Throughout the book, the suspense never lets up and the pace, right up to the thrilling climax, is just perfect. Not knowing his true nature, she is drawn to his charisma, but it’s fair to say that Pinkie’s motives for the marriage are not as pure. Pinkie marries the sweet and innocent waitress Rose, who is the opposite of him in every way. After consoling a terrified Hale, she is the unexpected force of justice that makes it her mission to expose Pinkie for what he is and ensure he doesn’t keep getting away with his crimes.īelieve it or not, there is also a romantic sub-plot (of sorts). Hale had previously written an article that betrayed the former leader of Pinkie’s gang, so Pinkie wants his revenge.Īs with every good crime tale, an adversary is needed, step forward Ida Arnold.
Set in the 1930s, a newspaper reporter, Hale, goes to Brighton for a work assignment, but he knows this town is Pinkie’s domain and (as the fantastic opening sentence states) knows Pinkie wants to murder him.
It’s true – there is not much to like about his character, but he is intensely compelling. He is a ruthless, sinister sociopath, who is often described as an ‘anti-hero’. In Brighton Rock, Greene gives us a truly memorable murderer – 17 year old, baby-faced Pinkie Brown: The youngest member of a criminal gang, but also their leader. Opening sentence: Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they meant to murder him.
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