Four Novellas of Fear

Book excerpt: Cornell Woolrich, best known as the author of "Rear Window," is unsurpassed in his ability to create and sustain sheer suspense. In his tales of terror, ordinary people find themselves in the most extraordinary circumstances-and, as readers, we share their spine-tingling tension every step of the way. Collected here are four of his most nail-biting novellas: EYES THAT WATCH YOU: Greedy Vera Miller plots her husband's murder right under the nose of her mute, paralyzed mother-in-law. After all, the old lady won't be able to tell anyone about the crime. Or will she?THE NIGHT I DIED: Nice guy Ben Cook, goaded by his scheming common-law wife, fakes his own suicide and moves to another town-all to trick his life insurance company into making a large payout. No one en route or at the new address will recognize him, will they?YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAI" Ed Bliss's new bride, miffed by her husband's insults about her biscuits, promises that Ed will never have to see her again-and storms out! When she doesn't return within a few days, Ed begins to suspect foul play-but when he reports the crime to the police, he's the first one they suspect!MURDER ALWAYS GATHERS MOMENTUM: For his wife's sake, Dick Paine approaches a former employer for back wages he is owed-but things go terribly wrong and the old boss ends up dead. Now the guilt-ridden Paine, who'd never before committed a crime, is convinced that people will figure out what happened. As his paranoia gathers momentum, anyone he meets is at risk of becoming his next victim.