Dorothy B. Hughes' 'In a Lonely Place': A Deep Dive into Noir and Psychological Thriller

Rediscovering Dorothy B. Hughes

• 💡 Literary agents Becky Brown and Norah Perkins discuss the crime novelist Dorothy B. Hughes and her 1947 novel In a Lonely Place.
• 📌 Hughes is highlighted as a remarkable writer whose work, particularly in the noir genre, deserves greater recognition.
• 📚 The discussion also touches upon pitching other authors like Kay Dick, Stella Gibbons, and R.C. Sherriff.

The Novel 'In a Lonely Place'

• 🎯 The novel, set in 1940s Los Angeles, features Dixon Steel, a former WWII pilot struggling with his past and his attempts to become a writer.
• 🔪 The narrative explores themes of male rage, PTSD, and the psychological landscape of a man who is the threat, rather than being threatened.
• 🎭 Hughes is praised for subverting genre tropes, presenting a complex male protagonist who is fundamentally outwitted by the women around him.

Subverting Noir Tropes

• 🧠 The novel is noted for its exploration of psychological complexity and evil as a sickness of the mind, rather than a simple whodunit.
• 🚫 Unlike typical noir, the female characters, Laurel Gray and Sylvia Brub, are not easily categorized as femme fatales or damsels in distress; they actively outwit the protagonist.
• 🗣️ Hughes's prose is described as atmospheric, creating a sense of dread and suspense, with a focus on the internal state of the killer.

Themes and Setting

• 🌊 The sense of place in Los Angeles is crucial, but the novel emphasizes the city's loneliness and dark corners, often contrasted with the vastness of the sea.
• 🔊 The protagonist's extreme sensitivity to sounds like electric razors and vacuum cleaners is highlighted as a manifestation of his PTSD and constant state of being on edge.
• 🍸 His self-medication with alcohol and his struggle for self-control are presented as key elements of his unraveling.

Hughes's Legacy and Neglect

• 💔 It's suggested that Hughes's career was impacted by domestic circumstances, leading to a hiatus in her writing, a fate less common for male writers.
• 🏆 Despite critical acclaim and her skill in crafting suspenseful and psychologically deep narratives, Hughes remains less widely known than her male contemporaries in the genre.
• 🌟 The discussion encourages listeners to explore Hughes's other works, such as 'The Expendable Man', noting her unique ability to delve into the darker aspects of human nature.