The Fallen Sparrow

Loyalty and friendship motivate a quest for revenge in this early noir novel by a master of the genre.

For more than a year, Kit McKittrick languished in a Fascist prison in Spain where he was tortured by a limping jailor known only as Wobblefoot. He escaped with the help of a childhood friend from America who came overseas with him to fight for the Republican cause. When the two return to the United States, Kit goes West to heal, both physically and psychologically, while Louie remains in New York for the high society life of cocktails and cafes that he had enjoyed before his dangerous adventure.

But Kit’s convalescence is cut short when he learns that Louie has taken a long dive out of a high window. He’s certain that his friend wouldn’t have made the fatal fall without being pushed and, on a quest for vengeance, sets out for New York to get even with the killer. When he arrives, Kit discovers a host of suspicious characters that Louie left behind but he’ll have to conquer his own past demons before he can achieve his gruesome goal.

A revenge thriller elevated by psychological depth and haunting suspense, The Fallen Sparrow shows noir master Dorothy B. Hughes developing the style for which she is known today. Like her later masterpieces, In a Lonely Place and Ride the Pink Horse, this too was adapted for a now-classic film noir by the same title.