A review by thomasroche
The Killing by Lionel White

4.0

Maybe not a great heist novel, but a pretty good one. Originally published under a different title ("Clean Break"), under this title it was the basis of Stanley Kubrick's first feature, which was scripted by none other than [a:Jim Thompson|7621|Jim Thompson|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1310069486p2/7621.jpg]. I think Thompson and Kubrick definitely improved on the novel's pacing and dramatic tension, resulting in one of the greatest crime films ever made. The novel is not perfect, and has serious pacing problems, but it's still a nice slice of history and a great read for anyone who loves noir fiction. Like the other Lionel White novel I've read 1968's [b:The Night of the Rape|10123067|The Night of the Rape|Lionel White|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg|15020819], I would say this is pretty clearly B-list stuff, but well worth reading.