by Ira Levin
First published 1982
Sidney Bruhl sits in his study, staring at a brilliant script that could revive his fading career. The play, titled Deathtrap, arrived from a former student who seeks his mentor's guidance. But Sidney sees opportunity where others might see obligation. He begins plotting to steal the work and eliminate its true author. His wife Myra watches nervously as Sidney's desperation grows. What starts as literary theft spirals into a deadly game where nothing is as it seems. Each revelation pulls Sidney deeper into a web of deception and violence. The boundaries between performance and reality blur as the characters find themselves trapped in their own murderous drama. This thriller examines how far ambition will drive someone when success slips away.
Genres: drama, suspense, mystery, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cat-and-mouse, unreliable-narrator
112 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: murder, violence