The Killing - Lionel White

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Résumé :
Johnny Clay, an ex-con determined to strike it rich, has worked out a foolproof scheme to knock off a racetrack payroll. Two million bucks should be enough to last him a lifetime or two. But a two-faced dame has another idea: Let Johnny do the work, then she'll take it for herself and her boyfriend. Originally published in 1955 under the title Clean Break. Basis for the 1956 Stanley Kubrick film....

Biographie:
Lionel White (1905-1985) was an American author best known for his crime and suspense novels. Many of his works explored the planning and execution of complex robberies, emphasizing the human weaknesses and unforeseen events that can undermine even the most careful criminal schemes. His novel The Killing was adapted into the influential 1956 film directed by Stanley Kubrick, bringing White's work to a wider audience....

Sommaire:
Lionel White's The Killing is a tightly constructed crime novel that helped define the modern heist story. The novel centers on a carefully planned racetrack robbery conceived by a professional criminal determined to carry out the perfect crime. Each participant in the scheme has a specific role, and the plan appears flawless. Yet as the operation unfolds, hidden tensions, personal weaknesses, and unpredictable events begin to threaten the entire enterprise. White's narrative follows multiple characters whose actions gradually intersect as the robbery approaches its decisive moment. Through shifting perspectives and steadily building tension, the story reveals how even the most meticulous plan can unravel when human ambition and chance intervene. First published in the mid-twentieth century, The Killing became widely known after its adaptation into the influential 1956 film directed by Stanley Kubrick. White's novel remains a notable example of classic American crime fiction and an early model for the modern heist narrative....