NOTHING MORE THAN MURDER by Jim...

NOTHING MORE THAN MURDER by Jim Thompson (Vintage: $9). This darkly sardonic tale by the master of pulp crime fiction suggests just how tangled a web can be woven by those who “practice to deceive.” Joe Wilmot, the operator of a small-town movie theater, devises an elaborate scheme to fake the murder of his wife, so he and his mistress can enjoy the insurance money. But Wilmot’s history of bullying distributors, evading union regulations and pulling fast deals on his neighbors have earned him a lot of enemies. The “accident” gives the people he’s wronged a chance to vent their resentment, and his carefully crafted plan disintegrates under their scrutiny. Having played the small-time fox, Wilmot finds himself cornered by the hounds, who delight in tearing him to pieces.