"Agoraphobia, colonialism, trespass and gravity of sacred spaces, and a haunting portrayal of institutionalized abuse. I truly love how this film has become such a potent part of the fashion canon, via those pretty white dresses in afternoon sunlight. That golden light! And the subterranean hum in the sound design is perfect."

"Melville has been hailed as the father, or godfather, of the French new wave. In fact, he was a classical filmmaker, telling his gangster stories in linear fashion, but with the highest quality control where acting and locations were concerned. Rain-slick streets belong, by some kind of divine right, to Melville, just as rivers belong to Renoir."

"The late Baroness Rendell wasn’t only the author of numerous superb crime novels, she was one of the greatest writers, period, of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This is her last book, and in typical Rendell fashion, it weaves in and out of dark alleys and takes you to some astonishing places. Well worth the time spent."