What do you think?
Rate this book
End of the Tiger and Other Stories
End of the Tiger and Other Stories, a classic collection of short fiction from crime writer John D. MacDonald, the beloved author of Cape Fear and the Travis McGee series, is now available as an eBook.
As prolific a novelist as John D. MacDonald was in his time, his output as a short-story writer is simply astonishing. All told, just a fraction of the five hundred pieces he produced as a working writer were anthologized, and End of the Tiger and Other Stories is the first of just a few such collections. Although renowned primarily as a noir author, these fifteen handpicked gems showcase MacDonald’s tremendous range. Written between 1947 and 1966, during the golden age of short fiction in America, and appearing in such national magazines as Cosmopolitan, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, and Ladies’ Home Journal, these stories are a timeless testament to a writer at the top of his craft.
This collection includes “Hangover,” “The Big Blue,” “The Trouble with Erica,” “Long Shot,” “Looie Follows Me,” “Blurred View,” “The Loveliest Girl in the World,” “Triangle,” “The Bear Trap,” “A Romantic Courtesy,” “The Fast Loose Money,” “The Straw Witch,” “End of the Tiger,” “The Trap of Solid Gold,” and “Afternoon of the Hero.”
Features a new Introduction by Dean Koontz
Praise for John D. MacDonald
“The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller.”—Stephen King
“My favorite novelist of all time.”—Dean Koontz
“To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen.”—Kurt Vonnegut
“A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best.”—Mary Higgins Clark
As prolific a novelist as John D. MacDonald was in his time, his output as a short-story writer is simply astonishing. All told, just a fraction of the five hundred pieces he produced as a working writer were anthologized, and End of the Tiger and Other Stories is the first of just a few such collections. Although renowned primarily as a noir author, these fifteen handpicked gems showcase MacDonald’s tremendous range. Written between 1947 and 1966, during the golden age of short fiction in America, and appearing in such national magazines as Cosmopolitan, The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, and Ladies’ Home Journal, these stories are a timeless testament to a writer at the top of his craft.
This collection includes “Hangover,” “The Big Blue,” “The Trouble with Erica,” “Long Shot,” “Looie Follows Me,” “Blurred View,” “The Loveliest Girl in the World,” “Triangle,” “The Bear Trap,” “A Romantic Courtesy,” “The Fast Loose Money,” “The Straw Witch,” “End of the Tiger,” “The Trap of Solid Gold,” and “Afternoon of the Hero.”
Features a new Introduction by Dean Koontz
Praise for John D. MacDonald
“The great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller.”—Stephen King
“My favorite novelist of all time.”—Dean Koontz
“To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen.”—Kurt Vonnegut
“A master storyteller, a masterful suspense writer . . . John D. MacDonald is a shining example for all of us in the field. Talk about the best.”—Mary Higgins Clark
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1966
37 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
John D. MacDonald
575 books1,384 followersJohn D. MacDonald was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and educated at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Syracuse and Harvard, where he took an MBA in 1939. During WW2, he rose to the rank of Colonel, and while serving in the Army and in the Far East, sent a short story to his wife for sale, successfully. He served in the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations. After the war, he decided to try writing for a year, to see if he could make a living. Over 500 short stories and 70 novels resulted, including 21 Travis McGee novels.
Following complications of an earlier heart bypass operation, MacDonald slipped into a coma on December 10 and died at age 70, on December 28, 1986, in St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was survived by his wife Dorothy (1911-1989) and a son, Maynard.
In the years since his death MacDonald has been praised by authors as diverse as Stephen King, Spider Robinson, Jimmy Buffett, Kingsley Amis and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.. Thirty-three years after his passing the Travis McGee novels are still in print.
Following complications of an earlier heart bypass operation, MacDonald slipped into a coma on December 10 and died at age 70, on December 28, 1986, in St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was survived by his wife Dorothy (1911-1989) and a son, Maynard.
In the years since his death MacDonald has been praised by authors as diverse as Stephen King, Spider Robinson, Jimmy Buffett, Kingsley Amis and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.. Thirty-three years after his passing the Travis McGee novels are still in print.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 15, 2021
MacDonald, who published 500 stories and 70+ novels in his career was a master craftsman and this collection of 14 stories and 1 novella shows off his technique quite well. The collection opens with “Hangover”, which was published in 1956, and reads like an episode of Mad Men, as an alcoholic ad executive gets fired for saying the wrong things (namely the truth) to Detroit auto executives at a big rollout meeting. “Blurred View” is a neat noir with an inventive double-cross ending. Same with “The Fast Loose Money,” only with a long simmering revenge twist added in. The plot twist of “Triangle” - a story of a husband trying to hide an affair - is absolutely devilish and MacDonald pulls it off smooth as can be. The novella “The Trap of Solid Gold” was published in 1960 and depicts the now all too familiar story of a young executive forced to live beyond his means to maintain the image - with home, cars, country club memberships, etc. - that the company expects its executives to portray; and the inevitable downfall ensues. Amazing ending sentences, which it will not spoil the story to quote: “Happy endings were reserved for stories for children. An adult concerned himself with feasible endings. And this one was feasible, as an ending or as a beginning. You had to put your own puzzle together, and nobody would ever come along to tell you how well or how poorly you had done.”
January 15, 2025
The Straw Witch, The Straw Witch, The Straw Witch. Read that story. The most awesome short story ever. Don't get the title, but the idea was fantastic! It is a shame that there is no cover showing on here. Can I scan and upload one?
July 17, 2008
My favorite collection by JDM. It includes "Hangover," one of my favorite short stories of all time.
July 4, 2023
Changing my mind, but still not a full-on fan.
When I worked at a library decades ago, there was always confusion about the two popular mystery writers John D MacDonald and Ross MacDonald. Ironic, since Ross MacDonald's real name was Kenneth Millar. He changed it to a variation of his father's given names to avoid confusion with his wife, mystery writer Margaret Millar.
One thing I noticed then was that John MacDonald's readers were usually male, while Ross MacDonald's readers were of both sexes. Both were WWII veterans and family men, but Ross MacDonald's books and stories have a softer feel and his concern for children and young people resonates with me. John MacDonald's writing verges on Hemingwayesque "toxic" masculinity and I don't find it as appealing.
However, this group of stories (or at least some of them) show a side of John MacDonald that's hidden in his series books. If you're looking for mystery stories, keep looking. Only one falls into that category, although it's a good one. It's set on the West Coast, although MacDonald was a long-time resident of Florida and that was his most usual setting.
The husband of a wealthy woman becomes a widower after his wife jumps off of the balcony at their house. He's ready to live a life of freedom and money but then a timid little man approaches him with a picture that could put an end to both the freedom and the money. The dead woman wasn't valued by her husband, but she had loyal friends and they're sticking with her to the bitter end.
Some stories are more what I expect from John MacDonald. There are stories of "manly" sports like deep-sea fishing. Some show the lurking dangers behind the leisure pursuits that many men enjoy together. Two-fisted drinking may look macho, but it can ruin careers and relationships. Gambling is a thrill, but not when the urge leads a man to gamble with someone else's money.
Woman are always potentially trouble. There are good women who are loyal wives and contented mothers. And "bad" women who use men to get wealth or (even more shocking) enjoy sex like men. A photographer who's never before let the beautiful models he works with come between him and his family meets the one "face" who becomes his obsession. Will he succomb to temptation or not?
There are three stories that show MacDonald's potential as a writer and a student of human nature. My favorite is "Looie Follows Me" which actually centers around children. And what children! The narrator is an average kid (although an only child, which was NOT common in the Baby Boom years.) His parents decide to take in a "Fresh Air Kid" - a child from a large city who will benefit from a few weeks in the clean suburbs.
"Stoney" turns out to be a tough NYC kid who hates milk, knows how to steal, and hopes to become a boxer. Not traits that make him fit into his temporary home, but his toughness proves to an asset, after all. Post-WWII suburbia was supposed to be paradise-on-earth, but there were horrible people and if there's one thing Stoney knows how to deal with, it's horrible people. It's a great story.
"The Fast Loose Money" features Jerry and Arnie, a couple of old war buddies who've settled down next door to each other. Stationed in the Pacific, they learned how to work the military supply system to their own enrichment. A new officer tried to reign them in, but retired defeated.
In civilian life, the friends choose businesses which allow them to shelter much of their income from government scrutiny (and taxes, of course.) Then an old friend appears and the jig is up. In uniform or out of uniform, a crook is a crook and an honest man is an honest man.
"The Trap of Solid Gold" is a thoughtful look at life for an ambitious young man and his family. The Weldons appear to have it made with their solid marriage, their cute kids, their beautiful suburban house, and their country club lifestyle. Ben is a rising executive and the acknowledged front-runner to replace the current president of the large, prestigious company he works for. What could go wrong?
But there are strings attached to the seeming prosperity and the expectations placed on the young couple outweigh their ability to meet those goals. Slowly, but inevitably, the house of cards collapses and I was amazed at the author's sensitivity and compassion.
So, I won't be buying all of John MacDonald's books, but I'm glad I bought this book of stories. They showed me another side to this talented writer and reminded me that (just like actors) writers become "type-cast" and are pressured to follow the safe road. Publishers aren't concerned with helping a writer show his potential. They want a duplicate of the best-seller that made money for them last season. Usually, they get it.
Come to think of it, who better to write about "golden traps" than a successful writer trapped by his own popularity? No matter how tough and independent a writer seems, never underestimate the power of agents, publishers, and fans to get what they want.
When I worked at a library decades ago, there was always confusion about the two popular mystery writers John D MacDonald and Ross MacDonald. Ironic, since Ross MacDonald's real name was Kenneth Millar. He changed it to a variation of his father's given names to avoid confusion with his wife, mystery writer Margaret Millar.
One thing I noticed then was that John MacDonald's readers were usually male, while Ross MacDonald's readers were of both sexes. Both were WWII veterans and family men, but Ross MacDonald's books and stories have a softer feel and his concern for children and young people resonates with me. John MacDonald's writing verges on Hemingwayesque "toxic" masculinity and I don't find it as appealing.
However, this group of stories (or at least some of them) show a side of John MacDonald that's hidden in his series books. If you're looking for mystery stories, keep looking. Only one falls into that category, although it's a good one. It's set on the West Coast, although MacDonald was a long-time resident of Florida and that was his most usual setting.
The husband of a wealthy woman becomes a widower after his wife jumps off of the balcony at their house. He's ready to live a life of freedom and money but then a timid little man approaches him with a picture that could put an end to both the freedom and the money. The dead woman wasn't valued by her husband, but she had loyal friends and they're sticking with her to the bitter end.
Some stories are more what I expect from John MacDonald. There are stories of "manly" sports like deep-sea fishing. Some show the lurking dangers behind the leisure pursuits that many men enjoy together. Two-fisted drinking may look macho, but it can ruin careers and relationships. Gambling is a thrill, but not when the urge leads a man to gamble with someone else's money.
Woman are always potentially trouble. There are good women who are loyal wives and contented mothers. And "bad" women who use men to get wealth or (even more shocking) enjoy sex like men. A photographer who's never before let the beautiful models he works with come between him and his family meets the one "face" who becomes his obsession. Will he succomb to temptation or not?
There are three stories that show MacDonald's potential as a writer and a student of human nature. My favorite is "Looie Follows Me" which actually centers around children. And what children! The narrator is an average kid (although an only child, which was NOT common in the Baby Boom years.) His parents decide to take in a "Fresh Air Kid" - a child from a large city who will benefit from a few weeks in the clean suburbs.
"Stoney" turns out to be a tough NYC kid who hates milk, knows how to steal, and hopes to become a boxer. Not traits that make him fit into his temporary home, but his toughness proves to an asset, after all. Post-WWII suburbia was supposed to be paradise-on-earth, but there were horrible people and if there's one thing Stoney knows how to deal with, it's horrible people. It's a great story.
"The Fast Loose Money" features Jerry and Arnie, a couple of old war buddies who've settled down next door to each other. Stationed in the Pacific, they learned how to work the military supply system to their own enrichment. A new officer tried to reign them in, but retired defeated.
In civilian life, the friends choose businesses which allow them to shelter much of their income from government scrutiny (and taxes, of course.) Then an old friend appears and the jig is up. In uniform or out of uniform, a crook is a crook and an honest man is an honest man.
"The Trap of Solid Gold" is a thoughtful look at life for an ambitious young man and his family. The Weldons appear to have it made with their solid marriage, their cute kids, their beautiful suburban house, and their country club lifestyle. Ben is a rising executive and the acknowledged front-runner to replace the current president of the large, prestigious company he works for. What could go wrong?
But there are strings attached to the seeming prosperity and the expectations placed on the young couple outweigh their ability to meet those goals. Slowly, but inevitably, the house of cards collapses and I was amazed at the author's sensitivity and compassion.
So, I won't be buying all of John MacDonald's books, but I'm glad I bought this book of stories. They showed me another side to this talented writer and reminded me that (just like actors) writers become "type-cast" and are pressured to follow the safe road. Publishers aren't concerned with helping a writer show his potential. They want a duplicate of the best-seller that made money for them last season. Usually, they get it.
Come to think of it, who better to write about "golden traps" than a successful writer trapped by his own popularity? No matter how tough and independent a writer seems, never underestimate the power of agents, publishers, and fans to get what they want.
April 17, 2021
Goosebumps reading MacDonald's scary, stunning admonition about "feasible endings in the "The Trap of Solid Gold":
You did what you felt you had to do, and when it was done, you lived with it. But he knew, and he would know, that he had once climbed to a high and lonely place, that with the climbing irons and the ropes he had reached the last sheer drop before the summit. He had swung there in the frosty gale until finally, too numbed to make the final effort, he had climbed back down the way he had come, back down to a niche where he could be warm and safe and out of the wind. He knew he would read and hear about the ones who made it all the way to the high peaks. The lower slopes of the mountains were warm and easy, and the trails were marked. The high places were dangerous. He knew how close he had come, and he could read about the others who had made it. Their power and their decisions would affect him. And all his life he would wonder just how it felt to be up there. As he got behind the wheel he found himself wondering if it was a happy ending. Happy endings were reserved for stories for children. An adult concerned himself with feasible endings. And this one as feasible, as an ending or as a beginning. You had to put your own puzzle together, and nobody would ever come along to tell you how well or how poorly you had done. -- John MacDonald, The Trap of Solid Gold
You did what you felt you had to do, and when it was done, you lived with it. But he knew, and he would know, that he had once climbed to a high and lonely place, that with the climbing irons and the ropes he had reached the last sheer drop before the summit. He had swung there in the frosty gale until finally, too numbed to make the final effort, he had climbed back down the way he had come, back down to a niche where he could be warm and safe and out of the wind. He knew he would read and hear about the ones who made it all the way to the high peaks. The lower slopes of the mountains were warm and easy, and the trails were marked. The high places were dangerous. He knew how close he had come, and he could read about the others who had made it. Their power and their decisions would affect him. And all his life he would wonder just how it felt to be up there. As he got behind the wheel he found himself wondering if it was a happy ending. Happy endings were reserved for stories for children. An adult concerned himself with feasible endings. And this one as feasible, as an ending or as a beginning. You had to put your own puzzle together, and nobody would ever come along to tell you how well or how poorly you had done. -- John MacDonald, The Trap of Solid Gold
April 7, 2025
Sadly, this was some of the worst JDM I've read. However, it's JDM and so his worst isn't too bad.
I jumped around the order of the stories so when I say it started strong that's because I read "Blurred Vision" first, a really tight 5-6 page story with a nice twist.
And there are some other really good stories in here as well. I also enjoyed "Fast Loose Money" and "The Straw Witch" and "The Big Blue " won me over with its ending even though I didn't care about the setting of a fishing boat.
However, my least favorite, Erica (I can't remember the full title) was very disappointing and I just finished The Trap of Solid Gold which I see many others on here enjoyed, but for me it was just one long slog of misery. Again, it wasn't bad, but just not that interesting to be 50 pages long (one quarter of the entire book.)
So, overall, the good and bad evens out and I'd say it's an average book. I wouldn't shy away from another short story collection, but after this, I definitely prefer his novels.
I jumped around the order of the stories so when I say it started strong that's because I read "Blurred Vision" first, a really tight 5-6 page story with a nice twist.
And there are some other really good stories in here as well. I also enjoyed "Fast Loose Money" and "The Straw Witch" and "The Big Blue " won me over with its ending even though I didn't care about the setting of a fishing boat.
However, my least favorite, Erica (I can't remember the full title) was very disappointing and I just finished The Trap of Solid Gold which I see many others on here enjoyed, but for me it was just one long slog of misery. Again, it wasn't bad, but just not that interesting to be 50 pages long (one quarter of the entire book.)
So, overall, the good and bad evens out and I'd say it's an average book. I wouldn't shy away from another short story collection, but after this, I definitely prefer his novels.
June 9, 2023
I found, that after quite a while not reading MacDonald, that he had the ability to charm me all over again. This is the first anthology of MacDonald short stories, which comprise over 500 works. His ability to get inside the heads of his characters, and make them living, breathing entities who get me believing their plots, fears and sorrows, really is a feat.
MacDonald once made a comment, which I paraphrase, something to the effect that he would have written, and then paid publishers. BUT, he was fortunate that they paid HIM to write!
MacDonald once made a comment, which I paraphrase, something to the effect that he would have written, and then paid publishers. BUT, he was fortunate that they paid HIM to write!
August 9, 2022
Best of the John D short story compilations I’ve read. Really good stuff here. Hangover is a fantastic story. I was fortunate to find the Hitchcock show it was used in and watch it right after reading it. Blurred View and Triangle have nice twists. Trap of Solid Gold is a nice slice of life piece from the late 50s. They’re not all winners but for John D fans, there is a enough here to keep you reading and happy.
Read
April 24, 2020First time I've read his short stories. Has a great intro by MacDonald about his writer's craft. I know short stories and novels are very different to read, and i found myself enjoying these in a completely different way than his novels which are more of an escapism experience. These short stories left me thinking. I needed time to digest after each one.
February 16, 2018
---Not the best JDM I've ever read, mostly because it is a collection of short stories. Some of them are superb, all are good, but some are so so. They all do what MacDonald does so well, paint a picture of the human condition and the norm of man's inhumanity to man.---
July 29, 2020
He's famous for his Travis McGee novels, and rightly so, but as this book demonstrates, his short stories are superb.
November 28, 2023
Some very good, and some not so very good short stories but stories that could happen for the most part.
August 1, 2025
The style is ... not to draw attention to the style; loved that.
June 21, 2019
Great collection
JDM never fails me! I read all these stories in one sitting, some with surprise endings, all with the master writer’s style. If you haven’t read any JDM for awhile, try this book. You won’t be disappointed!
JDM never fails me! I read all these stories in one sitting, some with surprise endings, all with the master writer’s style. If you haven’t read any JDM for awhile, try this book. You won’t be disappointed!
October 6, 2014
Another Great John D. MacDonald read.A collection of short Stories that are entertaining and very well written.The Trap of Solid Gold and The Bear Trap are especially good.Thought provoking and excellent..
July 19, 2016
2.5 stars. After an entertaining first two stories, I just couldn't get into the rest in spite of fine writing.
Read
October 27, 2024A series of short stories
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews