“The Demon Lover” by Elizabeth Bowen Number 10 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A woman finds a letter in her Blitz-threatened house Review: Creepy af. Clever, nasty etc. Outa ten: 10 Keywords: World War 2, World War 1, London, Blitz, psychopomps Quotes: “... her married London home’s air of being a cracked cup... Continue Reading →
“Running Wolf” by Algernon Blackwood #GBSS09/27
Running Wolf” by Algernon Blackwood Number 9 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A clerk goes fishing in the Canadian wilderness and gets more than he bargained for. Review: I loved this. Absolutely beautifully done. Eerie, menace, a satisfying resolution. Outa ten: 10 Keywords: nature, supernatural, Canada Quotes: “The man who enjoys an adventure... Continue Reading →
“The Avenging Chance” by Anthony Berkeley #GBSS08/27
"The Avenging Chance” by Anthony Berkeley Number 8 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A murder is committed with a box of chocolates - (you never know which one you’re going to get). By whom? Why? Review: Great fun! Doesn’t outstay its welcome. Is plausible enough (for the genre). Outa ten: 10 Keywords: crime,... Continue Reading →
“Death, Fire and Life” by Arnold Bennett #GBS07/27
"Death, Fire and Life" by Arnold Bennett Number 7 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: An out of work sixty year old is visiting a chemist… Review: Very nicely done. Mixtures of pathos and pathos, foreboding and plausible happy-ish (the ish is doing a lot of work there) endings. Outa ten: 9 Keywords: poverty,... Continue Reading →
“The Apprentice” by Hilaire Belloc #GBSS06/27
The Apprentice by Hilaire Belloc Number 6 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: Someone downs tools to watch a certain public execution in London in January 1649 Review: Very nicely done. Belloc knew how to set a mood Outa ten: 9 Keywords: winter, public events Quotes: none Words: none (though onyx is such a... Continue Reading →
“The Little Fishes” by H.E. Bates – moorhens cameo! #GBSS05/27
The Little Fishes by H.E. Bates. Number 5 of 27 Great British S(Short Stories Premise: A boy and his uncle (Silas, in one of 29 Uncle Silas stories) go fishing Review: Gentle, wry, well-observed, with a narrator who knows less than the reader - all lovely stuff in this “comic pastoral”. Will probably want to... Continue Reading →
Patience by Nigel Balchin #GBSS04/27
Patience by Nigel Balchin, number 4 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A first person narrator explains the events around a beautiful young woman, her gambling addicted father and… well, to say more… Review: This was great fun. I didn’t spot the twist (there is one). Balchin is one of my favourite writers (esp... Continue Reading →
The Amorous Ghost by Enid Bagnold – creepy af #GBSS03/27
The Amorous Ghost by Enid Bagnold Number 3 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A rich Brit gets a series of visitations, causing domestic havoc Review: 1926 story - brilliant, menacing, creepy af Outa ten: 10 Keywords: ghost stories Quotes: nil Words: nil Look up: nil Afterlives of the story/connections to other stuff: Podcasted... Continue Reading →
“Miss Bracegirdle does her Duty” by Stacy Aumnier #GBSS02/27
Miss Bracegirdle does her Duty by Stacy Aumnier. Number 2 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: A sheltered and prim (both braced and girdled) Englishwoman is in France. Things go terribly wrong… Review: Liked this - sweet, arch, wise. Ultimately the character is Unchanged by her experience (I think). Outa ten: 8 Keywords: comedy,... Continue Reading →
“Evidence in Camera” by Margery Allingham #GBSS01/27
“Evidence in Camera” by Margery Allingham, number 1 of 27 Great British Short Stories Premise: First person account by a journalist covering a serial killer who is bumping off middle-aged redheaded women in English sea-side towns Review: Very nicely done, with gibes about how media (print) and cops work. Possibly a little sub-Freudian, but so... Continue Reading →
marchudson.net 