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SWF Seeks Same
Allie's new roommate Hedra at first just seems a shy, awkward woman in search of a role model or a big sister. But as the two settle in to life together in their small New York apartment, it becomes clear that Hedra doesn't merely admire Allie, she actually wants to be Allie. And she has a plan. The inspiration for the hit film Single White Female, SWF Seeks Same is a chilling psychological thriller about envy and obsession.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
115 people are currently reading
1297 people want to read
About the author
John Lutz
233 books300 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Lutz has captivated suspense enthusiasts for over four decades. He has been one of the premier voices in contemporary hard-boiled fiction. His work includes political suspense, private eye novels, urban suspense, humor, occult, crime caper, police procedural, espionage, historical, futuristic, amateur detective, thriller; virtually every mystery sub-genre. John Lutz published his first short story in 1966 in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and has been publishing regularly ever since. He is the author of more than fifty novels and 250 short stories and articles.
His novels and short fiction have been translated into virtually every language and adapted for almost every medium. He is a past president of both Mystery Writers of America and Private Eye Writers of America. Among his awards are the MWA Edgar, the PWA Shamus, The Trophee 813 Award for best mystery short story collection translated into the French language, the PWA Life Achievement Award, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is the author of two private eye series, the Nudger series, set in his home town of St. Louis, and the Carver series, set in Florida, as well as many non-series suspense novels. His SWF SEEKS SAME was made into the hit movie SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and his novel THE EX was made into the HBO original movie of the same title, for which he co-authored the screenplay.
Lutz and his wife, Barbara, split their time between St. Louis and Sarasota, Florida.
John Lutz has captivated suspense enthusiasts for over four decades. He has been one of the premier voices in contemporary hard-boiled fiction. His work includes political suspense, private eye novels, urban suspense, humor, occult, crime caper, police procedural, espionage, historical, futuristic, amateur detective, thriller; virtually every mystery sub-genre. John Lutz published his first short story in 1966 in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and has been publishing regularly ever since. He is the author of more than fifty novels and 250 short stories and articles.
His novels and short fiction have been translated into virtually every language and adapted for almost every medium. He is a past president of both Mystery Writers of America and Private Eye Writers of America. Among his awards are the MWA Edgar, the PWA Shamus, The Trophee 813 Award for best mystery short story collection translated into the French language, the PWA Life Achievement Award, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Golden Derringer Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is the author of two private eye series, the Nudger series, set in his home town of St. Louis, and the Carver series, set in Florida, as well as many non-series suspense novels. His SWF SEEKS SAME was made into the hit movie SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, starring Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and his novel THE EX was made into the HBO original movie of the same title, for which he co-authored the screenplay.
Lutz and his wife, Barbara, split their time between St. Louis and Sarasota, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
January 3, 2018
When Allie Jones suddenly finds herself in need of a roommate, she meets Hedra. Hedra is timid at first but she and Allie become friends and Hedra shows her true colors...
I remember when the movie version of Single White Female came out, although I was too young to be interested. I've read a couple John Lutz books before so I was ready for this when I found it on the cheap.
When you look for a roommate, try not to find one that's a psychopathic chameleon. I knew the bare bones of the plot but it was still a wild ride at times. Hedra moves in and starts usurping Allie's life. Before too long, Allie is in the soup so deep she might never get out.
The book was a slow burner at first but things picked up around the halfway mark. I've never seen the movie but from what I understand, the book is a lot more gruesome.
The resolution actually bugged me a little bit. A little too easy, maybe? Anyway, Single White Female was a fun way to spend a few hours. Three out of five stars.
I remember when the movie version of Single White Female came out, although I was too young to be interested. I've read a couple John Lutz books before so I was ready for this when I found it on the cheap.
When you look for a roommate, try not to find one that's a psychopathic chameleon. I knew the bare bones of the plot but it was still a wild ride at times. Hedra moves in and starts usurping Allie's life. Before too long, Allie is in the soup so deep she might never get out.
The book was a slow burner at first but things picked up around the halfway mark. I've never seen the movie but from what I understand, the book is a lot more gruesome.
The resolution actually bugged me a little bit. A little too easy, maybe? Anyway, Single White Female was a fun way to spend a few hours. Three out of five stars.
April 17, 2018
I am a massive fan of the film and only in the last year or so have I been aware that there was a book. So i ordered it, put it on the shelf and promptly forgot about it.
Until this weekend. Struggling to recover from an extremely nasty bout of Labyrinthitis has made going near any sort of book a massive no no for me. Looking at words on a page was the last thing I wanted to do. Still, I decided to give it a try for 20 pages or so and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting late into the night, my head swimming.
I really liked this book. I liked the character development and how we got to see 'inside' Allie and Hedra's heads (something obviously that you don't get to experience in a film.) Hedra (or Hendra, which is the peculiar name for her on the back of the book...) appears much more evil in the book, and it is quite clear from the start that she is fixated on Allie and Allie's life.
I might persue another John Lutz when I feel completely better.
Until this weekend. Struggling to recover from an extremely nasty bout of Labyrinthitis has made going near any sort of book a massive no no for me. Looking at words on a page was the last thing I wanted to do. Still, I decided to give it a try for 20 pages or so and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting late into the night, my head swimming.
I really liked this book. I liked the character development and how we got to see 'inside' Allie and Hedra's heads (something obviously that you don't get to experience in a film.) Hedra (or Hendra, which is the peculiar name for her on the back of the book...) appears much more evil in the book, and it is quite clear from the start that she is fixated on Allie and Allie's life.
I might persue another John Lutz when I feel completely better.
February 9, 2020
“Allie wondered why New Yorkers seemed to think that leaning on a horn might help clear a traffic jam. Many of them thrived on noise, she supposed. Maybe some people adapted to noise and then craved it.”
― John Lutz, Single White Female
This book has the honor of of being one of the most unpleasant reads I've ever experienced. I really did not like this book nor did I enjoy the movie version.
Other then scaring the heck out of present and future roommates I just do not get this book at all. Also the grim path it takes just left me cold.
It is a question for me as to which is worse..book or movie. I think I will call it a draw.
I would not recommend this book.
― John Lutz, Single White Female
This book has the honor of of being one of the most unpleasant reads I've ever experienced. I really did not like this book nor did I enjoy the movie version.
Other then scaring the heck out of present and future roommates I just do not get this book at all. Also the grim path it takes just left me cold.
It is a question for me as to which is worse..book or movie. I think I will call it a draw.
I would not recommend this book.
October 31, 2015
It's hard to judge this book on its own because I'm a huge fan of the film, which is why I read it. And it's like a rough draft that was made a lot better. The film is much more thrilling and psychological, with Hedra's character being much more dangerous, realistic and driven. Allie is also better in the movie, she's quite annoying in the book. The book feels dated, the dialogue is stilted and the characters feel like walk on puppets to fit the plot rather than real people. There was a few derogatory remarks about gay people and animals I didn't like, too:
"She wanted to do this right; didn’t want to attract the wrong kind of people. She’d read the ads in some of the underground papers. Desperate singles, divorcees, shut-ins, and gays. People looking for sex partners who shared their particular perversions."
"He remembered an apparently typical young mother who’d murdered her two children as casually as one might destroy unwanted kittens."
Seriously?
"She wanted to do this right; didn’t want to attract the wrong kind of people. She’d read the ads in some of the underground papers. Desperate singles, divorcees, shut-ins, and gays. People looking for sex partners who shared their particular perversions."
"He remembered an apparently typical young mother who’d murdered her two children as casually as one might destroy unwanted kittens."
Seriously?
March 26, 2019
Na to jak je to hubená knížečka, jsem to četla teda pěkně dlouho.
Před pár lety jsem byla naprosto nadšená z Lutzovi Exmanželka. Takže jsem teď čekala něco podobného.
A upřímně jsem byla velmi zklamaná. Nevím jestli to bylo touhle knihou nebo jsem prostě před lety z Exmanželky byla nadšená, ale dneska bych to ani nedočetla.
Děj mě nenadchnul, byl velmi předvídatelný. A konec zase dost divný a naprosto nerealistický.
To samé se dá říct o postavách.
Allie mi lezla na nervy. Už jenom kvůli tomu, že Samovi odpustí a vezme ho zpátky. Vlastně jsem ani mezi nimi žádnou chemii necítila, prostě ne.
Hedra... Nevím, co k ní říct. Asi by ale kniha byla zajímavější z jejího pohledu.
Jinak celá ta zápletka s Mayfaira byla poměrně zbytečná, ději nic nepřidala a v některých situacích z Allie udělala ještě větší blbku, než už byla. Navíc, co se stalo s těmi záhadnými telefonáty? To se doopravdy nedovíme, kdo to byl?
Před pár lety jsem byla naprosto nadšená z Lutzovi Exmanželka. Takže jsem teď čekala něco podobného.
A upřímně jsem byla velmi zklamaná. Nevím jestli to bylo touhle knihou nebo jsem prostě před lety z Exmanželky byla nadšená, ale dneska bych to ani nedočetla.
Děj mě nenadchnul, byl velmi předvídatelný. A konec zase dost divný a naprosto nerealistický.
To samé se dá říct o postavách.
Allie mi lezla na nervy. Už jenom kvůli tomu, že Samovi odpustí a vezme ho zpátky. Vlastně jsem ani mezi nimi žádnou chemii necítila, prostě ne.
Hedra... Nevím, co k ní říct. Asi by ale kniha byla zajímavější z jejího pohledu.
Jinak celá ta zápletka s Mayfaira byla poměrně zbytečná, ději nic nepřidala a v některých situacích z Allie udělala ještě větší blbku, než už byla. Navíc, co se stalo s těmi záhadnými telefonáty? To se doopravdy nedovíme, kdo to byl?
March 22, 2018
Dangerous obsession ...
Is it better to live alone?
Single White Female is perhaps a strange title for a book, but according to the author, Single White Female has become an expression that he describes in the author's note: and the meaning of the expression is: When a woman is imitated too closely, or her clothes are secretly borrowed, or her boyfriend is stolen by a friend, she's been single white femaled.
Allie is called by an unknown woman in the middle of the night. The unknown woman wants to talk to her boyfriend who sleeps tight next to her. After a while, she learns that there is a woman whom Sam has been having an affair with and Allie gets all worked up. And of course she throws him out of the apartment in the middle of the night. It is expensive to live in an apartment in Manhattan, New York. Therefore, Allie chooses to place an advertisement somewhere and search for someone that she can share the apartment with so it will get cheaper to live there 'cause she can't afford it alone. A woman named Hedra becomes the chosen one. She is quiet and shy. The two of them are very different from each other. Allie is very confident, she knows she is pretty, she knows she has a great style and she knows that many envy her for many reasons. She is perhaps on the verge of being narcissistic, not just because of her self-esteem, but she also has the habit of thinking very negative or low about others, at least about most people. But she and Hedra get along very well and they believe that living with each other will turn out just fine. Allie and Hedra live together even if they are like night and day. Allie the beautiful and confident one, while Hendra is natural and somewhat careful. It is after all nice to have a person to share rent with but Allie won't get rid of Sam who is constantly looking and asking for her and wants her back. She is skeptical and doubtful but still not sure if she can resist him or not. In the meantime she gets bothered by mysterious and dirty phone calls without knowing who the caller is. Allie no longer feels safe in her own apartment, especially when she notices that Hedra slowly becomes more and more like Allie herself, in both the way she moves and her style ... Should she be worried?
This is a famous thriller for us who have read and seen a lot of the thriller genre. The book was published in 1990 and two years later it was made to a movie with Bridget Fonda, Steven Weber and Jennifer Jason Leigh who are the most famous names on the role list. A film company became iinterested n the concept while John Lutz wrote the book. I watched the film several times when it was often broadcasted on Tv in the past, because the movie at that time was both creepy and very captivating. When I saw it as a young girl, I did not know it was based on a book. As a rule, I prefer to read the book first and see the movie later, so this time it turned out a little bit the other way around, but did not feel like it was ruining anything, because the book was very exciting. The movie is a little different than the book, which is often the case when a book turns to a movie, and some scenes I remember were done a little differently. In 2011, the new version was called The Roommate, and of course I will not be seeing that movie. I have seen some remakes, and only a few are good, but always prefer the original films. Nor do I fully understand the point of making new versions. Doesn't people handle old movies anymore? I don't think new versions are "real" movies, but that's my opinion ...
I enjoyed the atmosphere in the book very well. It's dark, gloomy and has a lot of mystery, and I did not mind it was being a little "dirty" 'cause the author wasn't overdoing it. I also enjoyed John Lutz writing style. It is easy and free. He does not exaggerate, the atmosphere and mystique lasts, which is rare, the chapters are short, and you always wants to read more because the characters is very fascinating to read about. I would have read the book faster if I had no other books to read along with Single White Female cause I can't just stick to one book at the time. When I was reading Single White Female, I was reading pretty fast but it's been a long time since I read so fast. I was going to see something on TV, but forgot both time and place, which is also rare, so I completely forgot about it cause I got too caught up with the book.
Single White Female is a copious, weird, daring and vulgar psychological thriller that is easy to get obsessed with. The start is a bit slow and nothing much happened. I don't demand action and something to happen all the time, either, but this time it felt like it took some time before something began to happen. But as a reward for that part, you will get to know the charachters really well. It is rare in today's thrillers as writers seems to be more concerned and obsessed with the twist at the end rather than giving characters depth, like in this thriller that was written in the early 90's, which was great cause I like to get to know the characters I read about. This was fun, exciting and crazy read, and it inspired me to want to read more books by John Lutz. I have ordered and I'm waiting for this book by him; Darker Than Night, and I'm looking forward to read more of him. A funny thought is that I live alone in an apartment, and at times it can be extremely boring, but it's at least safe. I don't have to worry or be scared of living with someone I hardly know.
Ps: At the back of the book it says Hendra, but the name of the character is Hedra ...
Is it better to live alone?
Single White Female is perhaps a strange title for a book, but according to the author, Single White Female has become an expression that he describes in the author's note: and the meaning of the expression is: When a woman is imitated too closely, or her clothes are secretly borrowed, or her boyfriend is stolen by a friend, she's been single white femaled.
Allie is called by an unknown woman in the middle of the night. The unknown woman wants to talk to her boyfriend who sleeps tight next to her. After a while, she learns that there is a woman whom Sam has been having an affair with and Allie gets all worked up. And of course she throws him out of the apartment in the middle of the night. It is expensive to live in an apartment in Manhattan, New York. Therefore, Allie chooses to place an advertisement somewhere and search for someone that she can share the apartment with so it will get cheaper to live there 'cause she can't afford it alone. A woman named Hedra becomes the chosen one. She is quiet and shy. The two of them are very different from each other. Allie is very confident, she knows she is pretty, she knows she has a great style and she knows that many envy her for many reasons. She is perhaps on the verge of being narcissistic, not just because of her self-esteem, but she also has the habit of thinking very negative or low about others, at least about most people. But she and Hedra get along very well and they believe that living with each other will turn out just fine. Allie and Hedra live together even if they are like night and day. Allie the beautiful and confident one, while Hendra is natural and somewhat careful. It is after all nice to have a person to share rent with but Allie won't get rid of Sam who is constantly looking and asking for her and wants her back. She is skeptical and doubtful but still not sure if she can resist him or not. In the meantime she gets bothered by mysterious and dirty phone calls without knowing who the caller is. Allie no longer feels safe in her own apartment, especially when she notices that Hedra slowly becomes more and more like Allie herself, in both the way she moves and her style ... Should she be worried?
This is a famous thriller for us who have read and seen a lot of the thriller genre. The book was published in 1990 and two years later it was made to a movie with Bridget Fonda, Steven Weber and Jennifer Jason Leigh who are the most famous names on the role list. A film company became iinterested n the concept while John Lutz wrote the book. I watched the film several times when it was often broadcasted on Tv in the past, because the movie at that time was both creepy and very captivating. When I saw it as a young girl, I did not know it was based on a book. As a rule, I prefer to read the book first and see the movie later, so this time it turned out a little bit the other way around, but did not feel like it was ruining anything, because the book was very exciting. The movie is a little different than the book, which is often the case when a book turns to a movie, and some scenes I remember were done a little differently. In 2011, the new version was called The Roommate, and of course I will not be seeing that movie. I have seen some remakes, and only a few are good, but always prefer the original films. Nor do I fully understand the point of making new versions. Doesn't people handle old movies anymore? I don't think new versions are "real" movies, but that's my opinion ...
I enjoyed the atmosphere in the book very well. It's dark, gloomy and has a lot of mystery, and I did not mind it was being a little "dirty" 'cause the author wasn't overdoing it. I also enjoyed John Lutz writing style. It is easy and free. He does not exaggerate, the atmosphere and mystique lasts, which is rare, the chapters are short, and you always wants to read more because the characters is very fascinating to read about. I would have read the book faster if I had no other books to read along with Single White Female cause I can't just stick to one book at the time. When I was reading Single White Female, I was reading pretty fast but it's been a long time since I read so fast. I was going to see something on TV, but forgot both time and place, which is also rare, so I completely forgot about it cause I got too caught up with the book.
Single White Female is a copious, weird, daring and vulgar psychological thriller that is easy to get obsessed with. The start is a bit slow and nothing much happened. I don't demand action and something to happen all the time, either, but this time it felt like it took some time before something began to happen. But as a reward for that part, you will get to know the charachters really well. It is rare in today's thrillers as writers seems to be more concerned and obsessed with the twist at the end rather than giving characters depth, like in this thriller that was written in the early 90's, which was great cause I like to get to know the characters I read about. This was fun, exciting and crazy read, and it inspired me to want to read more books by John Lutz. I have ordered and I'm waiting for this book by him; Darker Than Night, and I'm looking forward to read more of him. A funny thought is that I live alone in an apartment, and at times it can be extremely boring, but it's at least safe. I don't have to worry or be scared of living with someone I hardly know.
Ps: At the back of the book it says Hendra, but the name of the character is Hedra ...
July 1, 2025
This book begins by describing the Cody, the Manhattan apartment building where it begins and ends. I assume Lutz was aware that he strongly evokes Rosemary’s Baby (Ira Levin was still alive when this came out in 1990). If you describe a building in New York…
In the introduction it says that when the movie was released in 1992, they changed the title… they kept Single White Female… but removed Seeks Same.
And that is the core of the Gothic Doubling.
The book is longer and more elaborate than the movie and has the good girl protagonist Allie running for her life and to escape a murder she didn’t do.
In the introduction it says that when the movie was released in 1992, they changed the title… they kept Single White Female… but removed Seeks Same.
And that is the core of the Gothic Doubling.
The book is longer and more elaborate than the movie and has the good girl protagonist Allie running for her life and to escape a murder she didn’t do.
August 14, 2015
This was a very quick and easy read. I found I didn't like either Allie or Hedra. Allie is conceited, and Hedra is obviously wacked.
I saw this movie ages ago...yet I do not recall the villain chopping her victims into pieces. Either the screen play changed it, or my memory fails.
I saw this movie ages ago...yet I do not recall the villain chopping her victims into pieces. Either the screen play changed it, or my memory fails.
September 18, 2025
New York was a city of strangers. Allie lived in a nice apartment albeit a little run down. Allie needed money. She kicked her cheating BF out of the apartment and needed a roommate. Here comes SWF. Hedra quiet, timid, unimposing is now absorbing her new environment. Start counting the warning signs Allie. Hedra trying on Allie's clothes without permission. Telling Allie she's envious of her. Slowly trying to transform into her. Body snatcher vibes. Allie now becoming weak, timid, not getting any work, depressive and Hedra getting stronger, more confident, sexier. Hedra now wearing a wig, looking like Allie. Using her name. A severed wrist on the ground, blood smeared over the bathroom tiles, the wall. Allie on the run. Hedra disappeared. Like she never existed. Quite a few changes than in the movie.
September 14, 2014
This is psychological thriller perfection! A great cast of characters, a lovely weaved plot, and lots of mystery and suspense. The pages kept turning right until the end. I loved Allie and Hedra and the entire doppelganger concept. John takes this element of humanity that exists in us all, in small amounts, and then magnifies them into a form of madness. I love the film also, but the book has different scenes which added even more spice when reading. This book/film will always get five star rating from me.
September 2, 2021
The only reason to read this is if, like me, you were curious about the source material for the 1992 movie and interested in what makes adaptations work. In this case, the answer to "what makes adaptations work" is "making any effort at all" because Don Roos clearly knew a few things about screenwriting and thought about how to build character and suspense, whereas this book reads as if Lutz just thought of the basic premise, wrote down the premise, and then wrote a few scenes of the villain being evil and the protagonist thinking about how New York is a tough place to live, and called it a day. The prose is always on the verge of coming off as a deliberate parody, like if Garth Marenghi tried to do a non-supernatural thriller, but it's not really as enjoyable as that and mostly comes off as Dan Brown if Brown had never read even one fake history book. Bad writing doesn't necessarily make me mad, but it does make me mad when the writer devotes more energy and space to filler material about apartments than to very basic questions like "this person we just met who is going to be the villain, what does she even seem like?" Seriously, in place of the movie's montage of potential roommates followed by Hedy finally showing up and being shy and giving our hero a sympathetic ear, the book almost literally just says "She interviewed some roommates, and eventually she picked someone named Hedy" with no description at all, and then about two pages later Hedy is doing super obvious evil things and is never nice or interesting or ambiguous in any way. The protagonist barely registers as a presence, and totally disappears from the book for quite a while near the end until she shows up again and we're just told in a few sentences about how she got out of the problem. About the best I can say for it is that Lutz doesn't try to actually show us the violence in the main murder scene, because even though the book really could have used more violence or more of something, I don't think that would have gone well.
Currently reading
February 28, 2018nice to learn.............
June 14, 2022
“Sie strahlte eine Sicherheit aus, die anziehend war und auf ein gewisses Maß an Freiheit schließen ließ. Anders als wir anderen; eine Frau, die ihr Leben fest im Griff hatte.”
November 4, 2015
Extremely rare case where the movie is better than the book. I never thought I would say a movie delved more into the characters than the book. Comparisons aside, this is one of the worst novels I have ever read. You can get more characterization from paper dolls. Not one character was likable. I found myself waiting for a cohesive story but all I got was a bunch mumblings about the strange people in New York. I was expecting a decent psychological thriller but what I got was Bonfire of the Vanities written by Forrest Gump (who would probably make the book more interesting). Do yourself a favor and watch the movie. Hell, watch the rip off of the movie, The Roommate. Even THAT movie is better than this book.
November 22, 2018
Before you kick out your cheating boyfriend and advertise for a roommate, take a breather and read this book. You just might decide to keep the cheating boyfriend as the better option. If you do go with the roommate you should kick her out when she starts wearing your clothes because, well that is just weird and if you feel sorry for her you are making a mistake. What if it was possible for someone to erase you from your own life?
September 27, 2017
The book is so distinctly different in tone and direction than the film that you might as well consider them separate entities that just happen to share some character names. This is not necessarily a bad thing though as the book takes a more restrained, slow burn approach to the suspense and tension between Allie and Hedra that I think worked well for a rainy day when you just want a moody book that doesn't rush itself.
Some characters are developed better than the film and behave in ways that will surprise you and add a layer of dimension, but for the most part a lot of motive, background, and reasoning is left hinted at or completely unsaid to increase the sense of paranoia. Hedra doesn't just come out and drop exposition like "Hey I'm psychotically obsessed with you because my twin died and I've always felt incomplete" . Instead you have to read in-between the lines and pick up on little pieces of dialogue and police procedural assumptions to form a picture of her issues. Allie was much more resilient and self aware in the book in my opinion and suspected something a bit off in her new roommate from the start. When she is faced with the ultimate isolation and betrayal, she was willing to buckle down and do what she had to do- including eating out of the damn trash at one point!
The only downside of the book version is the incredibly weak and abrupt ending. Allie went through complete hell and really grieved from the betrayal and loss of her lover and the epilogue is like "well she moved to another state and lives in the suburbs now....yup."
The author's note about his experience visiting the set of the movie adaptation was really adorable and it was nice to hear a positive experience of an author's work being changed for the screen.
Some characters are developed better than the film and behave in ways that will surprise you and add a layer of dimension, but for the most part a lot of motive, background, and reasoning is left hinted at or completely unsaid to increase the sense of paranoia. Hedra doesn't just come out and drop exposition like "Hey I'm psychotically obsessed with you because my twin died and I've always felt incomplete" . Instead you have to read in-between the lines and pick up on little pieces of dialogue and police procedural assumptions to form a picture of her issues. Allie was much more resilient and self aware in the book in my opinion and suspected something a bit off in her new roommate from the start. When she is faced with the ultimate isolation and betrayal, she was willing to buckle down and do what she had to do- including eating out of the damn trash at one point!
The only downside of the book version is the incredibly weak and abrupt ending. Allie went through complete hell and really grieved from the betrayal and loss of her lover and the epilogue is like "well she moved to another state and lives in the suburbs now....yup."
The author's note about his experience visiting the set of the movie adaptation was really adorable and it was nice to hear a positive experience of an author's work being changed for the screen.
November 2, 2018
In the year 2018, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE has very little to offer that you haven't seen a million times before. It's a simple story that spawned countless imitators after opening at #2 at the box office in the summer of 1992.
"Erotic thriller" is not a genre I'm interested in, so the movie never resonated with me, despite two of my all-time favorite actresses starring in it. And if it weren't for Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh staring out at me from the book's film-poster cover, I'm not sure I would've been enticed into giving this story a second try. But how can I possibly say no to those two women, even if they only appear in this version via my imagination?
And though I don't recommend buying a book simply because you like the women featured on the cover, in this case it paid off. The novel, originally published under the politically incorrect title of SWF SEEKS SAME, is a dyed-in-the-wool thriller that slowly and patiently ratchets up tension with near-singleminded efficiency. Apart from some commentary on what a soulless, crime-ridden hellhole New York City was during the 1980's, author John Lutz isn't trying to be meaningful here. This book was written solely to entertain, and entertain it does.
Thankfully, the heavy-handed eroticism that made the movie seem so trashy is all but absent here. Yes, there's some sex, but what little there is is integral to the plot and not at all what I'd call graphic or titillating. If you're looking for things to get hot 'n heavy, prepare to be disappointed.
Is there any particular reason you should rush out and buy SINGLE WHITE FEMALE / SWF SEEKS SAME? No, not really. It's pretty standard fare, but well done in spite of that. It's a great read for a lazy Saturday afternoon, but don't go into it expecting more.
"Erotic thriller" is not a genre I'm interested in, so the movie never resonated with me, despite two of my all-time favorite actresses starring in it. And if it weren't for Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh staring out at me from the book's film-poster cover, I'm not sure I would've been enticed into giving this story a second try. But how can I possibly say no to those two women, even if they only appear in this version via my imagination?
And though I don't recommend buying a book simply because you like the women featured on the cover, in this case it paid off. The novel, originally published under the politically incorrect title of SWF SEEKS SAME, is a dyed-in-the-wool thriller that slowly and patiently ratchets up tension with near-singleminded efficiency. Apart from some commentary on what a soulless, crime-ridden hellhole New York City was during the 1980's, author John Lutz isn't trying to be meaningful here. This book was written solely to entertain, and entertain it does.
Thankfully, the heavy-handed eroticism that made the movie seem so trashy is all but absent here. Yes, there's some sex, but what little there is is integral to the plot and not at all what I'd call graphic or titillating. If you're looking for things to get hot 'n heavy, prepare to be disappointed.
Is there any particular reason you should rush out and buy SINGLE WHITE FEMALE / SWF SEEKS SAME? No, not really. It's pretty standard fare, but well done in spite of that. It's a great read for a lazy Saturday afternoon, but don't go into it expecting more.
February 8, 2022
Das Buch hat mir ausgesprochen gut gefallen und war mal was anderes, ohne großartige Ermittlungen o.ä.. Da es mit seinen ca. 230 Seiten relativ kurz ist, ging es schon ziemlich schnell zur Sache und alles passierte chronologisch - ohne Nebenereignisse. Dass sich das Buch wirklich nur auf das Hauptgeschehnis konzentriert, kann man auch als kleinen Kritikpunkt sehen.
Ein weiterer - für mich relevanterer - Kritikpunkt wären die Zeitsprünge, die immer wieder stattfinden und für meinen Geschmack nicht deutlich genug sind.
Trotzdem, neben allen angeführten Kritikpunkten, war das Buch gut und sehr angenehm zu lesen. Ich würde es auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen, aber nicht zu meinen Favoriten zählen.
Dafür haben mir dann doch rückblickend zu viele Dinge, wie das Beschreiben und Ausschreiben von Gefühlen gefehlt (an der Stelle sei anzumerken, dass ich auch gerne mehr über die Freundschaft (oder was auch immer das war) zu Graham erfahren hätte, z.B. wie sie überhaupt Freunde wurden usw.).
Abschließend kann man also sagen, dass "Weiblich, ledig, jung sucht..." auf einem sehr guten Weg ist, man es aber an einigen Stellen noch etwas ausarbeiten kann, um es noch besser zu machen. ^-^
Ein weiterer - für mich relevanterer - Kritikpunkt wären die Zeitsprünge, die immer wieder stattfinden und für meinen Geschmack nicht deutlich genug sind.
Trotzdem, neben allen angeführten Kritikpunkten, war das Buch gut und sehr angenehm zu lesen. Ich würde es auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen, aber nicht zu meinen Favoriten zählen.
Dafür haben mir dann doch rückblickend zu viele Dinge, wie das Beschreiben und Ausschreiben von Gefühlen gefehlt (an der Stelle sei anzumerken, dass ich auch gerne mehr über die Freundschaft (oder was auch immer das war) zu Graham erfahren hätte, z.B. wie sie überhaupt Freunde wurden usw.).
Abschließend kann man also sagen, dass "Weiblich, ledig, jung sucht..." auf einem sehr guten Weg ist, man es aber an einigen Stellen noch etwas ausarbeiten kann, um es noch besser zu machen. ^-^
March 22, 2021
A fast-paced, breathless thriller. I enjoyed the movie so I figured I should read the book. I wasn’t disappointed.
November 5, 2021
The source material for the 1992 hit movie, John Lutz’s novel is a tight thriller with an all too likely plot scenario. Lutz does a great job capturing the isolation and sleaziness of late 80s early 90s New York/Manhattan.
Read
December 17, 2021IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!
March 4, 2022
Not perfect - but streets ahead of the ridiculous and messy movie this turned into.
“SWF Seeks Same” focuses on Alison (“Allie”) who kicks her cheating boyfriend out and needs to find a roommate.
Enter Hedra - who appears to be the perfect candidate - she cleans, she cooks, she’s quiet - and more to the point - she’s willing to go along with some of the weirder rules such as she cannot be on the lease and has to pretend she doesn’t live in the building because of a stern “no subletting” clause.
Within a fairly short time Hedy’s behavior shifts from charmingly quirky to strange and scary. (Hedy seems to have replicated Allie’s entire wardrobe for starters).
I don’t normally compare movies to books - but gee whiz the “twists” in the movie compared to the book are bonkers rather then fun.
In the novel - Hedy plans to frame Allison for the murder of her boyfriend so she can get the apartment all to herself. (Hey - New Yorkers would kill for a piece of decent real estate). There’s even subtle hints she may have done this with previous roommates as well.
In the film - Hedy does this for weirdly convoluted
reasons that involve a twin sister who died in an accidental drowning but “Hedy could never stop blaming herself” .
Sheesh.
The explanation for Hedy’s psychopathy in the film is utterly ridiculous while in the book she is far more calculating.
Even better - the novel has no weird pseudo-lesbian overtones and no puppies getting thrown off balconies! (Not cool movie)
Overall - a much more fun read than it was watching the film.
Just a note - this book can be tough to track down - it doesn’t seem to be available electronically. (I bought a cheap hard copy on Amazon)
“SWF Seeks Same” focuses on Alison (“Allie”) who kicks her cheating boyfriend out and needs to find a roommate.
Enter Hedra - who appears to be the perfect candidate - she cleans, she cooks, she’s quiet - and more to the point - she’s willing to go along with some of the weirder rules such as she cannot be on the lease and has to pretend she doesn’t live in the building because of a stern “no subletting” clause.
Within a fairly short time Hedy’s behavior shifts from charmingly quirky to strange and scary. (Hedy seems to have replicated Allie’s entire wardrobe for starters).
I don’t normally compare movies to books - but gee whiz the “twists” in the movie compared to the book are bonkers rather then fun.
In the novel - Hedy plans to frame Allison for the murder of her boyfriend so she can get the apartment all to herself. (Hey - New Yorkers would kill for a piece of decent real estate). There’s even subtle hints she may have done this with previous roommates as well.
In the film - Hedy does this for weirdly convoluted
reasons that involve a twin sister who died in an accidental drowning but “Hedy could never stop blaming herself” .
Sheesh.
The explanation for Hedy’s psychopathy in the film is utterly ridiculous while in the book she is far more calculating.
Even better - the novel has no weird pseudo-lesbian overtones and no puppies getting thrown off balconies! (Not cool movie)
Overall - a much more fun read than it was watching the film.
Just a note - this book can be tough to track down - it doesn’t seem to be available electronically. (I bought a cheap hard copy on Amazon)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2022
2.5 Stars
September 10, 2016
Kniha mě zaujala hlavně svou obálkou. Miluji horory a strašidelná dívka na obálce mě upoutala jako první. Po přečtení anotace jsem si byla jistá, že se mi kniha bude líbit. A taky že líbila.
Hlavní hrdinkou, se kterou budete prožívat děsivé chvíle, je Allison Jonesová, pro přátele Allie. Je mladá, krásná a velmi atraktivní žena pracující jako programátorka. Ovšem tato práce jí moc nevynáší. Proto také u sebe nechává načerno bydlet svého přítele Sama, který jí pomáhá platit nájem a starat se o domácnost. Allie svého přítele hluboce miluje a je mu věrná, což se ale nedá říct o Samovi. Jeden noční telefonát jeho bývalé přítelkyně vše změní a Allie vykopne Sama z bytu.
Nájem je vysoký a Allie nemá pravidelný přísun peněz. Rozhodne se tedy podat inzerát do novin - hledá spolubydlícího. Ozve se mnoho žen, ale nejlepší volbou se zdá Hedra Carlsonová - tichá, nevýrazná, uťápnutá mladá brigádnice. Allie s ní podepíše smlouva a Hedra se ihned nastěhuje.
Domácnost šlape jako hodinky. Nová spolubydlící je vzorná a pečlivá. Navíc vidí v Allison jistý vzor a snaží
se jí napodobit. Zpočátku je Allie polichocena, ale když přistihne Hedru, jak si zkouší její oblečení, neví, co si má myslet.
Sam se chce vrátit, protože svou přítelkyni miluje. Ale není jediný, kdo o ní projevil zájem. Zaměstnavatel Mayfair, číšník Graham i jeden úchylný volající - všem se Allie líbí. Ta všechny ale odmítá.
Začínají ji však děsit opakující se telefonáty od tajného muže, nabízející zvrhlé praktiky v sexu... a nakonec krádež kreditních karet...i Hedra, která se začíná čím dál více chovat jako ona...
Noční můra začíná.
Allison je sympatická hrdina, ačkoliv v některých částech knihy se nechovala nejvhodněji. Občas jsem kroutila hlavou nad jejím uvažováním, když řešila, že sex s jejím vedoucím k její práci patří. Někdy se mi zdálo, že je Allie ve svým názorech nejistá a místy i naivní. Reagovala naprosto klidně, ačkoliv se jí Hedra hrabala ve věcech, nosila její oblečení a celkově se chovala jako ona. I když se snažila být milá měla si uvědomit, že dívku vůbec nezná a že jsou jisté meze.
Hedra vypadala jako slušná, milá a zakřiknutá dívka. Po několika stranách se naprosto změnila a začala se chovat, mluvit, pohybovat a oblékat jako její nájemnice. Děsila mě svým jednáním. Na jednu stranu jsem se bála, jaký bude její další krok. Na druhou stranu jsem si přála, aby autor vyprávěl příběh víc z jejího pohledu.
Za zmínku stojí i jeden z Allisoniných nápadníků - Graham Knox. Číšník, dramatik a zároveň soused, bydlící nad Allie. Jistým způsobem se mi zdál úchylný, protože větrací šachtou tajně odposlouchával vše, co se děje v bytě pod ním. Slyšel tak každé slovo, pohyb a prakticky cokoliv, co Allie a Sam v bytě dělali.
zdroj
Allii podvědomě očekávala, že uvnitř objeví něco strašného. Nějaký další projev Hedřina šílenství.
(str. 154)
Každá postava dostane v příběhu aspoň jednu kapitolu, kde vypráví svůj příběh. Nejvíc jsem se těšila na kapitoly, které jsou z pohledu Hedry. Byla jsem ale velmi zklamaná, protože její pasáže nebyly takové, jaké jsem očekávala. Doufala jsem, že bude více šílená.
Nejslabší vyprávění bylo od Mayfaira, který jako vedlejší postava neměl sebemenší vliv na děj. Jeho kapitoly bych zkrátila a zaměřila se na jinou postavu.
Děj byl plynulý, ale až do poloviny knihy se prakticky nic nedělo. Závěr byl uspěchaný. Uvítala bych, kdyby jej autor trochu prodloužil a více zdramatizoval. Jediné, co mě překvapilo byla nečekaná úmrtí v knize. Knihu doporučuji, jelikož se jedná o kratší napínavou detektivku.
3,5/5
"Copak záleží na jménu?"
(str. 215)
Hlavní hrdinkou, se kterou budete prožívat děsivé chvíle, je Allison Jonesová, pro přátele Allie. Je mladá, krásná a velmi atraktivní žena pracující jako programátorka. Ovšem tato práce jí moc nevynáší. Proto také u sebe nechává načerno bydlet svého přítele Sama, který jí pomáhá platit nájem a starat se o domácnost. Allie svého přítele hluboce miluje a je mu věrná, což se ale nedá říct o Samovi. Jeden noční telefonát jeho bývalé přítelkyně vše změní a Allie vykopne Sama z bytu.
Nájem je vysoký a Allie nemá pravidelný přísun peněz. Rozhodne se tedy podat inzerát do novin - hledá spolubydlícího. Ozve se mnoho žen, ale nejlepší volbou se zdá Hedra Carlsonová - tichá, nevýrazná, uťápnutá mladá brigádnice. Allie s ní podepíše smlouva a Hedra se ihned nastěhuje.
Domácnost šlape jako hodinky. Nová spolubydlící je vzorná a pečlivá. Navíc vidí v Allison jistý vzor a snaží
se jí napodobit. Zpočátku je Allie polichocena, ale když přistihne Hedru, jak si zkouší její oblečení, neví, co si má myslet.
Sam se chce vrátit, protože svou přítelkyni miluje. Ale není jediný, kdo o ní projevil zájem. Zaměstnavatel Mayfair, číšník Graham i jeden úchylný volající - všem se Allie líbí. Ta všechny ale odmítá.
Začínají ji však děsit opakující se telefonáty od tajného muže, nabízející zvrhlé praktiky v sexu... a nakonec krádež kreditních karet...i Hedra, která se začíná čím dál více chovat jako ona...
Noční můra začíná.
Allison je sympatická hrdina, ačkoliv v některých částech knihy se nechovala nejvhodněji. Občas jsem kroutila hlavou nad jejím uvažováním, když řešila, že sex s jejím vedoucím k její práci patří. Někdy se mi zdálo, že je Allie ve svým názorech nejistá a místy i naivní. Reagovala naprosto klidně, ačkoliv se jí Hedra hrabala ve věcech, nosila její oblečení a celkově se chovala jako ona. I když se snažila být milá měla si uvědomit, že dívku vůbec nezná a že jsou jisté meze.
Hedra vypadala jako slušná, milá a zakřiknutá dívka. Po několika stranách se naprosto změnila a začala se chovat, mluvit, pohybovat a oblékat jako její nájemnice. Děsila mě svým jednáním. Na jednu stranu jsem se bála, jaký bude její další krok. Na druhou stranu jsem si přála, aby autor vyprávěl příběh víc z jejího pohledu.
Za zmínku stojí i jeden z Allisoniných nápadníků - Graham Knox. Číšník, dramatik a zároveň soused, bydlící nad Allie. Jistým způsobem se mi zdál úchylný, protože větrací šachtou tajně odposlouchával vše, co se děje v bytě pod ním. Slyšel tak každé slovo, pohyb a prakticky cokoliv, co Allie a Sam v bytě dělali.
zdroj
Allii podvědomě očekávala, že uvnitř objeví něco strašného. Nějaký další projev Hedřina šílenství.
(str. 154)
Každá postava dostane v příběhu aspoň jednu kapitolu, kde vypráví svůj příběh. Nejvíc jsem se těšila na kapitoly, které jsou z pohledu Hedry. Byla jsem ale velmi zklamaná, protože její pasáže nebyly takové, jaké jsem očekávala. Doufala jsem, že bude více šílená.
Nejslabší vyprávění bylo od Mayfaira, který jako vedlejší postava neměl sebemenší vliv na děj. Jeho kapitoly bych zkrátila a zaměřila se na jinou postavu.
Děj byl plynulý, ale až do poloviny knihy se prakticky nic nedělo. Závěr byl uspěchaný. Uvítala bych, kdyby jej autor trochu prodloužil a více zdramatizoval. Jediné, co mě překvapilo byla nečekaná úmrtí v knize. Knihu doporučuji, jelikož se jedná o kratší napínavou detektivku.
3,5/5
"Copak záleží na jménu?"
(str. 215)
June 23, 2012
This book was an interesting view on a pretty unsettling mindset; that of a person who once heard a copycat absolved by the cutesy (and infuriating, to the copied) saying "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" and, sitting bolt upright one late night, fevered eyes dancing around catching flickers of light, "Yes. YES. THIS. I shall run with this... forEVER."
And you know, it serves a dual purpose; no doubt it ably scratches the dirty little monster itch we all have that, every now and again, taps at our window and asks to be fed something sordid, something nasty and brutish, perhaps something we weren't ASHAMED, persay, to purchase online... but wouldn't be something we'd pull out in public, lest strangers sharing fuselages sigh at our lowbrow tastes and cast rolled eyes askance. Additionally, you will find treasures interspersed in the prose, these intricate little jewels of description: "They'd never really made up their minds about her anyway. Their own minds that circled like pale vultures so high above hers, so far above suspicion." Never enough to taint the prose that oft perjured color purple, mind, but enough so that a person reading it may find themselves with less of a slouch, as they recognize writing that they should be a little pleased to be undertaking.
Even as the cover is kept firmly pressed to their laps.
And you know, it serves a dual purpose; no doubt it ably scratches the dirty little monster itch we all have that, every now and again, taps at our window and asks to be fed something sordid, something nasty and brutish, perhaps something we weren't ASHAMED, persay, to purchase online... but wouldn't be something we'd pull out in public, lest strangers sharing fuselages sigh at our lowbrow tastes and cast rolled eyes askance. Additionally, you will find treasures interspersed in the prose, these intricate little jewels of description: "They'd never really made up their minds about her anyway. Their own minds that circled like pale vultures so high above hers, so far above suspicion." Never enough to taint the prose that oft perjured color purple, mind, but enough so that a person reading it may find themselves with less of a slouch, as they recognize writing that they should be a little pleased to be undertaking.
Even as the cover is kept firmly pressed to their laps.
November 17, 2019
Eine Mitbewohnerin, die deine Identität annimmt, dir alles klaut, deinen Freund, dein Aussehen, deine Gestik...ja, damit hat John Lutz en durchaus gruseliges Grundszenario geschaffen.
Vor dem Lesen des Buches kannte ich bereits den Film, habe mich aber trotzdem auf die Geschichte gefreut.
Der Autor hat einen Schreibstil, der an vielen Stellen sehr nüchtern ist, an anderen Stellen beleuchtet er die Dinge aber übergenau. Mir war es ehrlich egal, wie eine Wohnung aussieht...Lutz schreibt eine halbe Seite darüber, anstatt die wichtigen Dinge deutlicher zu beleuchten.
Denn den Personen fehlte jede Tiefe. Protagonistin Allie hat sich oftmals so naiv und dumm angestellt, dass man sich fragt, wie sie bisher in der Welt überleben konnte. Gegenspielerin Hedra war kaum besser – die Erklärung für ihr Tun wurde banal in zwei Sätzen zusammen gefasst.
Es ärgert mich richtig, wie Lutz es schafft, aus so gutem Stoff ein Buch ohne Spannung und voller Klischees zu schreiben.
Dass dieses Buch verfilmt wurde (der Film ist tatsächlich um einiges besser als das Buch) liegt wohl auch nur daran, dass Hollywood sich einige Freiheiten herausgenommen hat, um die Geschichte zu verbessern.
Vor dem Lesen des Buches kannte ich bereits den Film, habe mich aber trotzdem auf die Geschichte gefreut.
Der Autor hat einen Schreibstil, der an vielen Stellen sehr nüchtern ist, an anderen Stellen beleuchtet er die Dinge aber übergenau. Mir war es ehrlich egal, wie eine Wohnung aussieht...Lutz schreibt eine halbe Seite darüber, anstatt die wichtigen Dinge deutlicher zu beleuchten.
Denn den Personen fehlte jede Tiefe. Protagonistin Allie hat sich oftmals so naiv und dumm angestellt, dass man sich fragt, wie sie bisher in der Welt überleben konnte. Gegenspielerin Hedra war kaum besser – die Erklärung für ihr Tun wurde banal in zwei Sätzen zusammen gefasst.
Es ärgert mich richtig, wie Lutz es schafft, aus so gutem Stoff ein Buch ohne Spannung und voller Klischees zu schreiben.
Dass dieses Buch verfilmt wurde (der Film ist tatsächlich um einiges besser als das Buch) liegt wohl auch nur daran, dass Hollywood sich einige Freiheiten herausgenommen hat, um die Geschichte zu verbessern.
December 18, 2018
Up to about 62% of the book, it had earned 10 solid, glittering stars, but all of a sudden, at the middle of chapter 23, everything falls apart, as though the author had a stroke which affected his memory, for he kept writing about the same characters, but now telling a different story altogether that really does not feel tied to anything that happened before. It went from suspenseful to ridiculous at the turn of a page. Alison had patched up things with her boyfriend and accepted him back at the apartment, therefore weird Hedra was gone... and then, 'Hi, Allie', gasps Hedra between moans while on top of that very boyfriend in Alison's own bed; right there I should have bidden 'goodbye, John Lutz', but I still read a few more chapters of a ludicrous bad trip.
November 9, 2017
I honestly felt that i was part of Alison Jones life. I was her friend.Hoping that she was out of danger.
I could not believe how I become involved in SINGLE WHITE FEMALE.
Prior to opening the E-mail opening page, I had very little knowledge about this novel. Although
John Lutz is one of my favorite writers-----I did not know there was a film. I'm glad I didn't know.
I prefer the book.
Wow! I enjoyed this book. I am a New Yorker.And, this book is believable.
I could not believe how I become involved in SINGLE WHITE FEMALE.
Prior to opening the E-mail opening page, I had very little knowledge about this novel. Although
John Lutz is one of my favorite writers-----I did not know there was a film. I'm glad I didn't know.
I prefer the book.
Wow! I enjoyed this book. I am a New Yorker.And, this book is believable.
September 26, 2012
I read this many moons ago. I'm adding it now just because the movie has been on television again lately. I really loved this book. The movie is good, but the book I remember being so much better. It really makes you picture your characters. I really don't remember what year I read it though. Probably right before the movie came out.
August 27, 2010
An enjoyable book I could read in an afternoon. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Don't remember the movie, but maybe someday I'll catch it on tv.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews