Urbane con man Tom Ripley is struggling to stay one step ahead of his creditors and the law when an acquaintance unexpectedly offers him a free trip to Europe and a chance to start over. Making the most of circumstances and opportunities, Ripley transforms himself from a petty fraud into a sophisticated artist of crime, one who will stop at nothing—certainly not a simple murder—to get what he desires. A finalist for the Edgar Award and the winner of France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière, Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel introduces one of the most brilliant characters of 20th century crime fiction; the "suave, agreeable, and utterly amoral" Ripley was her favorite creation, and his twisted career played out in a series of psychological thrillers.