“Long before the Theater of the Absurd, Woolrich discovered that an incomprehensible universe is best reflected in an incomprehensible story. ("Introduction")” — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“His most characteristic detective stories end with the realization that no rational account of events is possible, and his suspense stories tend… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“But suspense presupposes uncertainty. No matter how nightmarish the situation, real suspense is impossible when we know in advance that the protagonist… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“The hallmarks of the noir style are fear, guilt and loneliness, breakdown and despair, sexual obsession and social corruption, a sense that… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“All we can do about this nightmare we live in is to create, if we are very lucky, a few islands of… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“Woolrich had a genius for creating types of story perfectly consonant with his world: the noir cop story, the clock race story,… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“Inevitably, his vision verged toward the fantastic; he published a scattering of stories - most included in this volume - which appeared… — Barry N. Malzberg Copy Share Image
“The viewpoint character in each story is usually someone trapped in a living nightmare, but this doesn't guarantee that we and the… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“In Woolrich's crime fiction there is a gradual development from pulp to noir. The earlier a story, the more likely it stresses… — Francis M. Nevins Copy Share Image
“This may not be art as art commonly goes; the lack of discipline, of control, would seem to rule it out of… — Francis M. Nevins Jr Copy Share Image
“Like the playwrights of the Absurd, Woolrich recognized that a senseless story best mirrors a senseless existence.” — Francis M. Nevins Jr Copy Share Image
“He began as a minor imitator of Fitzgerald, wrote a novel in the late twenties which won a prize, became dissatisfied with… — Barry N. Malzberg Copy Share Image
