Once again, someone left a box full of books in my office building. Once again, I couldn't resist.

This is one book I was really happy to find: for several years now, I've been meaning to read more Highsmith, and what better way to finally do so than with a Ripley book?

However, the condition of this one might reasonably be described as “battered” – the front picture is virtually impossible to make out for the many, many scratched and rubbed-off parts. It almost looks as if it had been deliberately made to look old, but unfortunately it really is that worn-down (being an edition from 1980). In addition, pages have torn loose and are starting to fall out. I'll try to save what I can with adhesive tape, but I'm not sure how much good that will do...

Back cover blurb: “Tom Ripley is the only man who can perform the miraculous – but Tom cannot afford another scandal, and will stop at nothing, including murder, to avoid discovery.”

It's gone now, and on its way to the big library in the heavens.