TOM RIPLEY WANTED IT ALL: the money, the success, the good life. He was even willing to kill to acquire all of it. When a wealthy American asked him to bring back his son, who had settled in Italy, he devised a diabolical plan: to take the place of the Prodigal Son and live a dream life with his identity.

Nada simpler for Tom. Thanks to his talent for forgery, he deceives the authorities. And as for murder, a simple "accident" will allow him to change identities while simultaneously revealing the charm the victim held over his murderer.

The first novel in the series featuring Ripley, which began in 1955 and concluded in 1990, The Talented Mr. Ripley serves as the birth certificate of one of the most unlikely characters in crime literature. His duality captivated filmmakers like Rene Clement (Plein Soleil, 1960) and Anthony Minghella (The Talented Mr. Ripley, 1999): films that sought to capture the elusive.

A charming esthete but utterly cynical, friendly and sympathetic yet with a detestable arrogance, Tom defies all morality, claiming the right to kill throughout his long career, which unfolds over four more novels.

[Excerpt from publisher's or edition's presentation text]