Who knows what is important, what isn’t important? Who is to recognize the turning-point that turns out to be a trifle, the trifle that turns out to be a turning-point?
A suspenseful, gripping and unnerving collection of nine crime stories by the master of noir, in which the plot focuses mainly on the thoughts and actions of the criminal and victim alike.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Rear Window, a man confined to a wheelchair has nothing better to do than spend his days looking out his window and watch the goings-on in the houses of the opposite building. But one day, he sees more than he's bargained for.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Corpse Next Door is a homage to “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe and as heart-poundingly excellent!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Morning After Murder did the detective do it or didn’t he?
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Two Murders, One Crime a murderer walks free because of a technicality. But would he be able to free himself from the obsessed cop who is bent on serving justice whatever the cost?
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Dusk to Dawn a man is falsely accused of murder and runs from the police, only to realize that “murder might be a habit that, once formed, would be awfully hard to break”.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Silent as the Grave, a man’s confession to his wife that he has killed someone years ago comes back to bite him when his ex-boss is found murdered.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Murder at the Automat is a locked room murder mystery with unexpected twists and turns.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ In Crazy House a man who finds himself framed for murder at an old house, must prove his innocence before the police arrest him for the crime.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ New York Blues. In this tale of self torture and paranoia, a troubled man waits in his hotel room for the imminent arrival of the police, believing he has killed the woman he loved.
January 3, 2023
I bought myself a Christmas present—paid all of $9 for a kindle copy of REAR WINDOW AND OTHER MURDEROUS TALES by Cornell Woolrich. (Generally, I read free library books or take a chance, sometimes, on limited-time kindle special offers.) Woolrich was a writer of noir pulp fiction from the 1930s to his death in 1968. (One story in this book was published posthumously in 1970.)
Woolrich’s life was enigmatic and poignant. He was a contemporary of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain—all of whom retained their renown after their deaths. I had never heard of Cornell Woolrich before reading Stephen King’s “Fairy Tale”.
This collection was published as an ebook in 2022. Many of these stories contain deep insights into the psychology of the human mind under pressure—insights far in advance of the science of psychiatry during the period they were written. Each story is prefaced by a short introduction providing background information about when and where is was published, and other pertinent details.
WARNING: Do not read this book if you are feeling the slightest bit depressed. Do not read if you don’t want to know how psychological trauma feels.
The stories in order:
Rear Window. First published in 1942 under the title “It Had To Be Murder” and then published again in 1944 as “Rear Window”. Most adults have seen the Hitchcock film “Rear Window”, first released in 1954 (and re-released several times thereafter). I saw the movie during it’s original release—that’s how old I am—and haven’t viewed it since. Didn’t need to, as it made such an indelible impression on 14-year-old me that I can still visualize some scenes. The movie followed the basic format of the story written by Woolrich, simply replacing the long inner monologues of Hal Jeffries (played by James Stewart) with conversations between Jeffries and two female companions. Hitchcock made one major change regarding how the body was hidden; the written tale is superior in this regard. The only jarring note in the short story is the fact that the ending seems to come out of the blue—there are no hints suggesting that Inspector Boyne is continuing his investigations. This was because the written story focused exclusively on the musings of Jeffries. Hitchcock was able to remedy this by introducing the perspectives of supporting characters.
The Corpse Next Door. A man becomes enraged when his milk is regularly stolen, catches the thief, shatters his skull, and then hides the body next door. As he waits for the corpse to be discovered, he slowly goes mad. Brilliant depiction of a slowly unraveling mind. First published in 1937 at the height of the Depression when a stolen bottle of milk was enough to provoke a violent reaction.
Morning After Murder. First published in 1936 under another title, Woolrich rewrote the original and republished this revision in 1952. Explores the mind of a homicide detective suffering from what we would now call PTSD. They may not have had a name for it back in 1936 (or in 1952), but Woolrich obviously had witnessed or experienced it (probably both). Note: The Diagnostic and Statistical annual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the tool used by psychiatrists to diagnose and classify mental disorders. In its first edition, published in 1952, there is a description of “gross stress reaction”, which later, in later editions, was changed to PTSD. Thus, Woolrich was ahead of the medical profession in his understanding of how people react to intense stress.
Two Murders, One Crime. First published in 1942 as “Three Kills For One”, and then republished under the new name in 1945, this story has two parts. The first part describes how an innocent man is charged and later executed for a murder. It highlights police incompetence—they relied completely on eyewitness identification. Again, Woolrich was ahead of his time. Starting in the 1970s, Elizabeth Loftus began a crusade pointing out the fallacy of eyewitness identification. I personally taught workshops to the RCMP in 1981 describing how eyewitness testimony can be manipulated by asking leading questions; in Two Murders, One Crime Woolrich shows, in a scene, exactly this being done. After the execution, the story then shifts to one of obsession. The true murderer is identified but cannot be prosecuted because the police would have to admit how their errors resulted in the execution of an innocent person. But one of the police officers takes it upon himself to bring the guilty man to justice by following him everywhere. A fascinating look at the legal system, obsession, and how chance plays a role in determining who lives and who dies.
Dusk To Dawn. First published in 1937, this story again examines PTSD, this time when an innocent man, accused of murder, becomes a murderer while attempting to escape. When he assumes the role of a killer, he finds that he actually enjoys killing. Again, Woolrich was ahead of his time. Psychologists and psychiatrists only began studying in the 1960s how war changed the psychology of soldiers who were forced to slaughter others.
Silent as the Grave. First published in 1945, the protagonist in this story is a woman who goes from a radiantly happy wife (for three years) to an obsessively suspicious one. She believes that her husband murdered his former boss. When she meet the wife of the man convicted of the murder, she cracks under the pressure of her paranoia.
Murder at the Automat. First published in 1937, this one is a detective story, as the protagonist, police officer Nelson, searches for a murderer who initially appears to have committed a perfect crime. Woolrich could also write a good detective story, one with enough twists to satisfy the readers of pulp detective magazines.
Crazy House. First published in 1941, this one is another detective story, but this time the person tasked with solving the crime is the man who is falsely accused of the murder. It moves at a breakneck pace, and is one tale that ends on an upbeat note.
New York Blues. The final story was published in 1970, two years after Woolrich’s death and, in my opinion, is the best of all—even better than Rear Window. But don’t read it if you feel depressed. It is a exceedingly dark tale—the perspective of a man who no longer has hope. Yet, this one is like poetry. A ballad to New York:
New York. The world’s most dramatic city. Like a permanent short circuit, sputtering and sparking up into the night sky all night long. No place like it for living. And probably no place like it for dying.
Throughout the story there are snatches of song lyrics—the sounds of the city intertwining with thoughts of death. The plot isn’t too important in this one; it’s the rhythm that makes the story. The blues.
………………..
NOTE: I was at the 70% progress point in this book when two of my reserved library books became available. Both had received high Goodreads ratings. As REAR WINDOW AND OTHER MURDEROUS TALES was on my kindle and consisted of short stories, I decided it was smarter to read the library books and then later finish the Woolrich book. So, I started reading one library novel, stopped, and then started on the other. Nope. Neither was as captivating as the Woolrich book. Thus, I finished Woolrich’s tales before tackling a free library modern novel. Woolrich’s book is five-star all the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for a novel written by Woolrich:
The Bride Wore Black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Woolrich’s life was enigmatic and poignant. He was a contemporary of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain—all of whom retained their renown after their deaths. I had never heard of Cornell Woolrich before reading Stephen King’s “Fairy Tale”.
This collection was published as an ebook in 2022. Many of these stories contain deep insights into the psychology of the human mind under pressure—insights far in advance of the science of psychiatry during the period they were written. Each story is prefaced by a short introduction providing background information about when and where is was published, and other pertinent details.
WARNING: Do not read this book if you are feeling the slightest bit depressed. Do not read if you don’t want to know how psychological trauma feels.
The stories in order:
Rear Window. First published in 1942 under the title “It Had To Be Murder” and then published again in 1944 as “Rear Window”. Most adults have seen the Hitchcock film “Rear Window”, first released in 1954 (and re-released several times thereafter). I saw the movie during it’s original release—that’s how old I am—and haven’t viewed it since. Didn’t need to, as it made such an indelible impression on 14-year-old me that I can still visualize some scenes. The movie followed the basic format of the story written by Woolrich, simply replacing the long inner monologues of Hal Jeffries (played by James Stewart) with conversations between Jeffries and two female companions. Hitchcock made one major change regarding how the body was hidden; the written tale is superior in this regard. The only jarring note in the short story is the fact that the ending seems to come out of the blue—there are no hints suggesting that Inspector Boyne is continuing his investigations. This was because the written story focused exclusively on the musings of Jeffries. Hitchcock was able to remedy this by introducing the perspectives of supporting characters.
The Corpse Next Door. A man becomes enraged when his milk is regularly stolen, catches the thief, shatters his skull, and then hides the body next door. As he waits for the corpse to be discovered, he slowly goes mad. Brilliant depiction of a slowly unraveling mind. First published in 1937 at the height of the Depression when a stolen bottle of milk was enough to provoke a violent reaction.
Morning After Murder. First published in 1936 under another title, Woolrich rewrote the original and republished this revision in 1952. Explores the mind of a homicide detective suffering from what we would now call PTSD. They may not have had a name for it back in 1936 (or in 1952), but Woolrich obviously had witnessed or experienced it (probably both). Note: The Diagnostic and Statistical annual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the tool used by psychiatrists to diagnose and classify mental disorders. In its first edition, published in 1952, there is a description of “gross stress reaction”, which later, in later editions, was changed to PTSD. Thus, Woolrich was ahead of the medical profession in his understanding of how people react to intense stress.
Two Murders, One Crime. First published in 1942 as “Three Kills For One”, and then republished under the new name in 1945, this story has two parts. The first part describes how an innocent man is charged and later executed for a murder. It highlights police incompetence—they relied completely on eyewitness identification. Again, Woolrich was ahead of his time. Starting in the 1970s, Elizabeth Loftus began a crusade pointing out the fallacy of eyewitness identification. I personally taught workshops to the RCMP in 1981 describing how eyewitness testimony can be manipulated by asking leading questions; in Two Murders, One Crime Woolrich shows, in a scene, exactly this being done. After the execution, the story then shifts to one of obsession. The true murderer is identified but cannot be prosecuted because the police would have to admit how their errors resulted in the execution of an innocent person. But one of the police officers takes it upon himself to bring the guilty man to justice by following him everywhere. A fascinating look at the legal system, obsession, and how chance plays a role in determining who lives and who dies.
Dusk To Dawn. First published in 1937, this story again examines PTSD, this time when an innocent man, accused of murder, becomes a murderer while attempting to escape. When he assumes the role of a killer, he finds that he actually enjoys killing. Again, Woolrich was ahead of his time. Psychologists and psychiatrists only began studying in the 1960s how war changed the psychology of soldiers who were forced to slaughter others.
Silent as the Grave. First published in 1945, the protagonist in this story is a woman who goes from a radiantly happy wife (for three years) to an obsessively suspicious one. She believes that her husband murdered his former boss. When she meet the wife of the man convicted of the murder, she cracks under the pressure of her paranoia.
Murder at the Automat. First published in 1937, this one is a detective story, as the protagonist, police officer Nelson, searches for a murderer who initially appears to have committed a perfect crime. Woolrich could also write a good detective story, one with enough twists to satisfy the readers of pulp detective magazines.
Crazy House. First published in 1941, this one is another detective story, but this time the person tasked with solving the crime is the man who is falsely accused of the murder. It moves at a breakneck pace, and is one tale that ends on an upbeat note.
New York Blues. The final story was published in 1970, two years after Woolrich’s death and, in my opinion, is the best of all—even better than Rear Window. But don’t read it if you feel depressed. It is a exceedingly dark tale—the perspective of a man who no longer has hope. Yet, this one is like poetry. A ballad to New York:
New York. The world’s most dramatic city. Like a permanent short circuit, sputtering and sparking up into the night sky all night long. No place like it for living. And probably no place like it for dying.
Throughout the story there are snatches of song lyrics—the sounds of the city intertwining with thoughts of death. The plot isn’t too important in this one; it’s the rhythm that makes the story. The blues.
………………..
NOTE: I was at the 70% progress point in this book when two of my reserved library books became available. Both had received high Goodreads ratings. As REAR WINDOW AND OTHER MURDEROUS TALES was on my kindle and consisted of short stories, I decided it was smarter to read the library books and then later finish the Woolrich book. So, I started reading one library novel, stopped, and then started on the other. Nope. Neither was as captivating as the Woolrich book. Thus, I finished Woolrich’s tales before tackling a free library modern novel. Woolrich’s book is five-star all the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for a novel written by Woolrich:
The Bride Wore Black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 23, 2024
I recently picked up "Rear Window and Other Murderous Tales" after coming across Helga's review.
As an avid reader of crime fiction and a fan of classics, this collection of 9 crime stories truly lived up to my expectations. Each tale ensured that my time was well invested. The anthology not only provided gripping narratives but also introduced me to the works of Cornell Woolrich, who I now greatly admire.
With the exception of the final story, "The New York Blues," which had a surprising element but wasn't as engaging, all the stories held my attention. Among my favorites were "Murder at Automat" and "Silent as Grave."
"Murder at Automat" presents a seemingly perfect crime that an officer investigates and skillfully unravels, providing a truly hair-splitting mystery.
On the other hand, "Silent as Grave" delves into a man's confession to his wife about a murder he committed in the past. The narrative weaves an unusual drama of trust and twists, making it a standout story in the collection.
Overall, I found this book to be excellent, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my fellow crime reader friends.
As an avid reader of crime fiction and a fan of classics, this collection of 9 crime stories truly lived up to my expectations. Each tale ensured that my time was well invested. The anthology not only provided gripping narratives but also introduced me to the works of Cornell Woolrich, who I now greatly admire.
With the exception of the final story, "The New York Blues," which had a surprising element but wasn't as engaging, all the stories held my attention. Among my favorites were "Murder at Automat" and "Silent as Grave."
"Murder at Automat" presents a seemingly perfect crime that an officer investigates and skillfully unravels, providing a truly hair-splitting mystery.
On the other hand, "Silent as Grave" delves into a man's confession to his wife about a murder he committed in the past. The narrative weaves an unusual drama of trust and twists, making it a standout story in the collection.
Overall, I found this book to be excellent, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my fellow crime reader friends.
October 18, 2024
Woolrich is one of the best of noir writers. The genre is distinctive for the internal turmoils of troubled personalities on the brink of or deeply involved in crimes and transgressions. Woolrich takes it to a very high level.
The title story is famous, of course, for the Hitchcock adaptation. Woolrich’s original, with two previous titles (“Murder from a Fixed Viewpoint” and “It Had to be Murder”) before settling into “Rear Window,” runs close to its movie version. But it is much more intensely focused on the narrator’s thoughts, fears, and obsessions. It’s hard to say of a Hitchcock classic that the original story is more intense and in a way more suspenseful, but I think it’s true. Woolrich zeroes in on his subject so closely that he doesn’t even give the character a name. We’re inside His mind too far to see him from the outside. And the story walks a tensioned tightrope of obsession, suspicion, and uncertainty.
The nine stories collected in the book were written from 1936 (“Morning After Murder) to Woolrich’s death in 1968 (“New York Blues” was published two years after his death) and were originally published in pulp magazines and collections. All feature that intense inner turmoil that makes Woolrich stand out, and all testify to the quality of writing you could find in those pulp magazines, like Dime Detective.
The second story in the book, “The Corpse Next Door” is another great example. A man, named Harlan, murders a neighbor who he catches trying to steal his family’s milk delivery. The murder burns in his conscience, and his attempt to cover up the murder can’t cover it up in his own conscience. It burns just as strongly in his fears now as in his guilt. Woolrich throws a curve ball in this one, as he does in several of the stories. Did Harlan actually kill the man? And in the cause and effect of Harlan’s mental world, does it even matter?
The book’s editor, Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen, introduces “The Corpse Next Door” with a comparison to Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Her brief introductions to each story are insightful without burdening the reader with someone else’s reading.
“New York Blues,” that final story from 1968, follows a different side of Woolrich’s form. It’s a work of literary jazz, a rumination on the New York of Woolrich’s spirit. An entire city stretched thin and tormented in Woolrich-fashion.
The title story is famous, of course, for the Hitchcock adaptation. Woolrich’s original, with two previous titles (“Murder from a Fixed Viewpoint” and “It Had to be Murder”) before settling into “Rear Window,” runs close to its movie version. But it is much more intensely focused on the narrator’s thoughts, fears, and obsessions. It’s hard to say of a Hitchcock classic that the original story is more intense and in a way more suspenseful, but I think it’s true. Woolrich zeroes in on his subject so closely that he doesn’t even give the character a name. We’re inside His mind too far to see him from the outside. And the story walks a tensioned tightrope of obsession, suspicion, and uncertainty.
The nine stories collected in the book were written from 1936 (“Morning After Murder) to Woolrich’s death in 1968 (“New York Blues” was published two years after his death) and were originally published in pulp magazines and collections. All feature that intense inner turmoil that makes Woolrich stand out, and all testify to the quality of writing you could find in those pulp magazines, like Dime Detective.
The second story in the book, “The Corpse Next Door” is another great example. A man, named Harlan, murders a neighbor who he catches trying to steal his family’s milk delivery. The murder burns in his conscience, and his attempt to cover up the murder can’t cover it up in his own conscience. It burns just as strongly in his fears now as in his guilt. Woolrich throws a curve ball in this one, as he does in several of the stories. Did Harlan actually kill the man? And in the cause and effect of Harlan’s mental world, does it even matter?
The book’s editor, Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen, introduces “The Corpse Next Door” with a comparison to Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Her brief introductions to each story are insightful without burdening the reader with someone else’s reading.
“New York Blues,” that final story from 1968, follows a different side of Woolrich’s form. It’s a work of literary jazz, a rumination on the New York of Woolrich’s spirit. An entire city stretched thin and tormented in Woolrich-fashion.
April 7, 2024
First impression: I loved every short story in this collection, this is the "Noir" that I love to read, very well structured plots, well paced events, clues left here and there and the style is just great!
Review:
This is a super captivating collection of suspenseful short stories in the "Noir" style, it is also a testament to the writer's mastery in crafting tales full to the brim with tension, paranoia, vivid and atmospheric settings that immerse readers in the world of his stories.
From the claustrophobic confines of a New York City apartment or the shadowy streets of a deserted town, the descriptions are evocative and haunting, adding an extra layer of depth to the narratives.
Each short story has its unique plot and twists, exploring the darker aspects of human nature in a delightfully intricate way, making it almost impossible for me to pick up a favorite or favorites.
This collection will be a piece of heaven to the lovers suspense and noir fiction as they delve in the compelling stories, storytelling, and unforgettable characters.
Thanks to my Book reading partner in crime who's recs never fail, I found myself a new noir writer!
Review:
This is a super captivating collection of suspenseful short stories in the "Noir" style, it is also a testament to the writer's mastery in crafting tales full to the brim with tension, paranoia, vivid and atmospheric settings that immerse readers in the world of his stories.
From the claustrophobic confines of a New York City apartment or the shadowy streets of a deserted town, the descriptions are evocative and haunting, adding an extra layer of depth to the narratives.
Each short story has its unique plot and twists, exploring the darker aspects of human nature in a delightfully intricate way, making it almost impossible for me to pick up a favorite or favorites.
This collection will be a piece of heaven to the lovers suspense and noir fiction as they delve in the compelling stories, storytelling, and unforgettable characters.
Thanks to my Book reading partner in crime who's recs never fail, I found myself a new noir writer!
May 1, 2025
Dark, despairing and brilliant stories by a master of the genre.
August 15, 2025
Nine short stories dating from 1936 to 1970, comprise this collection of Cornell Woolrich's short fiction, introduced by Jacklyn Saferstein-Hansen, with acknowledgements to Francis Nevins, Woolrich’s official biographer.
The most outstanding among them is ‘Rear Window,’ but it is famous more for the Hitchcock film and the glamour and hypnotic presence of Grace Kelly and James Stewart. Freed of them, the mind is able to follow the far more sinister aspect of Woolrich's story, and its enormous psychological depth and fear. The whole murder itself takes on a completely different twist.
But the other eight stories, into which Woolrich injects so much suspense and even dread through ideas of revenge, murder, guilt or amnesia, that bigamy or a ‘crazy house’ seem small beer. There are also themes of loyalty, humour and grief, which only Woolrich could handle, giving them at once that macabre touch.
Most of the stories in this collection were published only once, and the editors are therefore to be congratulated in obtaining them from collectors, as sometimes the original publication itself no longer exists. An anthology to treasure.
Rear Window
The Corpse Next Door
Morning After Murder
Two Murders, One Crime
Dusk to Dawn
Silent as the Grave
Murder at the Automat
Crazy House
New York Blues
The most outstanding among them is ‘Rear Window,’ but it is famous more for the Hitchcock film and the glamour and hypnotic presence of Grace Kelly and James Stewart. Freed of them, the mind is able to follow the far more sinister aspect of Woolrich's story, and its enormous psychological depth and fear. The whole murder itself takes on a completely different twist.
But the other eight stories, into which Woolrich injects so much suspense and even dread through ideas of revenge, murder, guilt or amnesia, that bigamy or a ‘crazy house’ seem small beer. There are also themes of loyalty, humour and grief, which only Woolrich could handle, giving them at once that macabre touch.
Most of the stories in this collection were published only once, and the editors are therefore to be congratulated in obtaining them from collectors, as sometimes the original publication itself no longer exists. An anthology to treasure.
Rear Window
The Corpse Next Door
Morning After Murder
Two Murders, One Crime
Dusk to Dawn
Silent as the Grave
Murder at the Automat
Crazy House
New York Blues
January 22, 2023
Classic Noir by a real master!
I found this book by accident. I have always loved noir, both books and films and Rear Window, the film with James Stewart and Grace Kelly is an all-time favourite. So I was surprised and pleased to find that it was based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich. I was then even more surprised and pleased to find this short anthology available for a very reasonable price from Amazon. I am now delighted to tell you that this little book is absolutely brilliant and, having added the rest of his available back catalogue to my already overburdened wish list, I will unhesitatingly recommend it to all those who love Chandler and Hammet as I do. In fact, judging only from these few stories, Mr Woolrich may even have an edge on them. Try it and see if you agree!
I found this book by accident. I have always loved noir, both books and films and Rear Window, the film with James Stewart and Grace Kelly is an all-time favourite. So I was surprised and pleased to find that it was based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich. I was then even more surprised and pleased to find this short anthology available for a very reasonable price from Amazon. I am now delighted to tell you that this little book is absolutely brilliant and, having added the rest of his available back catalogue to my already overburdened wish list, I will unhesitatingly recommend it to all those who love Chandler and Hammet as I do. In fact, judging only from these few stories, Mr Woolrich may even have an edge on them. Try it and see if you agree!
January 20, 2024
DNF at 74%
I don't understand how this collection has such a high average rating. I've read 6 out of the 9 stories here, and of those 6, the only good one was the first, the one Hitchcock's Rear Window was based on. I've got better things to do than read the remaining 3, especially as I suspect all these books are deliberately put together by taking one good story/novella and padding out the book with scraps from the cutting room floor in order to maximize profit.
I'd say Woolrich's voice and narration style don't work for me, but I don't know what that is. There's a great deal of variation in the style of the 6 stories I read. Unfortunately, even in the those where I felt the writing was better than average, the stories were not.
I will not be in any hurry to try anything else by him.
I don't understand how this collection has such a high average rating. I've read 6 out of the 9 stories here, and of those 6, the only good one was the first, the one Hitchcock's Rear Window was based on. I've got better things to do than read the remaining 3, especially as I suspect all these books are deliberately put together by taking one good story/novella and padding out the book with scraps from the cutting room floor in order to maximize profit.
I'd say Woolrich's voice and narration style don't work for me, but I don't know what that is. There's a great deal of variation in the style of the 6 stories I read. Unfortunately, even in the those where I felt the writing was better than average, the stories were not.
I will not be in any hurry to try anything else by him.
December 30, 2024
Cornell Woolrich is the O. Henry of noir. Each one of these murderous tales contains an unexpected twist that raises it from the run-of-the-mill pulp to fine crime fiction. Rear Window is a prime example: Hal Jeffries is confined to his apartment (the reason why is only revealed in the last lines of the story), so he passes the time by watching the activities of all the neighbors he can see from his window. Is one of them a murderer? The film adaptation, starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, is one of Hitchcock's best, but the many changes made to the original plot make reading the source material that much more interesting. Spoiler alert: Don't read the story intros at the start, some of them give too much away!
November 29, 2024
This Is Noir Like It
After my rather sparky intro to my review of Best American Noir of the Century, I couldn't resist something in the same vein here.
I did find this more in keeping with my noir expectations (no surprise, considering the era Woolrich came to prominence) and, familiar as I am with the Hitchcock classic, really enjoyed reading the original story. The rest of the stories are equally enjoyable and, of course, quite dark.
Well recommended.
After my rather sparky intro to my review of Best American Noir of the Century, I couldn't resist something in the same vein here.
I did find this more in keeping with my noir expectations (no surprise, considering the era Woolrich came to prominence) and, familiar as I am with the Hitchcock classic, really enjoyed reading the original story. The rest of the stories are equally enjoyable and, of course, quite dark.
Well recommended.
February 26, 2025
Cornell Woolrich was one of America's best crime and suspense writers it says on the cover blurb of Rear Window and Other Murderous Tales and I'm ashamed to say I had never come across his writing until a good friend tracked him down as the author of Rear Window because she loves the film so much. On her recommendation I bought a copy and settled down to read. That was the last time I felt settled. The blurb was not lying. The quality of all of these short stories is fantastic and incredibly unnerving as you walk through the poverty stricken tenements and streets of New York in the first half of the 20th Century. Woolrich's ability to transport you to those scenes is just breathtaking and for every story in this collection I felt I was there standing just behind the characters seeing every move as they were, and then suddenly, he subverts the plot and you're left wondering what just happened?
The level of insight not just into the time and place but also into human nature and what we would now refer to as mental health crises and his ability to convey that to the reader is very unsettling as you not only get to know what has happened to them but his writing reveals the torturous routes their thoughts are taking, some moving further and further away from sanity. For me, perhaps because I am so familiar with the film seemed the least of the stories, which is ironic as it's the one that led to discovery of the collection. It still has terrific atmosphere but the level of terror and the sinister feeling ramps us as the reader progresses through to the end culminating in the New York Blues which feels as though it tears open main protagonists mind and lays it bare to the reader. What an incredible collection of stories. I will certainly be looking for more of his work.
The level of insight not just into the time and place but also into human nature and what we would now refer to as mental health crises and his ability to convey that to the reader is very unsettling as you not only get to know what has happened to them but his writing reveals the torturous routes their thoughts are taking, some moving further and further away from sanity. For me, perhaps because I am so familiar with the film seemed the least of the stories, which is ironic as it's the one that led to discovery of the collection. It still has terrific atmosphere but the level of terror and the sinister feeling ramps us as the reader progresses through to the end culminating in the New York Blues which feels as though it tears open main protagonists mind and lays it bare to the reader. What an incredible collection of stories. I will certainly be looking for more of his work.
June 26, 2023
Frightfully good
And I mean that. Some of the stories are frightful, some depressing, all good. Rear Window is the first story and if you've seen the movie you more or less know the plot. The other stories were total surprises. I'd never read any of them before and was pleased with how good they were. A totally enjoyable book...in a frightful way.
And I mean that. Some of the stories are frightful, some depressing, all good. Rear Window is the first story and if you've seen the movie you more or less know the plot. The other stories were total surprises. I'd never read any of them before and was pleased with how good they were. A totally enjoyable book...in a frightful way.
November 9, 2024
Book 73 of 2024 was “It Had To Be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich. This story was a first time read, but I was familiar with the story, as it was made into the movie “Rear Window”. It was classic noir, and I enjoyed it. 3.5 out of 5 ⭐️.
July 10, 2023
Woolrich so there’s not a bad story in here. Some are better than others and some—like the last one—will blow you away.
September 18, 2023
Full black and white immersion in Dime Detective noir. I now feel strangely suspicious of my neighbours. They've been doing a lot of cleaning lately...
January 3, 2024
Awesome reading
Excellent noir stories. Cornell Woolrich was a master of that genre. I really enjoyed this book, every story is different, and have an unexpected ending.
Excellent noir stories. Cornell Woolrich was a master of that genre. I really enjoyed this book, every story is different, and have an unexpected ending.
February 3, 2024
Rear Window, The Corpse Next Door, and Silent as the Grave were the best stories in this collection. I didn't really understand the last story New York Blues.
November 6, 2024
這是一本短篇小說集，個人認為只有開篇的《後窗》最引人入勝，融合了偷窺、謀殺的元素，果然很適合拿來改編為電影，至於餘下的作品，則比較普通。
December 17, 2024
Cornell Woolrich is fantastic!
An amazing set of short stories. You can never tell where each one will go but you won’t be disappointed.
An amazing set of short stories. You can never tell where each one will go but you won’t be disappointed.
December 29, 2024
Old school crime noir that definitely scratches an itch. Quite a bit of deus ex machina in some of the resolutions, but overall imaginative and riveting.
January 22, 2025
I liked Rear window as I love the film . The other stories were just not my type of thing. I would recommend to noir readers.
February 24, 2025
故事精彩，但譯本實在讀不下去。
June 30, 2025
Excellent short story collection from one of the great crime noir writer's who is often forgotten ....Cornell Woolrich. Just buy it for Rear Window!!!!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews