In 1952, Patricia Highsmith, the cunning mind behind The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train, published The Price of Salt under the pseudonym Claire Morgan because of the lesbian romance at the center of the tale. Therese Belivet is a young set designer who works a less than satisfying day job at a department store, when she glimpses Carol, a young, beautiful mother at her sales counter and instantly recognizes the love of her life. Without giving too much away I will say, The Price of Salt is a truly heartstopping romantic story, full of the simmering intensity that Highsmith is recognized and beloved for. Only Highsmith could so deftly craft a tale where the romance is whispered not shouted and the suspense is seductive and alluring. This is one of my favorite romances of all time.
