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Alfred Hitchcock's Noose Report
Almost all of these stories are worth reading. The most particularly notable ones are: A Home Away from Home (Robert Bloch), The World's Oldest Motive (Laurence Janifer), Content's One Body (C.B. Gilford), and The Trouble With Ruth (Henry Slesar). A great book for mystery/horror lovers.
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
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77 people want to read
About the author
Alfred Hitchcock
1,145 books772 followersSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (1899-1980) was an iconic and highly influential film director and producer, who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 4, 2015
There are two kinds of Alfred Hitchcock anthologies. The first collects classic stories, which you might find reprinted elsewhere. The quality of the fiction is quite high in this first category, and the range of styles and genres is wide.
The second kind of Hitchock anthology is simply a collection of reprints from Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. The quality of the stories is uneven, and the focus is on crime. "Noose Report" falls into this second category.
There are a few excellent stories in here, but most of them are B and C grade efforts. Nevertheless, it was good entertainment during a backpacking trip, and I wouldn't be too terribly sad if the book got shredded.
By far the cleverest stories in here were: 1) "The Promotion," by Richard Deming; and 2) "Others Deal in Death," by August Derleth (a Solar Pons story), and "Make Your Pitch," by Borden Deal.
The second kind of Hitchock anthology is simply a collection of reprints from Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. The quality of the stories is uneven, and the focus is on crime. "Noose Report" falls into this second category.
There are a few excellent stories in here, but most of them are B and C grade efforts. Nevertheless, it was good entertainment during a backpacking trip, and I wouldn't be too terribly sad if the book got shredded.
By far the cleverest stories in here were: 1) "The Promotion," by Richard Deming; and 2) "Others Deal in Death," by August Derleth (a Solar Pons story), and "Make Your Pitch," by Borden Deal.
November 28, 2023
Again, awesome fucking cover (although my. Book is so old that the cover fell off). He’s doing the broadcast with a skeleton! Oh and the title? No bones about it, it’s great!
The Introduction: Book starts off with a some classic Hitchcock bullshit. It’s three pages of him being upset about crime being on such a steady decline. He hopes for the “restoration of the Power of Black to the throne.” Quite a phrase. Not quite as punchy as the Games Killers Play intro but it’s good.
A Home Away from Home by Robert Bloch: Wowee, great start. Unsettling the whole way through. Was worried for our protagonist and the twist ending was great.
4/5
High Tide by Richard Hardwick:
Solid. Was very annoyed at the start because the two characters are referred to by their first names when they speak, their last names by the narrator, and one has a first name starting with R and the other a last name starting with R. Made it very difficult to get into it at first. That being said I’m glad I stuck with it. Loved how it unraveled and a great ending.
3.5/5
The World’s Oldest Motive by Lawrence M. Janifer:
Short and sweet. I felt like a very smart boy for calling the ending (mostly). Like stories about clever people being clever. Also liked that the main character was just a fucking moron.
3.5/5
A Very Cautious Boy by Gilbert Ralston:
Was falling asleep reading this. Boring twist and a story you’ve seen a million times. BUT, the title drop, a character named Ziggy, and an Ohio mention bring it up just a little.
2/5
Something Very Special by Fletcher Flora:
I think the author forgot to write a story here. Boring as hell and I saw the twist(???) from a thousand miles away.
.5/5
The Short and Simple Annals by Dan J Marlowe:
I forgot to write about this and I don’t remember a goddamn thing.
Others deal in Death by August Derleth:
Not as good as the Solar Pons from the last book but an okay mystery. Not very clever though and the big reveal fell flat for me.
2.5/5
The Promotion by Richard Demming:
Solid! Fuck you bank managers’s brother-in-law!
3/5
Contents: One Body by C. B. Gilford:
Oooooo nice one. I called it but it was still satisfying. Fuck landlords.
3.5/5
The Trouble with Ruth by Henry Slesar:
Awesome story. Don’t know where it was going or how it would be resolved. Unique and lots of fun. Jewlery!
4/5
Make Your Pitch by Borden Deal:
Not very well written and a total letdown boring ending. Made me feel a little insane.
2/5
The Little Things by Ed Lacy:
Good one, standard fare. What’s with short stories and naming two characters very similarly?
3/5
Holdout by Jack Ritchie:
Got his ass, I guess. Like 12 Angry Men but more crime.
2.5/5
The Late Unlamented by Jonathan Craig:
Detective solves a crime. Aight.
2/5
The Introduction: Book starts off with a some classic Hitchcock bullshit. It’s three pages of him being upset about crime being on such a steady decline. He hopes for the “restoration of the Power of Black to the throne.” Quite a phrase. Not quite as punchy as the Games Killers Play intro but it’s good.
A Home Away from Home by Robert Bloch: Wowee, great start. Unsettling the whole way through. Was worried for our protagonist and the twist ending was great.
4/5
High Tide by Richard Hardwick:
Solid. Was very annoyed at the start because the two characters are referred to by their first names when they speak, their last names by the narrator, and one has a first name starting with R and the other a last name starting with R. Made it very difficult to get into it at first. That being said I’m glad I stuck with it. Loved how it unraveled and a great ending.
3.5/5
The World’s Oldest Motive by Lawrence M. Janifer:
Short and sweet. I felt like a very smart boy for calling the ending (mostly). Like stories about clever people being clever. Also liked that the main character was just a fucking moron.
3.5/5
A Very Cautious Boy by Gilbert Ralston:
Was falling asleep reading this. Boring twist and a story you’ve seen a million times. BUT, the title drop, a character named Ziggy, and an Ohio mention bring it up just a little.
2/5
Something Very Special by Fletcher Flora:
I think the author forgot to write a story here. Boring as hell and I saw the twist(???) from a thousand miles away.
.5/5
The Short and Simple Annals by Dan J Marlowe:
I forgot to write about this and I don’t remember a goddamn thing.
Others deal in Death by August Derleth:
Not as good as the Solar Pons from the last book but an okay mystery. Not very clever though and the big reveal fell flat for me.
2.5/5
The Promotion by Richard Demming:
Solid! Fuck you bank managers’s brother-in-law!
3/5
Contents: One Body by C. B. Gilford:
Oooooo nice one. I called it but it was still satisfying. Fuck landlords.
3.5/5
The Trouble with Ruth by Henry Slesar:
Awesome story. Don’t know where it was going or how it would be resolved. Unique and lots of fun. Jewlery!
4/5
Make Your Pitch by Borden Deal:
Not very well written and a total letdown boring ending. Made me feel a little insane.
2/5
The Little Things by Ed Lacy:
Good one, standard fare. What’s with short stories and naming two characters very similarly?
3/5
Holdout by Jack Ritchie:
Got his ass, I guess. Like 12 Angry Men but more crime.
2.5/5
The Late Unlamented by Jonathan Craig:
Detective solves a crime. Aight.
2/5
October 5, 2017
Enjoyable collection of tales.
October 10, 2017
Read in the 70s
August 25, 2025
The Master of the Macabre! A selection of mysteries collected by Hitch. A Home Away from Home was my favorite
September 12, 2025
Best for me
"One Body"
"The Trouble with Ruth"
"The Promotion"
"One Body"
"The Trouble with Ruth"
"The Promotion"
September 29, 2020
4.5 stars
I have read several of these Alfred Hitchcock
books. This is one of the best in my opinion.
Here is a listing of the stories
A Home Away From Home by Robert Bloch
High Tide by Richard Hardwick
The World's Oldest Motive by Laurence Janifer
A Very Cautious Boy by Gilbert Ralston
Something Very Special by Fletcher Flora
The Short and Simple Annals by Dan J. Marlowe
Others Deal in Death by August Derleth
The Promotion by Richard Deming
Contents: One Body by C.B. Gilford
The Trouble with Ruth by Henry Slesar
Make Your Pitch by Borden Deal
The Little Things by Ed Lacy
Holdout by Jack Ritchie
The Late Unlamented by Jonathan Craig
I have read hundreds of mystery stories in
my life. Most of them I don't consider
that great. Almost all of these are
really good in my opinion.
A Home Away From Home 4.6/5
High Tide 4.6/5
The World's Oldest Motive 4.8/5
A Very Cautious Boy 4.4/5
Something Very Special 4.5/5
The Short and Simple Annals 4.4/5
Others Deal in Death 4/5
The Promotion 4.6/5
Contents: One Body 4.8/5
The Trouble with Ruth 4.6/5
Make Your Pitch 4.5/5
The Little Things 4.2/5
Holdout 4/5
The Late Unlamented 4/5
I have read several of these Alfred Hitchcock
books. This is one of the best in my opinion.
Here is a listing of the stories
A Home Away From Home by Robert Bloch
High Tide by Richard Hardwick
The World's Oldest Motive by Laurence Janifer
A Very Cautious Boy by Gilbert Ralston
Something Very Special by Fletcher Flora
The Short and Simple Annals by Dan J. Marlowe
Others Deal in Death by August Derleth
The Promotion by Richard Deming
Contents: One Body by C.B. Gilford
The Trouble with Ruth by Henry Slesar
Make Your Pitch by Borden Deal
The Little Things by Ed Lacy
Holdout by Jack Ritchie
The Late Unlamented by Jonathan Craig
I have read hundreds of mystery stories in
my life. Most of them I don't consider
that great. Almost all of these are
really good in my opinion.
A Home Away From Home 4.6/5
High Tide 4.6/5
The World's Oldest Motive 4.8/5
A Very Cautious Boy 4.4/5
Something Very Special 4.5/5
The Short and Simple Annals 4.4/5
Others Deal in Death 4/5
The Promotion 4.6/5
Contents: One Body 4.8/5
The Trouble with Ruth 4.6/5
Make Your Pitch 4.5/5
The Little Things 4.2/5
Holdout 4/5
The Late Unlamented 4/5
June 11, 2016
3.5 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. When I found it for a dollar, I figured I couldn't go wrong with it. I was right. The book saw me cheerfully through the week. I thought maybe this collection of mystery/suspense short stories would feel dated, but they have aged very well.
I couldn't help but feel like in reading these, I was seeing episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, one of my favorite television shows. That makes sense, because each of these stories was previously published in Hitchcock's publications prior to being collected here. I didn't recognize any of them in particular as episodes I had seen, but that just speaks to the overall quality of writing selected for that publication in the first place.
Here are the short stories worthy of five stars, in my humble opinion:
~ "High Tide" by Richard Hardwick
~ "The Short and Simple Annals" by Dan J. Marlowe
~ "The Promotion" by Richard Deming
~ "The Trouble with Ruth" by Henry Slesar
~ "Make Your Pitch" by Borden Deal
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. When I found it for a dollar, I figured I couldn't go wrong with it. I was right. The book saw me cheerfully through the week. I thought maybe this collection of mystery/suspense short stories would feel dated, but they have aged very well.
I couldn't help but feel like in reading these, I was seeing episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, one of my favorite television shows. That makes sense, because each of these stories was previously published in Hitchcock's publications prior to being collected here. I didn't recognize any of them in particular as episodes I had seen, but that just speaks to the overall quality of writing selected for that publication in the first place.
Here are the short stories worthy of five stars, in my humble opinion:
~ "High Tide" by Richard Hardwick
~ "The Short and Simple Annals" by Dan J. Marlowe
~ "The Promotion" by Richard Deming
~ "The Trouble with Ruth" by Henry Slesar
~ "Make Your Pitch" by Borden Deal
August 22, 2021
Needing a distraction from depressing virus news, I picked up at a book sale this yellowed 1966 paperback with fourteen suspense stories. Anthony Burgess wisely wrote (p. 74) in 99 Novels that “it is unwise to disparage the well-made popular,” and “we must beware of snobbishness.” True enough. None of the stories is bad, and on average about two out of every three are nicely engaging, at least at the page-turning, plot level. The best at appealing not only for plot twists but also for shades of character are “Make Your Pitch” by Borden Deal and “The Promotion” by Richard Deming.
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