20 pages • 40 minutes read
Beth HenleyCrimes of the Heart
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1982A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley is a three-act play set in the kitchen of the Magrath sisters' house in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, five years after Hurricane Camille. The story starts on Lenny's thirtieth birthday, centering around an unspecified terrible news involving Babe. The sisters reunite to handle the aftermath of Babe shooting her husband, revealing their struggles with their mother's tragic suicide and father's abandonment. Sensitive topics include suicide and violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley explores themes of family and resilience with a mix of dark humor and poignant moments. Critics praise its engaging, well-crafted characters and clever dialogue. However, some feel the plot can be predictable and the pacing uneven. Nevertheless, Henley's deft navigation of complex emotions remains a highlight.
Who Should Read Crimes of the Heart?
Readers who enjoy dark humor, Southern Gothic settings, and explorations of family dynamics will appreciate Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart. Fans of Truman Capote's Other Voices, Other Rooms or Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire will find similar themes of complex characters and emotional depth.