Bluebeard

This short Max Frisch novel, his last, is titled after a 17th century French fable about a nobleman who murders his wives. In Frisch's tale, a physician in his mid-50s is acquitted of killing his sixth wife. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that "not guilty" is not the same as "innocent." The story is told mostly in dialogue among the doctor, prosecutor, and witnesses. It reads in a flash, accompanied by visions of the stage play it could easily become.