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Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales
Ennen kuin vaivuin uneen, tiesin täsmälleen, mitä minun piti tehdä. Aamulla puhuisin ensi töikseni komisarion kanssa. Ja sitten menisin tapaamaan murhaajaa.
Dekkarilegenda tarjoilee kuusi kutkuttavaa mysteeriä, joita yhdistää koston motiivi. Julma opettaja saa ansionsa mukaan, ja kahdeksankymppinen järjestää suloisen koston hoitokotinsa turvasta käsin. Myöhään joulupäivän iltana häijy kartanonisäntä joutuu murhaajan uhriksi.
P. D. James ei tyydy vain syyllisen paljastamiseen, vaan avaa ihmismielen synkimpiä taipumuksia – niitä, jotka voivat pahimmillaan tehdä kenestä vain murhaajan.
Dekkarilegenda tarjoilee kuusi kutkuttavaa mysteeriä, joita yhdistää koston motiivi. Julma opettaja saa ansionsa mukaan, ja kahdeksankymppinen järjestää suloisen koston hoitokotinsa turvasta käsin. Myöhään joulupäivän iltana häijy kartanonisäntä joutuu murhaajan uhriksi.
P. D. James ei tyydy vain syyllisen paljastamiseen, vaan avaa ihmismielen synkimpiä taipumuksia – niitä, jotka voivat pahimmillaan tehdä kenestä vain murhaajan.
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First published November 14, 2017
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About the author
P.D. James
318 books3,241 followersP. D. James, byname of Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park, (born August 3, 1920, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England—died November 27, 2014, Oxford), British mystery novelist best known for her fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard.
The daughter of a middle-grade civil servant, James grew up in the university town of Cambridge. Her formal education, however, ended at age 16 because of lack of funds, and she was thereafter self-educated. In 1941 she married Ernest C.B. White, a medical student and future physician, who returned home from wartime service mentally deranged and spent much of the rest of his life in psychiatric hospitals. To support her family (which included two children), she took work in hospital administration and, after her husband’s death in 1964, became a civil servant in the criminal section of the Department of Home Affairs. Her first mystery novel, Cover Her Face (1962), introduced Dalgliesh and was followed by six more mysteries before she retired from government service in 1979 to devote full time to writing.
Dalgliesh, James’s master detective who rises from chief inspector in the first novel to chief superintendent and then to commander, is a serious, introspective person, moralistic yet realistic. The novels in which he appears are peopled by fully rounded characters, who are civilized, genteel, and motivated. The public resonance created by James’s singular characterization and deployment of classic mystery devices led to most of the novels featuring Dalgliesh being filmed for television. James, who earned the sobriquet “Queen of Crime,” penned 14 Dalgliesh novels, with the last, The Private Patient, appearing in 2008.
James also wrote An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972) and The Skull Beneath the Skin (1982), which centre on Cordelia Gray, a young private detective. The first of these novels was the basis for both a television movie and a short-lived series. James expanded beyond the mystery genre in The Children of Men (1992; film 2006), which explores a dystopian world in which the human race has become infertile. Her final work, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011)—a sequel to Pride and Prejudice (1813)—amplifies the class and relationship tensions between Jane Austen’s characters by situating them in the midst of a murder investigation. James’s nonfiction works include The Maul and the Pear Tree (1971), a telling of the Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 written with historian T.A. Critchley, and the insightful Talking About Detective Fiction (2009). Her memoir, Time to Be in Earnest, was published in 2000. She was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.
The daughter of a middle-grade civil servant, James grew up in the university town of Cambridge. Her formal education, however, ended at age 16 because of lack of funds, and she was thereafter self-educated. In 1941 she married Ernest C.B. White, a medical student and future physician, who returned home from wartime service mentally deranged and spent much of the rest of his life in psychiatric hospitals. To support her family (which included two children), she took work in hospital administration and, after her husband’s death in 1964, became a civil servant in the criminal section of the Department of Home Affairs. Her first mystery novel, Cover Her Face (1962), introduced Dalgliesh and was followed by six more mysteries before she retired from government service in 1979 to devote full time to writing.
Dalgliesh, James’s master detective who rises from chief inspector in the first novel to chief superintendent and then to commander, is a serious, introspective person, moralistic yet realistic. The novels in which he appears are peopled by fully rounded characters, who are civilized, genteel, and motivated. The public resonance created by James’s singular characterization and deployment of classic mystery devices led to most of the novels featuring Dalgliesh being filmed for television. James, who earned the sobriquet “Queen of Crime,” penned 14 Dalgliesh novels, with the last, The Private Patient, appearing in 2008.
James also wrote An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972) and The Skull Beneath the Skin (1982), which centre on Cordelia Gray, a young private detective. The first of these novels was the basis for both a television movie and a short-lived series. James expanded beyond the mystery genre in The Children of Men (1992; film 2006), which explores a dystopian world in which the human race has become infertile. Her final work, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011)—a sequel to Pride and Prejudice (1813)—amplifies the class and relationship tensions between Jane Austen’s characters by situating them in the midst of a murder investigation. James’s nonfiction works include The Maul and the Pear Tree (1971), a telling of the Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 written with historian T.A. Critchley, and the insightful Talking About Detective Fiction (2009). Her memoir, Time to Be in Earnest, was published in 2000. She was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 983 reviews
February 20, 2021
First Read: October 2018, Rating 4.5 stars
Second Read: November 2020, Rating 5 stars
My initial rating was based upon an average between the individual story ratings but, upon reflection and a second reread, I came to realise that this is one of the strongest anthologies I have ever had the pleasure of reading and deserved the full five stars. Its contents remained in my mind for a full two years after first devouring them and I am sure this will become an autumnal tradition.
The Yo-Yo - 4/5 stars - This produced less of the chills and thrills I was anticipating from this collection but was marvellous, all the same. James really evoked a sense of setting, in only 20 pages, and left the reader with many questions over the morality of the actions reminisced. Despite not thrilling in the slightest, it was a sublimely-crafted character study.
The Victim - 4.5/5 stars - This was such an intriguing story. It started with a jilted lover but didn’t end in quite the manner I expected it to, at all. James kept the reader on a leash, pulling them along as the protagonist reveals their decision for murder and the steps they took to meticulously carry it out with no backlash upon their person. What follows was interesting but not unexpected. The twist at the end, however, certainly WAS unexpected and gave this story an extra edge.
The Murder of Santa Claus - 5/5 stars - This is exactly the type of crime story I like - one full of dubious characters who all have equal motive for murder. It reminded me of a renowned Christie, something like And Then There Were None or Murder on the Orient Express, as the large cast of characters all cycled through my mind as perpetrator before being discarded for another. I was fooled, however, and the end left me with a dark-humoured grin on my face at having been deceived so entirely.
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards - 5/5 stars -What a title! From the moment I read it I was both intrigued and haunted by it. And from the outset of the actual story it did both! This, unlike the previous three titles, seemed possibly supernatural in nature and initially gave the least away, over where it would take the reader. The graveyard setting and the child protagonist lent an extra eerie glean to this one that, alongside this mystery, held me captivated throughout.
A Very Desirable Residence - 4/5 stars - Yet another story of quiet cleverness. The same wry smile that played on my lips at the ending of ‘The Murder of Santa Claus’ returned here. James really is the master of red herrings!
Mr Millcroft’s Birthday - 5/5 stars - What an excellent ending to a subtle yet brilliant anthology. I find it quite rare to enjoy every single story inside a collection and yet James managed to create six unique and yet equally as thrilling tales. The grand finale left me grinning with glee at having been deceived, yet again, and having been given no real conclusion to the tale did not deter it. It’s not every story that can make you align with a maybe murderer! James really is so wickedly clever!
Second Read: November 2020, Rating 5 stars
My initial rating was based upon an average between the individual story ratings but, upon reflection and a second reread, I came to realise that this is one of the strongest anthologies I have ever had the pleasure of reading and deserved the full five stars. Its contents remained in my mind for a full two years after first devouring them and I am sure this will become an autumnal tradition.
The Yo-Yo - 4/5 stars - This produced less of the chills and thrills I was anticipating from this collection but was marvellous, all the same. James really evoked a sense of setting, in only 20 pages, and left the reader with many questions over the morality of the actions reminisced. Despite not thrilling in the slightest, it was a sublimely-crafted character study.
The Victim - 4.5/5 stars - This was such an intriguing story. It started with a jilted lover but didn’t end in quite the manner I expected it to, at all. James kept the reader on a leash, pulling them along as the protagonist reveals their decision for murder and the steps they took to meticulously carry it out with no backlash upon their person. What follows was interesting but not unexpected. The twist at the end, however, certainly WAS unexpected and gave this story an extra edge.
The Murder of Santa Claus - 5/5 stars - This is exactly the type of crime story I like - one full of dubious characters who all have equal motive for murder. It reminded me of a renowned Christie, something like And Then There Were None or Murder on the Orient Express, as the large cast of characters all cycled through my mind as perpetrator before being discarded for another. I was fooled, however, and the end left me with a dark-humoured grin on my face at having been deceived so entirely.
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards - 5/5 stars -What a title! From the moment I read it I was both intrigued and haunted by it. And from the outset of the actual story it did both! This, unlike the previous three titles, seemed possibly supernatural in nature and initially gave the least away, over where it would take the reader. The graveyard setting and the child protagonist lent an extra eerie glean to this one that, alongside this mystery, held me captivated throughout.
A Very Desirable Residence - 4/5 stars - Yet another story of quiet cleverness. The same wry smile that played on my lips at the ending of ‘The Murder of Santa Claus’ returned here. James really is the master of red herrings!
Mr Millcroft’s Birthday - 5/5 stars - What an excellent ending to a subtle yet brilliant anthology. I find it quite rare to enjoy every single story inside a collection and yet James managed to create six unique and yet equally as thrilling tales. The grand finale left me grinning with glee at having been deceived, yet again, and having been given no real conclusion to the tale did not deter it. It’s not every story that can make you align with a maybe murderer! James really is so wickedly clever!
December 26, 2017
Despite the title, I found these stories a delight to read before bed. At the end of each story, I couldn't help but be galled at the twists or miscarriages of justice. They were perfect. Lately, mysteries that focus on what drives an ordinary person to murder, have been of great interest to me. That's what all of these stories, with the exception of one, had in common. It wasn't so much about who the murder(s) was, as to why. In reading this collection, I realize how awesome short story collections can be when you don't want to get bogged down with a novel, or already have a lot of books on your reading plate. Hopefully I can read varying collections in the coming year.
October 24, 2018
This was a nice read for October, when I like to read more spooky/crime novels. There are many stories with murder content. I liked most of them. Even in a short story, there were twists and surprises. I loved the writing, it was my first PD James book. I'll definitely read more from her.
Definitely recommended for little murder stories that will entertain you.
Definitely recommended for little murder stories that will entertain you.
December 3, 2023
Prim, proper, and utterly devious - it was a joy to read these tales. James is a fine writer, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
May 18, 2023
Another great book of short stories by P.D. James. I found the endings a bit more predictable with these tales than in The Mistletoe Murder And Other Stories, but it was still an enjoyable read (or listen, rather, since I went the audiobook route with this one). My favorite stories of the bunch were The Girl Who Loved Graveyards, which tells the tale of an orphan girl seeking information about her father's death, and The Victim, in which the narrator plots revenge on his ex-wife's new lover. All six of the stories were enjoyable and clever, however, and I look forward trying out one of Ms. James's full-length novels in the near future.
December 10, 2017
This collection of short stories is a bit odd for the holidays, but P.D. James' writing, and the twists in several of the six, are well worth reading.
December 31, 2017
A high-quality collection of short crime stories – I really liked all six; in fact it's hard to pick a favourite. There's something comforting and familiar about them, but they're also laced with humour and just a little bit of cynicism.
The Yo-Yo (2006)
Now in his seventies, the narrator comes across a yo-yo among some old personal papers. What connects this innocuous object with a crime he witnessed at the age of thirteen? The rest of the story tells us, with plenty of cosy, quintessentially British details which are ultimately ruptured by an act of violence.
The Victim (1973)
'You know Princess Ilsa Mancelli, of course...' The narrator is the cuckolded first husband of the luminous Ilsa – except he knew her when she was a small-town girl named Elsie Bowman. They marry when Elsie is just 17, and her affection doesn't last long. When he discovers her deception, the narrator spends a year planning the perfect crime: a lengthy period of psychological torture followed by the untraceable slaughter of Elsie's lover, Collingford. All seems meticulously plotted, but an ingenious ending turns the story on its head and casts doubt on who, exactly, the 'victim' might be.
The Murder of Santa Claus (1984)
An ensemble cast gives this Christmas-themed tale the feel of a crime classic; a TV adaptation would make perfect festive viewing. The mismatched group – including 16-year-old Charles Mickledore and his wealthy uncle, an elderly couple and a successful actress – assemble at a grand house for Christmas celebrations. As the title indicates, it all goes rather horribly wrong. Many years later, Mickledore (now a successful author of crime fiction) writes to the police, finally confessing what he witnessed that night. The pleasure of this lies more in atmosphere than in plot – I didn't really care whodunnit, but the deliciously camp details (like a damning clue turning up on the Christmas tree) were so enjoyable.
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards (1983)
'The girl' is taken to live with her aunt and uncle at ten years old after the deaths of her father and grandmother. She's a lonely child, whose happiest moments are spent wandering in a nearby cemetery. But when she overhears an inexplicable conversation about her father between her relatives, what at first seems (to the reader) a fairly obvious conclusion is slowly revealed to be something far more sinister. Worse still, the girl discovers that she has held the key to this secret all along. A tale of the horror that might lurk inside one's own repressed memories, this reminded me of stories by Daphne du Maurier, Shirley Jackson and Muriel Spark.
A Very Desirable Residence (1976)
A teacher and his colleague are fascinated by the private lives of their headmaster and his much younger, yet remarkably meek and frail, wife. The narrator suspects the headmaster of being abusive, so perhaps it isn't all that surprising when the seemingly docile Emily finally snaps and takes violent revenge on him. In this story, it's the criminal's motive that provides the most surprising twist, and it also adds a rather ironic flavour to the eventual outcome.
Mr. Millcroft's Birthday (1992)
Lighter and more amusing than most of the rest, this concerns a pair of grasping siblings whose elderly father, now living in a nursing home, makes a startling confession. If the truth comes out, Mildred and Rodney might be cheated of their sizeable inheritance – so they decide to take matters into their own hands and destroy the evidence... Fun and, again, cleverly ironic.
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The Yo-Yo (2006)
Now in his seventies, the narrator comes across a yo-yo among some old personal papers. What connects this innocuous object with a crime he witnessed at the age of thirteen? The rest of the story tells us, with plenty of cosy, quintessentially British details which are ultimately ruptured by an act of violence.
The Victim (1973)
'You know Princess Ilsa Mancelli, of course...' The narrator is the cuckolded first husband of the luminous Ilsa – except he knew her when she was a small-town girl named Elsie Bowman. They marry when Elsie is just 17, and her affection doesn't last long. When he discovers her deception, the narrator spends a year planning the perfect crime: a lengthy period of psychological torture followed by the untraceable slaughter of Elsie's lover, Collingford. All seems meticulously plotted, but an ingenious ending turns the story on its head and casts doubt on who, exactly, the 'victim' might be.
The Murder of Santa Claus (1984)
An ensemble cast gives this Christmas-themed tale the feel of a crime classic; a TV adaptation would make perfect festive viewing. The mismatched group – including 16-year-old Charles Mickledore and his wealthy uncle, an elderly couple and a successful actress – assemble at a grand house for Christmas celebrations. As the title indicates, it all goes rather horribly wrong. Many years later, Mickledore (now a successful author of crime fiction) writes to the police, finally confessing what he witnessed that night. The pleasure of this lies more in atmosphere than in plot – I didn't really care whodunnit, but the deliciously camp details (like a damning clue turning up on the Christmas tree) were so enjoyable.
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards (1983)
'The girl' is taken to live with her aunt and uncle at ten years old after the deaths of her father and grandmother. She's a lonely child, whose happiest moments are spent wandering in a nearby cemetery. But when she overhears an inexplicable conversation about her father between her relatives, what at first seems (to the reader) a fairly obvious conclusion is slowly revealed to be something far more sinister. Worse still, the girl discovers that she has held the key to this secret all along. A tale of the horror that might lurk inside one's own repressed memories, this reminded me of stories by Daphne du Maurier, Shirley Jackson and Muriel Spark.
A Very Desirable Residence (1976)
A teacher and his colleague are fascinated by the private lives of their headmaster and his much younger, yet remarkably meek and frail, wife. The narrator suspects the headmaster of being abusive, so perhaps it isn't all that surprising when the seemingly docile Emily finally snaps and takes violent revenge on him. In this story, it's the criminal's motive that provides the most surprising twist, and it also adds a rather ironic flavour to the eventual outcome.
Mr. Millcroft's Birthday (1992)
Lighter and more amusing than most of the rest, this concerns a pair of grasping siblings whose elderly father, now living in a nursing home, makes a startling confession. If the truth comes out, Mildred and Rodney might be cheated of their sizeable inheritance – so they decide to take matters into their own hands and destroy the evidence... Fun and, again, cleverly ironic.
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May 7, 2024
Some Christmas Murders and More
Review of the Knopf Canada eBook (October 17, 2017) of the Faber & Faber hardcover (October 5, 2017) collecting stories previously published in various anthologies (1973-2006)*.
I wasn't particularly looking for P.D. James' (1920-2014) short stories, but when this popped up recently as a Kindle Deal of the Day I grabbed it immediately. This is a posthumously published collection of stories originally written as far back at 1973. The quality is consistently high throughout and you can become quickly absorbed in each tale. All of these are standalones and none of them feature James' regular series character Scotland Yard CID's Inspector Adam Dalgliesh.
The front cover of the original Faber & Faber hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
I was quickly reminded how great a writer P.D. James was and I realized that I need to get back to finishing the Dalgliesh series for which I started a binge read back in 2022 and 2023, but from which I became distracted. I enjoyed all of these "six murderous tales" equally, so the 4 rating stands for all of them.
1. The Yo-Yo (1996) The title toy becomes a crucial piece of evidence in an apparent accidental death during a Christmas journey.
2. The Victim (1973) The spurned first husband of a rising socialite plots his revenge.
3. The Murder of Santa Claus (1984) The source of the book's title is in a threatening rhyme sent to the miserly host of a Christmas gathering. A young boy observes the nocturnal movements in a mansion during Christmas Eve.
4. The Girl Who Loved Graveyards (1983) A young woman gradually awakens to repressed memories as she traces her life back to her childhood.
5. A Very Desirable Residence (1976) A tale of domestic abuse with a twist ending.
6. Mr Millcroft's Birthday (1992) A pair of greedy siblings find out that they have to match wits with their 80-year-old father whom they have packed away to a nursing home.
Footnote
* This is the copyright information as provided in the front matter of the book:
‘The Yo-Yo’ written 1996; revised as ‘Hearing Ghote’ in The Verdict of Us All, ed. Peter Lovesey ©
P. D. James 2006.
‘The Victim’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 5, ed. Virginia Whitaker © P. D. James 1973.
‘The Murder of Santa Claus’ first published in Great Detectives, ed. D. W. McCullough © P. D.
James 1984.
‘The Girl Who Loved Graveyards’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 15, ed. George Hardinge © P.
D. James 1983.
‘A Very Desirable Residence’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 8, ed. Hilary Watson © P. D. James
1976.
‘Mr Millcroft’s Birthday’ first published as ‘The Man Who Was 80’ in The Man Who © P. D. James
1992; revised as ‘Mr Maybrick’s Birthday’ c.2005.
Review of the Knopf Canada eBook (October 17, 2017) of the Faber & Faber hardcover (October 5, 2017) collecting stories previously published in various anthologies (1973-2006)*.
‘Merry Christmas, Mickledore!
Go to bed and sleep no more.
Take this charm and hold it fast;
This night’s sleep shall be your last.
Christmas bells ring merrily;
Bells of hell shall ring for thee.
Happy Christmas, Mickledore.
Go to bed and sleep no more.’
I wasn't particularly looking for P.D. James' (1920-2014) short stories, but when this popped up recently as a Kindle Deal of the Day I grabbed it immediately. This is a posthumously published collection of stories originally written as far back at 1973. The quality is consistently high throughout and you can become quickly absorbed in each tale. All of these are standalones and none of them feature James' regular series character Scotland Yard CID's Inspector Adam Dalgliesh.
The front cover of the original Faber & Faber hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
I was quickly reminded how great a writer P.D. James was and I realized that I need to get back to finishing the Dalgliesh series for which I started a binge read back in 2022 and 2023, but from which I became distracted. I enjoyed all of these "six murderous tales" equally, so the 4 rating stands for all of them.
1. The Yo-Yo (1996) The title toy becomes a crucial piece of evidence in an apparent accidental death during a Christmas journey.
2. The Victim (1973) The spurned first husband of a rising socialite plots his revenge.
3. The Murder of Santa Claus (1984) The source of the book's title is in a threatening rhyme sent to the miserly host of a Christmas gathering. A young boy observes the nocturnal movements in a mansion during Christmas Eve.
4. The Girl Who Loved Graveyards (1983) A young woman gradually awakens to repressed memories as she traces her life back to her childhood.
5. A Very Desirable Residence (1976) A tale of domestic abuse with a twist ending.
6. Mr Millcroft's Birthday (1992) A pair of greedy siblings find out that they have to match wits with their 80-year-old father whom they have packed away to a nursing home.
Footnote
* This is the copyright information as provided in the front matter of the book:
‘The Yo-Yo’ written 1996; revised as ‘Hearing Ghote’ in The Verdict of Us All, ed. Peter Lovesey ©
P. D. James 2006.
‘The Victim’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 5, ed. Virginia Whitaker © P. D. James 1973.
‘The Murder of Santa Claus’ first published in Great Detectives, ed. D. W. McCullough © P. D.
James 1984.
‘The Girl Who Loved Graveyards’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 15, ed. George Hardinge © P.
D. James 1983.
‘A Very Desirable Residence’ first published in Winter’s Crimes 8, ed. Hilary Watson © P. D. James
1976.
‘Mr Millcroft’s Birthday’ first published as ‘The Man Who Was 80’ in The Man Who © P. D. James
1992; revised as ‘Mr Maybrick’s Birthday’ c.2005.
October 6, 2017
I haven’t read an awful lot of short stories but when i was given the opportunity to review PD James’s new book I jumped at the chance.
Sleep No More is a collection of 6 short stories each involving a murder and each describing the deviousness of the characters as they plot out the perfect murder. Some of the methods used and the planning of the murder is extraordinarily clever and was a bit of an eye opener to read about.
The stories included a large variety of characters that I had mixed feelings for. Whilst i felt very sorry for the jilted husband in “The Victim” and the little girl in “The Girl Who Loved Graveyards” I hated the schoolboy in “The Yoyo” as i found him very obnoxious and full of himself. I think this character is quite real though as I have encountered a few public school children like this. These being short stories there wasn’t a lot of time for the reader to get to know the characters which i felt was a shame as i would like to have spent a bit more time with some of the characters, discovering more about them and what makes them tick.
All the stories appear to be set in the past and have quite a lot of historical detail in them at times that helps the reader imagine the setting for the stories. In one the life of a public school in 1930 is well described and in another the stigma of divorce is mentioned giving the reader a glimpse into the life and problems of the characters. These details were very interesting and helped me to image the characters and story better in my mind.
In my personal opinion the stories get betters as the book goes along. I definitely enjoyed the later stories more than the earlier ones. This isn’t to stay that the earlier stories were bad just that the later ones were more my style of story and had a little more going on in them.
PD James in the author of many full length novels and short story collections. I have read quite a few of her books in the past and will definitely be reading more in the future.
Thank you to Sophie Portas and Faber & Faber for my copy of this book a
Sleep No More is a collection of 6 short stories each involving a murder and each describing the deviousness of the characters as they plot out the perfect murder. Some of the methods used and the planning of the murder is extraordinarily clever and was a bit of an eye opener to read about.
The stories included a large variety of characters that I had mixed feelings for. Whilst i felt very sorry for the jilted husband in “The Victim” and the little girl in “The Girl Who Loved Graveyards” I hated the schoolboy in “The Yoyo” as i found him very obnoxious and full of himself. I think this character is quite real though as I have encountered a few public school children like this. These being short stories there wasn’t a lot of time for the reader to get to know the characters which i felt was a shame as i would like to have spent a bit more time with some of the characters, discovering more about them and what makes them tick.
All the stories appear to be set in the past and have quite a lot of historical detail in them at times that helps the reader imagine the setting for the stories. In one the life of a public school in 1930 is well described and in another the stigma of divorce is mentioned giving the reader a glimpse into the life and problems of the characters. These details were very interesting and helped me to image the characters and story better in my mind.
In my personal opinion the stories get betters as the book goes along. I definitely enjoyed the later stories more than the earlier ones. This isn’t to stay that the earlier stories were bad just that the later ones were more my style of story and had a little more going on in them.
PD James in the author of many full length novels and short story collections. I have read quite a few of her books in the past and will definitely be reading more in the future.
Thank you to Sophie Portas and Faber & Faber for my copy of this book a
November 13, 2017
And there! I finished my reading challenge, which was 120 books also this year. I don't think I've finished so late any previous year.
I've been in Vienna since last Wednesday. I thought vacation would mean plenty of reading time, but no! All my routines gone, the New York Times for breakfast reading instead of a book.
I picked this up at the airport. I was distressed to realize from the jacket that P.D James passed away in 2014, something I had missed. I thought I bought "the mistletoe murder and other stories", but shrugged when I realized this.
"Sleep no more - six murderous tales" was absolutely delightful. They suited my altered reading habits perfectly. Every story manages at least one twist, sometimes several. I loved them all!
I've been in Vienna since last Wednesday. I thought vacation would mean plenty of reading time, but no! All my routines gone, the New York Times for breakfast reading instead of a book.
I picked this up at the airport. I was distressed to realize from the jacket that P.D James passed away in 2014, something I had missed. I thought I bought "the mistletoe murder and other stories", but shrugged when I realized this.
"Sleep no more - six murderous tales" was absolutely delightful. They suited my altered reading habits perfectly. Every story manages at least one twist, sometimes several. I loved them all!
March 23, 2021
Con razón la llaman la gran dama del crimen, que maravilla de relatos. Todos tienen como denominador común la venganza. Que dulce puede ser si todo sale bien, pero y si no????...
Recomendadisimo y además se lee en un suspiro.
Recomendadisimo y además se lee en un suspiro.
March 14, 2018
I'm not a big fan of short stories but each of these had a delicious and surprising edge to it and I really liked them.
October 2, 2018
Suspenseful and very enjoyable.
December 7, 2017
Finding work by a late author that you have revered is rare. Therefore you can imagine my excitement to see that another collection of stories by the inimitable P.D. James has been published. Last year I read and enjoyed "Mistletoe Murders: and other stories", this year it is "Sleep no more". And yes, there IS a murder in all six stories.
The book contains six excellently executed short stories, two of which have a Christmas theme.
"The Yo-Yo"
An elderly man finds a red yo-yo in a box of clutter. This find spurs memories of the events that occurred when, as a child, accompanied by a teacher, he was shipped off from his boarding school to spend Christmas with his widowed grandmother.
"The Victim"
An assistant librarian plans the 'perfect murder' of his celebrity ex-wife's latest husband. This story has a delicious twist at the end - as do many of the stories in this collection.
"The murder of Santa Claus"
A mediocre mystery novelist tells the story of how his uncle, Victor Mickledore, was murdered one Christmas Eve in an atmospheric Cotswold manor house. A retired policeman, Detective Inspector John Pottinger relates his memories of the case.
"Merry Christmas, Mickledore!
Go to be and sleep no more.
Take this charm and hold it fast;
This night's sleep shall be your last."
P.D. James puts her own spin on the classic 'locked room mystery'.
"The girl who loved graveyards"
An orphaned girl tells of her life living in a house in East London bordering a cemetery. "She didn't need friends. She had the graveyard and its occupants." She lives with her aunt and uncle and has no memory of the first decade of her life. All is revealed when she grows up and returns to the village where she was born...
"A very desirable residence"
The story of an art teacher, and the frame-up of the unpleasant math teacher at his school - whose Georgian house he covets.
"Mr. Millcroft's birthday"
A story that works as a gleeful omen of what can happen when avarice rules your life. It tells of a cunning nursing home resident as he turns the tables on his greedy adult children.
Only P.D. James could write these nostalgic, insightful, sinister, and astute mystery stories. She portrays murder 'as a means to an end' - murder done by ordinary people, but told in a way that is distinctly 'unordinary'. They are a fine balance between the succinctness of the short story form coupled with James' famous verbosity. If pressed to pick a favorite story from this collection, I guess it would be "A very desirable residence". The irony of the last lines is memorable.
A few quotes that I particularly enjoyed from this book:
"The young seldom lie convincingly. They haven't had time to practice like the rest of us."
"Memory is always disjointed, episodic."
"Marriage is both the most public and the most secret of institutions, its miseries as irritatingly insistent as a hacking cough, its private malaise less easily diagnosed."
I received this book from Knopf/Penguin Random House via Edelweiss in consideration of a review.
The book contains six excellently executed short stories, two of which have a Christmas theme.
"The Yo-Yo"
An elderly man finds a red yo-yo in a box of clutter. This find spurs memories of the events that occurred when, as a child, accompanied by a teacher, he was shipped off from his boarding school to spend Christmas with his widowed grandmother.
"The Victim"
An assistant librarian plans the 'perfect murder' of his celebrity ex-wife's latest husband. This story has a delicious twist at the end - as do many of the stories in this collection.
"The murder of Santa Claus"
A mediocre mystery novelist tells the story of how his uncle, Victor Mickledore, was murdered one Christmas Eve in an atmospheric Cotswold manor house. A retired policeman, Detective Inspector John Pottinger relates his memories of the case.
"Merry Christmas, Mickledore!
Go to be and sleep no more.
Take this charm and hold it fast;
This night's sleep shall be your last."
P.D. James puts her own spin on the classic 'locked room mystery'.
"The girl who loved graveyards"
An orphaned girl tells of her life living in a house in East London bordering a cemetery. "She didn't need friends. She had the graveyard and its occupants." She lives with her aunt and uncle and has no memory of the first decade of her life. All is revealed when she grows up and returns to the village where she was born...
"A very desirable residence"
The story of an art teacher, and the frame-up of the unpleasant math teacher at his school - whose Georgian house he covets.
"Mr. Millcroft's birthday"
A story that works as a gleeful omen of what can happen when avarice rules your life. It tells of a cunning nursing home resident as he turns the tables on his greedy adult children.
Only P.D. James could write these nostalgic, insightful, sinister, and astute mystery stories. She portrays murder 'as a means to an end' - murder done by ordinary people, but told in a way that is distinctly 'unordinary'. They are a fine balance between the succinctness of the short story form coupled with James' famous verbosity. If pressed to pick a favorite story from this collection, I guess it would be "A very desirable residence". The irony of the last lines is memorable.
A few quotes that I particularly enjoyed from this book:
"The young seldom lie convincingly. They haven't had time to practice like the rest of us."
"Memory is always disjointed, episodic."
"Marriage is both the most public and the most secret of institutions, its miseries as irritatingly insistent as a hacking cough, its private malaise less easily diagnosed."
I received this book from Knopf/Penguin Random House via Edelweiss in consideration of a review.
January 23, 2018
I am beyond sad that there are only two books of P.D. James's short stories. I have adored both of them. This one is not so 'christmassy' as 'The Mistletoe Murder' (although there is a murder set on Christmas Eve) but still perfectly written. Each story is not a page too long, or short, each ends at precisely the correct time. Such good writing, I really enjoyed the book overall. And despite it being a bit much sometimes to read short story after short story, I didn't have a problem with these ones as they were all so completely different.
January 1, 2018
A perfect little book of "six murderous tales", as it is so aptly sub-titled. Six perfectly executed murders, every detail seen to, each murderer sympathized with, each victim deserving their fate. Every one of these stories had a surprising little twist at the end, making me gasp with the genius of P.D. James. Turns out contemplating murder and revenge is a great way to spend New Years Day.
March 8, 2025
Lo mejor para oxigenar el cerebro al enfrentarse lecturas largas, sesudas y exigentes es intercalarlas con relatos, y no hay relatos que despejen más a un servidor que los de misterios. Nada como un buen asesinato para reactivar las neuronas, nada como la sangre derramada para lubricar esas conexiones cerebrales. Podría haberme ido con Agatha Christie, pero me decidí por una escritora algo más moderna, otra gran dama del misterio inglesa reconocida mundialmente por sus historias detectivescas. Una autora que, luego de leer Orgullo y Prejuicio, se dijo a sí misma que la novela hubiera mejorado con un homicidio; una autora que debían de gustarle tanto los niños que imaginó un apocalipsis en el que la esterilidad acabará con la humanidad. En efecto, habló de P. D. James.
Decir antes que nada que no había leído nada de P. D. James y que todo lo que conocía de su obra escrita me ha llegado en formato película. Hijos de los hombres es una de mis películas de ciencia ficción favorita, y a mi madre le encantó La muerte llega a Pemberley -creo que ya comenté la anglofilia de mi progenitora. Por tanto, este es mi primer acercamiento, y antes que acercarme a la autora por sus dos sagas más famosa he optado por estos seis relatos de temática criminal, más en consonancia con las historias de Patricia Highsmith que de Agatha Christie, pues aquí la figura del detective está ausente.
Los seis cuentos relatan un asesinato. En algunos sabemos desde el principio el autor del crimen y en otros la autoría no queda clara. En este segundo grupo los relatos juegan con las expectativas del lector. Nada es lo que parece ser y siempre va a haber un giro sorprendente, no siempre tan sorprendente como le gustaría a la autora. Sin embargo, lo mejor de la colección es la manera en que James nos relata el crimen, pues la mayoría de relatos están narrados en primera persona, por lo que el cuento toma el formato de confesión, de agría y en ocasiones perversa confesión, pues el narrador que desnuda su alma por lo general tiene mucho que contar y más que justificar. Los dos relatos que no cuentan con este narrador en primera personan también destilan este tono irónico y sutilmente cruel, aunque con un añadido más cómico.
Lo mejor que se puede decir de la colección es que es muy divertida, y lo peor, que no es muy memorable.
Los relatos incluidos en esta antología son los siguientes:
El yoyó (***): un estudiante de un internado va a pasar las vacaciones de Navidad en casa de su abuela. La de por sí desagradable perspectiva de pasar las fiestas con una anciana cascarrabias se ve reforzada al tener que compartir coche con el profesor menos querido por el alumnado. En un punto del camino, el chofer decide hacer una parada para aliviar su vejiga, y el profesor decide acompañarle. El chaval, que permanece en el coche, ve como a los pocos minutos solo regresa el chofer.
La víctima (****): el protagonista, un anodino bibliotecario, nos relata cómo su encantadora mujer, de la que estaba profundamente enamorado, le abandona para irse con un banquero que sí puede satisfacer todas sus necesidades. Con el corazón roto, sin perspectivas de futuro, el único motivo que tiene para continuar viviendo es vengarse de su burlador. Y para ello pergeña un retorcido plan que le permita tanto salir indemne del asesinato como llevarlo a cabo infligiendo la mayor cantidad de dolor.
El asesinato de Papa Noel (***): el protagonista, un chiquillo obligado a pasar las Navidades con su familia debido a la ausencia de sus padres en el país, es testigo de cómo todas las rencillas y rencores familiares acaban con el patriarca asesinado... ¡vestido de Papa Noel!
La niña que adoraba los cementerios (**): una joven huérfana queda al cuidado de sus abuelos. La muerte de su madre, además del arresto de su padre, han colocado un velo amnésico sobre ciertos episodios de su infancia y una inquietante fascinación por los cementerios.
Una residencia muy deseable (***): el protagonista, profesor de instituto, observa alarmado el comportamiento veladamente sádico que su compañero manifiesta para con su joven esposa. Un día, la situación escala de tal manera que la mujer es encontrada por su vecina casi muerta por asfixia y con la cabeza introducida en el horno.
El cumpleaños del señor Millcroft (***): un anciano recluido en una aburrida residencia de ancianos quiere cambiar a un lugar de retiro más agradable y estimulante, y, por supuesto, mucho más caro. Estas noticias no agradan a sus hijos, que ven este merma en su futura herencia intolerable, e intentan convencer al anciano de que lo reconsidere. Sin embargo, lejos de reconsiderarlo, éste les dará un argumento de peso para plegarse a sus deseos.
Decir antes que nada que no había leído nada de P. D. James y que todo lo que conocía de su obra escrita me ha llegado en formato película. Hijos de los hombres es una de mis películas de ciencia ficción favorita, y a mi madre le encantó La muerte llega a Pemberley -creo que ya comenté la anglofilia de mi progenitora. Por tanto, este es mi primer acercamiento, y antes que acercarme a la autora por sus dos sagas más famosa he optado por estos seis relatos de temática criminal, más en consonancia con las historias de Patricia Highsmith que de Agatha Christie, pues aquí la figura del detective está ausente.
Los seis cuentos relatan un asesinato. En algunos sabemos desde el principio el autor del crimen y en otros la autoría no queda clara. En este segundo grupo los relatos juegan con las expectativas del lector. Nada es lo que parece ser y siempre va a haber un giro sorprendente, no siempre tan sorprendente como le gustaría a la autora. Sin embargo, lo mejor de la colección es la manera en que James nos relata el crimen, pues la mayoría de relatos están narrados en primera persona, por lo que el cuento toma el formato de confesión, de agría y en ocasiones perversa confesión, pues el narrador que desnuda su alma por lo general tiene mucho que contar y más que justificar. Los dos relatos que no cuentan con este narrador en primera personan también destilan este tono irónico y sutilmente cruel, aunque con un añadido más cómico.
Lo mejor que se puede decir de la colección es que es muy divertida, y lo peor, que no es muy memorable.
Los relatos incluidos en esta antología son los siguientes:
El yoyó (***): un estudiante de un internado va a pasar las vacaciones de Navidad en casa de su abuela. La de por sí desagradable perspectiva de pasar las fiestas con una anciana cascarrabias se ve reforzada al tener que compartir coche con el profesor menos querido por el alumnado. En un punto del camino, el chofer decide hacer una parada para aliviar su vejiga, y el profesor decide acompañarle. El chaval, que permanece en el coche, ve como a los pocos minutos solo regresa el chofer.
La víctima (****): el protagonista, un anodino bibliotecario, nos relata cómo su encantadora mujer, de la que estaba profundamente enamorado, le abandona para irse con un banquero que sí puede satisfacer todas sus necesidades. Con el corazón roto, sin perspectivas de futuro, el único motivo que tiene para continuar viviendo es vengarse de su burlador. Y para ello pergeña un retorcido plan que le permita tanto salir indemne del asesinato como llevarlo a cabo infligiendo la mayor cantidad de dolor.
El asesinato de Papa Noel (***): el protagonista, un chiquillo obligado a pasar las Navidades con su familia debido a la ausencia de sus padres en el país, es testigo de cómo todas las rencillas y rencores familiares acaban con el patriarca asesinado... ¡vestido de Papa Noel!
La niña que adoraba los cementerios (**): una joven huérfana queda al cuidado de sus abuelos. La muerte de su madre, además del arresto de su padre, han colocado un velo amnésico sobre ciertos episodios de su infancia y una inquietante fascinación por los cementerios.
Una residencia muy deseable (***): el protagonista, profesor de instituto, observa alarmado el comportamiento veladamente sádico que su compañero manifiesta para con su joven esposa. Un día, la situación escala de tal manera que la mujer es encontrada por su vecina casi muerta por asfixia y con la cabeza introducida en el horno.
El cumpleaños del señor Millcroft (***): un anciano recluido en una aburrida residencia de ancianos quiere cambiar a un lugar de retiro más agradable y estimulante, y, por supuesto, mucho más caro. Estas noticias no agradan a sus hijos, que ven este merma en su futura herencia intolerable, e intentan convencer al anciano de que lo reconsidere. Sin embargo, lejos de reconsiderarlo, éste les dará un argumento de peso para plegarse a sus deseos.
November 17, 2017
This collection of short stories by the master of crime P. D. James is very very good. The crimes are simple sometimes, yet written in the most beautiful way. Stories that take place during different decades .. and takes you all over England and sometimes abroad.
October 26, 2017
Sleep No More – A Delightful Collection of Short Stories
This collection of short stories from the late PD James, just reminds us how much she was loved and will be missed. She delivers in each short story something other authors fail to deliver in a full-scale novel. All these short murder mystery stories are pithy, get to the crux of the matter and each one is engrossing.
Each of these stories are a standalone story, all written in beautiful prose, full of twists, most of which you never see coming. Each story an original from someone who was the queen of mystery writers, who knew how to entertain her readership.
PD James may be gone, but this collection is an excellent testament to her talent and writing, and as she always did, reminds me how many women have really made this genre their own. This is in the grand tradition of short mystery stories first started by Agatha Christie and PD James was a true heir to her crown.
I cannot recommend this collection highly enough.
This collection of short stories from the late PD James, just reminds us how much she was loved and will be missed. She delivers in each short story something other authors fail to deliver in a full-scale novel. All these short murder mystery stories are pithy, get to the crux of the matter and each one is engrossing.
Each of these stories are a standalone story, all written in beautiful prose, full of twists, most of which you never see coming. Each story an original from someone who was the queen of mystery writers, who knew how to entertain her readership.
PD James may be gone, but this collection is an excellent testament to her talent and writing, and as she always did, reminds me how many women have really made this genre their own. This is in the grand tradition of short mystery stories first started by Agatha Christie and PD James was a true heir to her crown.
I cannot recommend this collection highly enough.
October 29, 2017
There was a reason P.D. James was the “Queen of Crime”. She knew how to capture her readers. I’ve read all of her work and was so pleased to see these new-to-me six stories being published. They were such a very special treat!
I think “The Girl Who Loved Graveyards” was my favorite, if I had to pick a favorite as I loved each of them. This was the most chilling tale. A story of a young girl who fell in love with a graveyard and who couldn’t remember the first ten years of her life.
While some of these stories will give you chills, some of them will make you laugh, like “Mr. Millcroft’s Birthday”. They take place in the 1920’s and 1930’s and have a wonderful old-fashioned feel about them. Ms. James must have had so much fun writing these witty, delightful short stories.
Most highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
I think “The Girl Who Loved Graveyards” was my favorite, if I had to pick a favorite as I loved each of them. This was the most chilling tale. A story of a young girl who fell in love with a graveyard and who couldn’t remember the first ten years of her life.
While some of these stories will give you chills, some of them will make you laugh, like “Mr. Millcroft’s Birthday”. They take place in the 1920’s and 1930’s and have a wonderful old-fashioned feel about them. Ms. James must have had so much fun writing these witty, delightful short stories.
Most highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
September 20, 2019
This is a good set of short stories. It gives you small bites of what type of stories could have come from James’s pen if she wrote more non Dalgliesh stories.
And to think if she and her friend Ruth Rendell had gotten together to write a story collection. It would have been out of this world.
If you are interested in James’s writing, but still have yet to read some. This book is a good starting point.
And to think if she and her friend Ruth Rendell had gotten together to write a story collection. It would have been out of this world.
If you are interested in James’s writing, but still have yet to read some. This book is a good starting point.
September 8, 2024
3.5 stars
I don't normally read many books of essays or short stories. However this book was really pretty good. It has six short stories of murder. Of the six I believe I enjoyed the second story 'The Victim' the best. It centered on revenge and ended in a twist. You know the murderer and the victim from the very beginning, however there was one person who also knew and they revealed how. There was really only one 'who-dun-it' story among the six, so each story was virtually unique.
I don't normally read many books of essays or short stories. However this book was really pretty good. It has six short stories of murder. Of the six I believe I enjoyed the second story 'The Victim' the best. It centered on revenge and ended in a twist. You know the murderer and the victim from the very beginning, however there was one person who also knew and they revealed how. There was really only one 'who-dun-it' story among the six, so each story was virtually unique.
July 13, 2020
Too often I personalize my reviews. Yeah, too bad, here I go again...
I needed to listen to a book, give my arms and hands a break. I've been into e-books, but I read so fast it's 'sweep-sweep-sweep' and I can go at it for hours on end! (This all began when my library just ... shut ... down due to the pandemic.) So I borrowed some, electronically, and won a few to read on Kindle, which makes me happy, but...
I thought I had arthritis! Like everyone in my family over 50 and a few who are way under 50. (I'm way over 50.) Anyhow, nope, a brief hospital stay showed me that it ain't arthritis, it's that darn 'sweep-sweep-sweep.' Anyhow, when I saw this collection of stories by PD James as an audio download - free - from my local library, I grabbed it!
Long been a fan of Ms. James, but I have found her later books to be big, hearty, full-Sunday-supper meals of reading. (We New Englanders often have that big 'roast' with a dozen sides, plus rolls and desert on Sunday. It's obligatory in some families.) And so many of Ms. James' book feel like this to me. Huge, complicated, mysterious and chilling yes, but one needs to dive head first into the potatoes, saying, I can do this!
But to find six wonderful, delightful, poignant, thrilling shorts by her? And I could LISTEN to them. Loved it. Loved her. The best of the bunch? Hard to say...
The Victim, eerily great. A man sets out to wreak revenge on the rogue who stole his wife, and then...
The Murder of Santa Claus, a classic murder mystery in a manor house in England. With a young narrator/protagonist. A treat.
The Yoyo, which goes to places a yoyo has never traveled. A deceptively simple title for a complex and intriguing story involving class, position and status in merry olde ...
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards, a girl returns to her old home, stares at it, and remembers ...
A Very Desirable Residence, some nice twists and turns and the only one of the six where I saw 'the end coming,' but still loved it.
Mr. Millcroft's Birthday, in which some of Mr. Millcroft's offspring get their comeuppance - or do they?
I'd love to own this book, read it again on real book pages.
Five stars
I needed to listen to a book, give my arms and hands a break. I've been into e-books, but I read so fast it's 'sweep-sweep-sweep' and I can go at it for hours on end! (This all began when my library just ... shut ... down due to the pandemic.) So I borrowed some, electronically, and won a few to read on Kindle, which makes me happy, but...
I thought I had arthritis! Like everyone in my family over 50 and a few who are way under 50. (I'm way over 50.) Anyhow, nope, a brief hospital stay showed me that it ain't arthritis, it's that darn 'sweep-sweep-sweep.' Anyhow, when I saw this collection of stories by PD James as an audio download - free - from my local library, I grabbed it!
Long been a fan of Ms. James, but I have found her later books to be big, hearty, full-Sunday-supper meals of reading. (We New Englanders often have that big 'roast' with a dozen sides, plus rolls and desert on Sunday. It's obligatory in some families.) And so many of Ms. James' book feel like this to me. Huge, complicated, mysterious and chilling yes, but one needs to dive head first into the potatoes, saying, I can do this!
But to find six wonderful, delightful, poignant, thrilling shorts by her? And I could LISTEN to them. Loved it. Loved her. The best of the bunch? Hard to say...
The Victim, eerily great. A man sets out to wreak revenge on the rogue who stole his wife, and then...
The Murder of Santa Claus, a classic murder mystery in a manor house in England. With a young narrator/protagonist. A treat.
The Yoyo, which goes to places a yoyo has never traveled. A deceptively simple title for a complex and intriguing story involving class, position and status in merry olde ...
The Girl Who Loved Graveyards, a girl returns to her old home, stares at it, and remembers ...
A Very Desirable Residence, some nice twists and turns and the only one of the six where I saw 'the end coming,' but still loved it.
Mr. Millcroft's Birthday, in which some of Mr. Millcroft's offspring get their comeuppance - or do they?
I'd love to own this book, read it again on real book pages.
Five stars
June 23, 2025
A fast paced decent set of 6 murder mysteries. This is a thoughtful mix - considering there is a childhood Yo-Yo memory, a Christmas celebration with the Santa Claus murdered, a tale of romantic rivalry, an orphan obsessed with graveyards....
Out of the 6 tales, I had 4 hits and 2 misses. Observed in all of them that the crime had already been committed long back. Reminscing about the past brought in more clues with an unexpected twist in each.
Clever and intelligent writing style. Loved how one of the stories on writers features PD James herself!
Favorites: The Victim, Mr Wilcroft's Birthday.
Overall:
COnsidering I haven't read many Christies, this was pretty impressive. This is the first time I've read this author. Will be surely reading more full length works.
Out of the 6 tales, I had 4 hits and 2 misses. Observed in all of them that the crime had already been committed long back. Reminscing about the past brought in more clues with an unexpected twist in each.
Clever and intelligent writing style. Loved how one of the stories on writers features PD James herself!
Favorites: The Victim, Mr Wilcroft's Birthday.
Overall:
COnsidering I haven't read many Christies, this was pretty impressive. This is the first time I've read this author. Will be surely reading more full length works.
April 25, 2025
خون خواب را ریخته اند
شش داستان جنایی
پی.دی.جیمز
ترجمه رکسانا صنم یار
نشر مون
تعداد صفحات 140
شش داستان جنایی
پی.دی.جیمز
ترجمه رکسانا صنم یار
نشر مون
تعداد صفحات 140
July 5, 2019
Δεν είναι λίγα τα βιβλία της Φ. Ντ. Τζέιμς που έχουν κυκλοφορήσει στα ελληνικά (αλλά μάλλον είναι πολύ λίγα για όσους την λατρεύουν σαν συγγραφέα), ενώ για αρκετά χρόνια έχω δυο-τρία βιβλία της που πιάνουν σκόνη στη βιβλιοθήκη μου και που θα μπορούσα να είχα διαβάσει προ πολλού, όμως η συγκεκριμένη συλλογή διηγημάτων που μόλις κυκλοφόρησε στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρεια, αποτελεί την πρώτη μου επαφή με το έργο της. Και τώρα που ολοκλήρωσα την ανάγνωση και των έξι διηγημάτων, θεωρώ ότι δύσκολα θα μπορούσα να κάνω καλύτερη αρχή. Πρόκειται για έξι άκρως καλογραμμένα, ενδιαφέροντα και ψυχαγωγικά διηγήματα, ό,τι πρέπει για να ανάψουν λίγο τα αίματα, αλλά και για να δούμε τι κρύβεται μέσα στο μυαλό των δολοφόνων ή των μαρτύρων μιας δολοφονίας που κρατάνε την ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου για τον εαυτό τους. Η γραφή της Φ. Ντ. Τζέιμς είναι πραγματικά εξαιρετική και ιδιαίτερα ευκολοδιάβαστη, οξυδερκής και αιχμηρή, με μια κυνική αίσθηση του χιούμορ. Μέσα σε λίγες σελίδες καταφέρνει να δημιουργήσει αγωνία στους αναγνώστες και να χαρίσει κάθε είδους εκπλήξεις και ανατροπές, ενώ επίσης διεισδύει στην ψυχοσύνθεση των χαρακτήρων με μοναδική ακρίβεια και φινέτσα. Το ζήτημα στα διηγήματα τούτης της συλλογής δεν είναι τόσο το "ποιος το έκανε", όσο το "γιατί", το "πώς" και ίσως ακόμα και το "αν". Τις περισσότερες φορές αυτά τα τρία ερωτήματα είναι τα πιο συναρπαστικά αναφορικά με ένα έγκλημα, έτσι δεν είναι; Συμπερασματικά: Σίγουρα μια από τις πιο ψυχαγωγικές συλλογές διηγημάτων που έχω διαβάσει τον τελευταίο καιρό, ανεξαρτήτως είδους. Σε καμία περίπτωση δεν μπορώ να επιλέξω δυο ή τρία διηγήματα που ξεχώρισα, γιατί όλα τους μου φάνηκαν εξίσου δυνατά και συναρπαστικά. Είναι μια συλλογή που προτείνω με κλειστά μάτια, ουσιαστικά για λεπτομέρειες δεν βάζω πέντε αστεράκια.
Υ.Γ. Πολύ όμορφη η εξωτερική εμφάνιση του βιβλίου, κάτι που φυσικά ισχύει και για τα υπόλοιπα τέσσερα βιβλία της σειράς "Μαύρη Γάτα" που έχουν κυκλοφορήσει μέχρι στιγμής από τις εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρεια.
Υ.Γ. Πολύ όμορφη η εξωτερική εμφάνιση του βιβλίου, κάτι που φυσικά ισχύει και για τα υπόλοιπα τέσσερα βιβλία της σειράς "Μαύρη Γάτα" που έχουν κυκλοφορήσει μέχρι στιγμής από τις εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρεια.
July 17, 2022
This was one of two short story collections I recently picked up and I have say I thoroughly enjoyed this one (the I am working through). P D James is one of those authors I have know about for some time but up until recently had not really explored.
I had grown up on watching various TV shows based on her work but never had taken the time to really explore her writing. True I had read the odd one off special but never really dug in to her crime and short stories - well today I corrected that.
Now I am probably going to show my naivety but the book contains some of her more famous short stories (at least that is what it says) and I have to say the golden age take but with a modern twist were really cleverly presented and great fun to read. A mixture of sentimentality with brutal violence create a fascinating juxtaposition that makes the final denouncement all the more impactful.
I had grown up on watching various TV shows based on her work but never had taken the time to really explore her writing. True I had read the odd one off special but never really dug in to her crime and short stories - well today I corrected that.
Now I am probably going to show my naivety but the book contains some of her more famous short stories (at least that is what it says) and I have to say the golden age take but with a modern twist were really cleverly presented and great fun to read. A mixture of sentimentality with brutal violence create a fascinating juxtaposition that makes the final denouncement all the more impactful.
November 15, 2017
4.5 stars!
I loved this! While it was 100% a cover / seasonal-instagrammable buy (the gold foil is gorgeous), I enjoyed the stories so much! I usually dont *get* short stories... I don't find them enjoyable, and I HATE when they end without resolution. PD James wrote wonderfully, old fashioned vignettes that were perfect for a stormy autumn night... plus all had satisfactory ends. Job well done.
I loved this! While it was 100% a cover / seasonal-instagrammable buy (the gold foil is gorgeous), I enjoyed the stories so much! I usually dont *get* short stories... I don't find them enjoyable, and I HATE when they end without resolution. PD James wrote wonderfully, old fashioned vignettes that were perfect for a stormy autumn night... plus all had satisfactory ends. Job well done.
October 19, 2022
خوشحالم که از کسانی هستم که این کتاب رو قبل از پخش سراسری تونستم بخونم.
مجموعه 6 داستان جنایی که هر 6 داستان، تعلیق و جذابیت لازم رو داشت.
داستان جنایی با پایان شوکهکننده برای من جذاب میشه و تمام داستانها پایان شوکهکننده داشتند.
داستان پررمزوراز و با کنکاش گذشته بودند و چند تاش به کریسمس و عمارتهای قدیمی مرتبط بود و فضاسازی قشنگی داشت.
مجموعه 6 داستان جنایی که هر 6 داستان، تعلیق و جذابیت لازم رو داشت.
داستان جنایی با پایان شوکهکننده برای من جذاب میشه و تمام داستانها پایان شوکهکننده داشتند.
داستان پررمزوراز و با کنکاش گذشته بودند و چند تاش به کریسمس و عمارتهای قدیمی مرتبط بود و فضاسازی قشنگی داشت.
January 31, 2022
This book is a compilation of six murder-related short stories. I had not read anything by P.D. James so I thought this might be a good place to start. As in many short story compilations, some are more to my taste than others. There is only one traditional murder mystery. The others are psychological character studies of people who have gotten away with murder (which is clear from the outset). My favorite is the first story, Yo-Yo, and my least favorite is The Murder of Santa Claus, a typical “whodunnit” where it is too obvious what the outcome will be. I can see why this author was nominated by one of our group members as an author to read. Her writing is elegant and atmospheric. Recommended to fans of dark stories with unexpected twists.
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