the WOMAN in the WINDOW

The author, A. J. Finn, has weaved a Alfred Hitchcockian type tale that reminds me of the 1954 movie, Rear Window, but is distinctly different. In Finn’s novel we have a 39 year old child psychologist, Anna, who has agoraphobia (in her case-a fear of being outside) and who witnesses a murder from her window...or did she? Can a witness be reliable if she is on a diet of merlot wine and numerous self-prescribed pills? Basically, she is a mental mess after a recent horrible car accident. She is also freshly separated from her husband, Ed and her daughter, Olivia. She is a recluse who sleeps late, talks to her family (who aren’t there), communicates on the internet site, Agora, with others that have her phobia and then watches old black and white movies all night...mostly mysteries. Oh yea, she also spies on her neighbors with her Nikon D5500 camera. The author got my attention immediately with excellent prose (with a touch of ergodic literature thrown in) that kept me guessing throughout the 427 pages. The only minor flaw was the author’s repetitive time spent writing about Anna’s addictions to pills and merlot wine. But like I said that was minor compared to the constant drama and tension that built up as I read each short (which I’m a big fan of) cliffhanging chapter. I did try to figure out the ending, but with so many surprises along with the many twist and turns, I failed to solve this gripping whodunit because I was never sure a murder even happened.  

Anna lives in a four story multi-million dollar home in NYC with her cat, Punch and a basement tenant, David. The story starts out with Anna spying on her neighbors across the street in #212. She sees Dr. Miller almost catch his wife in bed with their contractor. While she is having a discussion with her daughter and husband (who aren’t there), she sees new neighbors moving into #207 across the park. “The deed of sale posted yesterday. My new neighbors are Alistair and Jane Russell (and their teenage son, Ethan); they paid $3.45 million for their humble abode. Google tells me that he’s a partner at a midsize consultancy, previously based in Boston. She’s untraceable-you try plugging Jane Russell into a search engine.” During the day, Anna logs on to the internet site, Agora, with the code name of thedoctorisin. She tries to help various people that have agoraphobic fears similar to hers, which…"includes being outside the home alone; being in a crowd, or standing in a line; being on a bridge.” One of the newcomers emailed her. Anna directs her to a survival manual she whipped up in the spring. It explains how to get food and  medicine without leaving the house, et cetera. The doorbell rings...it’s the Russell’s boy, Ethan. He gives Anna a gift of a lavender candle from his mother. Ethan seems to be a shy boy. He ask where her family is. Anna tells him that Ed and Olivia don’t live with her, “We’re separated.” She tells him that she is a psychologist who works with children. He leaves. Is he as delicate as he appears?  

On Halloween, Since Anna doesn’t answer the door for trick or treaters, her house is egged. The kids will not stop. “I jolt the door open. Light and air blast me.” She is hit with eggs and falls, “I taste concrete. I Taste blood. I feel my limbs pinwheeled on the ground. The ground ripples against my body. My body ripples against the air.” Suddenly someone chases the kids away and helps Anna back into the house. Anna looks at the woman and says, “You’re Jane Russell.” She stops, looking at me in wonder, then laughs, her teeth glinting in the half-light. “How did you know that?” Several days later, Anna has her camera on the Russell’s house…"then the doorbell rings.” It’s jane Russell, “You must be bored as hell”, she says when I open the door. Then she folds me into a hug. I laugh, nervously. “Sick of all those black and white movies, I bet.” “I brought something for you.” She smiles, dipping a hand into her bag. “It’s cold, too.” A sweaty bottle of Riesling. My mouth waters. It’s been ages since I drank white. “Oh, you shouldn’t…” They drink and play chess for two and a half hours before Jane leaves and says, “I’ve got very important things to do.” What is so important? The next day, after Anna finishes playing chess on the internet and was deciding on what Hitchcock movie to watch, she hears from #207, “A scream, raw and horrorstruck, torn from the throat.” Okay, I hope I was able to arouse your interest. I just wanted to give you the flavor of what’s ahead. There is no way you can anticipate what happens in the next 312 pages. Get your own copy of this New York Times bestseller...soon to be a movie.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

Comment: I think (that) it’s funny that two of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies are my favorites and one of them that isn't one of my favorites are all adapted from Daphne du Maurier (5/13/1907 to 4/19/1989) novels. The favorites are the 1940 movie, Rebecca (written in 1938) and the 1963 movie, The Birds (written in 1952). The classic novel Jamaica Inn (written in 1936) was a horribly done Hitchcock movie in 1939.

But my all time favorite Hitchcock movie was the 1944 movie, Lifeboat. It starred Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix (remember him in the hit 1953-1958 TV series, The Life of Riley), Walter Slezak and Hume Cronyn. It is a classic black and white movie. I’ll bet A. J. Finn’s Anna has seen it.