Those who enjoy discussing characters will have a field day with Thompson's works. The more of his novels one reads, the greater appreciation one develops for the gritty, unique characters which populate them. They offer fertile ground for comparison to one another as well as to popular characters from other crime fiction, such as Dashiell Hammett's "The Op" or Nick Charles. Thompson's noire approach, well appreciated by the French, some readers find fascinating, even if repulsive at times. The very magnetism of Thompson's short novels invites analysis by interested readers.

1. How would Thompson's novel have differed had he told the story using "normal" narrative technique, rather than allowing characters to present their viewpoints, using first person, in one or two chapters?

2. Does the novel suffer due to its lack of interaction among all the characters?

3. What is the purpose of Teddy, Skysmith's ill wife, in the...