In December 1955, The Talented Mr. Ripley is published by Coward-McCann. The book is well received and nominated the following year for an Edgar Allan Poe Award by the Mystery Writers of America. Despite being back on the road to success, Patricia Highsmith finds herself in a dark place in the new year. At age thirty-five, she suddenly feels old, burned out, unmoored—with the only semblance of stability coming from self-discipline and work. The accolades pouring in from American literary critics for The Talented Mr. Ripley do little to bolster her self-esteem. Well into spring, Pat’s notebook entries revolve around ideas of impermanence, religion, and alcohol.