I threw this in my purse to read over lunch today. One of the best of the Sherlock Holmes stories that I have read thus far. An eerie locked room mystI threw this in my purse to read over lunch today. One of the best of the Sherlock Holmes stories that I have read thus far. An eerie locked room mystery and when all is revealed quite diabolical! It did make me wonder if the instrument/vehicle that was utilized to commit murder could really be done....more
A sweet although unbelievable short story. However, it was set at Christmas time and magic, or a miracle is certainly needed by the Adams family who hA sweet although unbelievable short story. However, it was set at Christmas time and magic, or a miracle is certainly needed by the Adams family who have been burned out of their home and captured by an Algonquin raiding party. I particularly liked the way Gallico infused the Christmas story with the Native American respect for nature and belief in the Spirit world....more
Needed a short read to occupy me during a quick lunch. This was a delightful story. Full of Holmes' keen observations as he looks at a hat and tries tNeeded a short read to occupy me during a quick lunch. This was a delightful story. Full of Holmes' keen observations as he looks at a hat and tries to develop a profile of sorts about the wearer so they could return it and a dead goose that was dropped by the man. How did this turn into sleuthing about a robbery of a jewel? That sets the Holmes and Watson we all love on the trail....more
Can you believe that I have never read any Poe stories? Just the titular poem The Raven. This was the perfect short story for Halloween night. If it hCan you believe that I have never read any Poe stories? Just the titular poem The Raven. This was the perfect short story for Halloween night. If it had been a stormy night here at home, it would have just elevated the level of fearful anticipation of what was to come in this gothic tale. The atmosphere is set from the very beginning and continues through the telling of the tale. Our narrator has come at the request of his childhood friend, Roderick Usher, to spend time with him as he suffers a vaguely described illness. Poe goes to great lengths to set the foreboding nature of what is to come in both his descriptions of surroundings, the mansion itself and the Usher siblings, the last of their line. Mental illness? Ghost story? Vampiric overtones? It becomes obvious that the "fall" of the House of Usher refers to both the physical house and Roderick & Madeline Usher. The real terror of our narrator really ramps up when he is reading aloud a story to Roderick when they both are nervous and can't sleep. The various sounds in the novel seem to be echoed in the house. ...more
A quick enjoyable read, the 6th short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes anthology. Sherlock is working for the wife of a missing man, who wasA quick enjoyable read, the 6th short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes anthology. Sherlock is working for the wife of a missing man, who was last seen in a notorious opium den in London. If you've read many of the Holmes stories, it wasn't hard to figure out the mystery of the missing man, of course without all the details of how everything came about. Dr. Watson is pulled into the search but seems pretty superfluous to this story. What is it about red hair that Doyle makes it a part of his stories even if it just a small detail?...more
Well the title of this collection of short stories is quite an understatement!! 88 y/o Maud lives by herself without friends or family, and she has anWell the title of this collection of short stories is quite an understatement!! 88 y/o Maud lives by herself without friends or family, and she has an unconventional way to solve her perceived and sometimes real problems. I read through this collection in just a few hours and am feeling somewhat guilty to say that I like Maud even though I don't like what she did!...more
I opened this short story to read while at the hairdresser, and the opening lines made me think I have picked up the wrong book!! But it was kinda advI opened this short story to read while at the hairdresser, and the opening lines made me think I have picked up the wrong book!! But it was kinda advertised as a ghost story, so I thought I'll go for the ride. Well, it wasn't really a ghost story, and I can't define what category to place it in...but it was funny and creepy at times. I read it in less than an hour (which is good for me, even thought it was only 64pp long). So why did I give it a 2 (maybe a 2.5)??? The very dissatisfying ending. When I turned to the last page, I was WHAT? THAT"S IT? The leaving you guessing does make form something to talk about. Do you believe Susan or Miles?...more
Another round of Dickens with the Dicksonians! group. So we read this 1841 short story at a snail's pace to glean every last bit out of this farcical Another round of Dickens with the Dicksonians! group. So we read this 1841 short story at a snail's pace to glean every last bit out of this farcical and enchanting story of Tom Grieg, a lamplighter who gets caught up in an old gentlemen's occult preoccupations. It is a comedy of errors to be sure. Was it real, was it a dream? What will you the reader decide....more
2.5 stars. This is a small collection of interconnected stories that highlight a particular "queer" trade that in the contemporary world would be cons2.5 stars. This is a small collection of interconnected stories that highlight a particular "queer" trade that in the contemporary world would be considered odd at best and crazy by most. Some of the stories were delightfully funny but others fell flat for me. Most put our narrator and his two friends on what would seem like a wild goose chase only to have the puzzle solved at the end of each story. I will say the final denouement in the last story was a surprise to me!
This was my first foray into the work of Chesterton and I admit I haven't even seen any of the Father Brown mysteries on TV. Although I had this small volume for almost a week, it can be read in a day.
I have read Werner's review of this work and have tagged it for those interested in reading a wonderful more erudite review than mine!...more