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A Spot of Folly: Ten and a Quarter New Tales of Murder and Mayhem
New and uncollected tales of murder, mischief, magic and madness.
Ruth Rendell was an acknowledged master of psychological suspense: these are ten (and a quarter) of her most chillingly compelling short stories, collected here together for the first time.
In these tales, a businessman boasts about cheating on his wife, only to find the tables turned. A beautiful country rectory reverberates to the echo of a historical murder. A compulsive liar acts on impulse, only to be lead inexorably to disaster. And a wealthy man finds there is more to his wife's kidnapping than meets the eye.
Atmospheric, gripping and never predictable, this is Ruth Rendell at her inimitable best.
The stories are: Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror; A Spot of Folly; The Price of Joy; The Irony of Hate; Digby's Wives; The Haunting of Shawley Rectory; A Drop Too Much; The Thief; The Long Corridor of Time; In the Time of his Prosperity; and Trebuchet.
Ruth Rendell was an acknowledged master of psychological suspense: these are ten (and a quarter) of her most chillingly compelling short stories, collected here together for the first time.
In these tales, a businessman boasts about cheating on his wife, only to find the tables turned. A beautiful country rectory reverberates to the echo of a historical murder. A compulsive liar acts on impulse, only to be lead inexorably to disaster. And a wealthy man finds there is more to his wife's kidnapping than meets the eye.
Atmospheric, gripping and never predictable, this is Ruth Rendell at her inimitable best.
The stories are: Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror; A Spot of Folly; The Price of Joy; The Irony of Hate; Digby's Wives; The Haunting of Shawley Rectory; A Drop Too Much; The Thief; The Long Corridor of Time; In the Time of his Prosperity; and Trebuchet.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2017
235 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Rendell
447 books1,615 followersA.K.A. Barbara Vine
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, was an acclaimed English crime writer, known for her many psychological thrillers and murder mysteries and above all for Inspector Wexford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
September 26, 2020
4.5
A Spot of Folly is a series of gripping and suspenseful short stories, each dripping with oddities and shocking twists.
Writing a successful short story is much more difficult than a novel. The writer should squeeze all the important facts in such a limited space, while grabbing the attention of the reader right at the beginning without any character developments or providing details for different situations.
And that is just what Ruth Rendell so masterfully does.
A Spot of Folly is a series of gripping and suspenseful short stories, each dripping with oddities and shocking twists.
Writing a successful short story is much more difficult than a novel. The writer should squeeze all the important facts in such a limited space, while grabbing the attention of the reader right at the beginning without any character developments or providing details for different situations.
And that is just what Ruth Rendell so masterfully does.
September 16, 2024
In her introduction, Sophie Hannah writes of hearing Ruth Rendell talk on needing to hook the reader from the very first line or the reader won’t persevere. She adds that Rendell doesn’t “tidy people up in fiction. She understands that most real people are far weirder than most novels allow their protagonists to be.” This was a revelation to me, which made sense after I thought about it and reflected upon my own experience of reading Ruth Rendell's work over the years.
The short stories appeared in this order:
1. Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror – read by Gemma Whelan. This is the ‘quarter’ tale as it is only three lines long. This is one of the three ghost stories in this collection. (32 seconds)
2. A Spot of Folly – read by Jonathan Keeble (34 minutes)
3. The Price of Joy – read by Julian Rhind Tutt (29 minutes)
4. The Irony of Hate – read by Toby Longworth (28 minutes) This tale was truly full of irony!
5. Digby’s Wives – read by Jonathan Keeble (28 minutes)
6. The Haunting of Shawley Rectory – Read by Toby Longworth (35 minutes)
7. A Drop Too Much – read by Julian Rhind-Tutt (26 minutes)
8. The Thief – read by Hattie Morahan (1 hour & 45 minutes) – I was riveted by this one and could not predict how it would turn out. It will stay with me for a while.
9. The Long Corridor of Time – read by Julian Rhind-Tutt (36 minutes) A May December relationship derailed by a historical ghost story.
10. In the Time of His Prosperity – read by Gemma Whelan (35 minutes)
11. Trebuchet – read by Hattie Morahan (26 minutes)
The narrators were equally good. The stories themselves varied and I enjoyed some more than others. I vacillated between three and four stars and landed on four.
The short stories appeared in this order:
1. Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror – read by Gemma Whelan. This is the ‘quarter’ tale as it is only three lines long. This is one of the three ghost stories in this collection. (32 seconds)
2. A Spot of Folly – read by Jonathan Keeble (34 minutes)
3. The Price of Joy – read by Julian Rhind Tutt (29 minutes)
4. The Irony of Hate – read by Toby Longworth (28 minutes) This tale was truly full of irony!
5. Digby’s Wives – read by Jonathan Keeble (28 minutes)
6. The Haunting of Shawley Rectory – Read by Toby Longworth (35 minutes)
7. A Drop Too Much – read by Julian Rhind-Tutt (26 minutes)
8. The Thief – read by Hattie Morahan (1 hour & 45 minutes) – I was riveted by this one and could not predict how it would turn out. It will stay with me for a while.
9. The Long Corridor of Time – read by Julian Rhind-Tutt (36 minutes) A May December relationship derailed by a historical ghost story.
10. In the Time of His Prosperity – read by Gemma Whelan (35 minutes)
11. Trebuchet – read by Hattie Morahan (26 minutes)
The narrators were equally good. The stories themselves varied and I enjoyed some more than others. I vacillated between three and four stars and landed on four.
March 1, 2018
A collection of classic Short Stories that go back to 1974-1989 from the late Dame who died in May 2015. This has 10 stories .I always enjoy her short stories better than her books .She was one few authors who when she wrought under name Barbara Vine could completely change her style because like Vane but years before new was Rendell not meany authors can change styles Agatha Christie tried to write a sloppy romantic under an other name they fall at waste side as they still read like Her murders or even King not got it right as still the same but her books were not.
There are number of comical stories as well as ghost stories in this collection that has not been book form before. They are from Daily Telegraph ,Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Woman's Own & other lesser known magazines there is also Barbara Vine story too.Along with an intro by Sophie Hannah who has written crime books.
My favorite stories are The Price of Joy,Digby's Wives ,Never sleep in and facing a Mirror.
There are number of comical stories as well as ghost stories in this collection that has not been book form before. They are from Daily Telegraph ,Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Woman's Own & other lesser known magazines there is also Barbara Vine story too.Along with an intro by Sophie Hannah who has written crime books.
My favorite stories are The Price of Joy,Digby's Wives ,Never sleep in and facing a Mirror.
January 24, 2018
What a shame that Ruth Rendell, along with PD James are no longer with us and therefore cannot release anymore short story collections to have us quaking in our boots. Rendell's stories are terrifying and strikingly articulate in equal measures. Where she got her ideas from I will never know, but I thoroughly recommend her and she has a wonderful imagination.
September 30, 2017
Book 57 of 2017 - A Spot of Folly by Ruth Rendell. I gave this one, which is published on October 5th, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. .
This was my first time reading anything by one of the queens of crime, Ruth Rendell, and I was very pleasantly surprised by this set of ten and a quarter tales, including stories with themes of crime, murder, hauntings and the end of the world. .
What I found so great about this collection is that the stories are quite dark and dastardly, with every character getting their comeuppance or eloquent ending and that they fail to, as Sophie Hannah writes in the introduction, "make the imaginative leap from knowing what they're capable of to working out that others might be capable of similar immorality". .
Each story is really well written and atmospheric with some twists and turns along the way making them a bit unpredictable and able to elicit a few evil chuckles from me. I do love a dark story with an unhappy ending for particularly unlikeable characters. Speaking of characters, all the cast of these stories were well developed and I didn't feel cheated out of a longer story. Rendell definitely perfected the short story format, which is shown perfectly in the 'quarter' of a story, Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror, which is only three paragraphs long but works really well. .
If you like Agatha Christie or the short stories of Daphne du Maurier then you should read this one! .
This was my first time reading anything by one of the queens of crime, Ruth Rendell, and I was very pleasantly surprised by this set of ten and a quarter tales, including stories with themes of crime, murder, hauntings and the end of the world. .
What I found so great about this collection is that the stories are quite dark and dastardly, with every character getting their comeuppance or eloquent ending and that they fail to, as Sophie Hannah writes in the introduction, "make the imaginative leap from knowing what they're capable of to working out that others might be capable of similar immorality". .
Each story is really well written and atmospheric with some twists and turns along the way making them a bit unpredictable and able to elicit a few evil chuckles from me. I do love a dark story with an unhappy ending for particularly unlikeable characters. Speaking of characters, all the cast of these stories were well developed and I didn't feel cheated out of a longer story. Rendell definitely perfected the short story format, which is shown perfectly in the 'quarter' of a story, Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror, which is only three paragraphs long but works really well. .
If you like Agatha Christie or the short stories of Daphne du Maurier then you should read this one! .
February 5, 2021
I grew up on Ruth Rendell and read her previous short story collections during my teens approximately 20 years ago. This compilation doesn't rate as highly as previous publications but still contains enough gems to award it 4 stars. Highlights for me included The Price of Joy and The Irony of Hate. The Haunting of Shawley Rectory is also impressive...it's not what she's known for but Rendell seems to do ghost stories very well. The only one I wasn't keen on was A Spot of Folly.
I also love how dated her stories are, that's part of the charm...like the chap renting a flat in London for twenty quid a week or something daft!
I will forever wholeheartedly recommend anything by Rendell - except the Wexford novels which don't interest me - however I would probably suggest checking out one of her other short story offerings prior to this one. Having said that, they're all good and if you catch the Rendell bug you'll need to read them all eventually!
I also love how dated her stories are, that's part of the charm...like the chap renting a flat in London for twenty quid a week or something daft!
I will forever wholeheartedly recommend anything by Rendell - except the Wexford novels which don't interest me - however I would probably suggest checking out one of her other short story offerings prior to this one. Having said that, they're all good and if you catch the Rendell bug you'll need to read them all eventually!
August 26, 2018
It's taken me about a year to get round to reading this collection of short stories from the much-missed queen of crime Ruth Rendell. Reading it is an absolute joy and reminds me of how much I miss her work. She's brilliant at creating characters with strange obsessions and behaviour, and in these stories she gets straight to the point. The introduction by Sophie Hannah, another author I love, is also excellent. They're not all crime stories - some are supernatural ghost stories, and the final tale is one of apocalyptic doom. How I wish she was still alive and writing today!
December 15, 2017
I loved this posthumously published collection. Ruth Rendell (Baroness Rendell of Babergh since her life peerage in 1977) is one of my favourite writers. The stories are mostly psychological domestic crime but a couple have supernatural themes (the chilling Haunting of Shawley Rectory equals M.R.James) and there is even a dystopian story describing the bleak effects of a nuclear war. The ‘Quarter’ story of the title (Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror) has only three sentences, but every word is a sinister whisper in your brain.
Sophie Hannah provides an entertaining and interesting introduction, detailing how her appreciation of Ruth Rendell began.
As Sophie Hannah says in her intro: Ruth always knew how imperative it is to hook your reader with a strong opening line. Ruth is famous for her opening line of her 1977 novel, A Judgement in Stone: ‘Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write.’ It takes a confident writer to begin a crime novel with all their cards exposed. A Judgment in Stone remains gripping throughout and is ultimately poignant and believable.
Considers these hooks from opening lines of stories in A Spot of Folly:
‘You won’t believe this, but last week I tried to murder my wife.’ - A Drop Too Much
‘I don’t believe in the supernatural, but just the same, I wouldn’t live in Shawley Rectory.’ - The Haunting of Shawley Rectory
‘I murdered Brenda Goring for what I suppose is the most unusual of motives. She came between me and my wife.’ – The Irony of Hate
Not a word is wasted in A Spot of Folly. For any writer wanting a master class in crafting suspense and crime short stories, this is a perfect book to study. The characters are chilling, or heartbreakingly vulnerable to their fates, but Rendell always creates believable flawed characters. Ruth began writing short stories in the 1950s and admitted a lot of her early attempts were pretty bad but she soon found her power lay in suspense writing.
The stories were published previously in various formats over a long period of time. I hadn’t read any of them before, so it was a treat to connect with Ruth’s work again. I only wish another manuscript of hers would turn up in some attic. Meanwhile I shall continue to hunt down out-of-print copies of her books to re-read and marvel over her skill.
This is a ‘must’ book for the library of any lover of this talented crime writer. As with a lot of Rendell’s work, the stories seem to bury themselves like a deadly creeper vine into your brain, making you reflect upon them for a long time afterwards. Her skill in creating broken, dysfunctional people capable of the most cruel acts is unparalleled. You won’t find shock twists here, as the current publishing trend dictates, but rather more elegant haunting stories that bring some cohesion to the darkness within humanity.
Sophie Hannah provides an entertaining and interesting introduction, detailing how her appreciation of Ruth Rendell began.
As Sophie Hannah says in her intro: Ruth always knew how imperative it is to hook your reader with a strong opening line. Ruth is famous for her opening line of her 1977 novel, A Judgement in Stone: ‘Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write.’ It takes a confident writer to begin a crime novel with all their cards exposed. A Judgment in Stone remains gripping throughout and is ultimately poignant and believable.
Considers these hooks from opening lines of stories in A Spot of Folly:
‘You won’t believe this, but last week I tried to murder my wife.’ - A Drop Too Much
‘I don’t believe in the supernatural, but just the same, I wouldn’t live in Shawley Rectory.’ - The Haunting of Shawley Rectory
‘I murdered Brenda Goring for what I suppose is the most unusual of motives. She came between me and my wife.’ – The Irony of Hate
Not a word is wasted in A Spot of Folly. For any writer wanting a master class in crafting suspense and crime short stories, this is a perfect book to study. The characters are chilling, or heartbreakingly vulnerable to their fates, but Rendell always creates believable flawed characters. Ruth began writing short stories in the 1950s and admitted a lot of her early attempts were pretty bad but she soon found her power lay in suspense writing.
The stories were published previously in various formats over a long period of time. I hadn’t read any of them before, so it was a treat to connect with Ruth’s work again. I only wish another manuscript of hers would turn up in some attic. Meanwhile I shall continue to hunt down out-of-print copies of her books to re-read and marvel over her skill.
This is a ‘must’ book for the library of any lover of this talented crime writer. As with a lot of Rendell’s work, the stories seem to bury themselves like a deadly creeper vine into your brain, making you reflect upon them for a long time afterwards. Her skill in creating broken, dysfunctional people capable of the most cruel acts is unparalleled. You won’t find shock twists here, as the current publishing trend dictates, but rather more elegant haunting stories that bring some cohesion to the darkness within humanity.
December 14, 2017
I remember as a teen going to my local small town library and picking up any Ruth Rendell book I could find. This was back before ebooks and libraries were pretty well limited to what was on the shelf. I devoured all of her novels that were available and she was truly my introduction into mysteries. Although all of the stories in this collection have been published in various places before they were all new to me. Many of them were written quite a while ago and they definitely feel a bit dated. Despite this I find her stories deliciously dark and bleak. If you want to wallow in the misery of others then Rendell is your queen. Some of these stories were excruciatingly uncomfortable and all feature her signature twist at the end that is like in knife in the gut. The last story "Trebuchet" was particularly haunting and is all too relevant today. I don't think her stories are for everyone and they won't leave you feeling warm and fuzzy but she was a master at a certain type of story and this collection showcases that beautifully.
September 16, 2020
A fine collection of short stories from this prolific crime writer, I enjoyed most of them. I thought the audio version with the different narrators was well done too. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror 2.5 stars
A Spot of Folly 3 stars
The Price of Joy 3.5 stars
The Irony of Hate 3.5 stars
Digby’s Wives 3 stars
The Haunting of Shawley Rectory 3 stars
A Drop Too Much 4 stars
The Thief 3.5 stars
The long Corridor of Time 2 stars
In the Time of his Prosperity 2 stars
Trebuchet 3.5 stars
Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror 2.5 stars
A Spot of Folly 3 stars
The Price of Joy 3.5 stars
The Irony of Hate 3.5 stars
Digby’s Wives 3 stars
The Haunting of Shawley Rectory 3 stars
A Drop Too Much 4 stars
The Thief 3.5 stars
The long Corridor of Time 2 stars
In the Time of his Prosperity 2 stars
Trebuchet 3.5 stars
November 19, 2017
My God, what a treasure Ruth Rendell was. And what perfect slices of fiction these tales are. Some traditional crime, some classic Rendell tales of people trapping themselves by their own nature, some ghost stories, a disaster story, even one comprised of only 3 sentences. Each is world unto itself, each a small gift to Rendell’s readers. I don’t hold out much hope for more of her work being released posthumously. But I am grateful for one last visit with her.
January 21, 2019
Listened to in audio format.
I have tried to watch Ruth Rendell`s Inspector Wexford on television many times over the years. Unfortunately I never warmed to Wexford or his wife so I was never tempted to give her books a try.
Luckily I enjoy short stories that I can dip in and out of. When I saw a collection of the late Baroness Rendell`s stories were due to be released I thought I would give it a try.
This was a delightful collection of old school murder mysteries, the motives adultery, jealously and greed. My favourite stories were Never Sleep facing a mirror, it was only three lines but spine chilling. I also enjoyed The Thief which was the longest story in the book. A young woman was humiliated on a flight to New York, on the flight home she took revenge with disastrous results.
I enjoyed most of the stories apart from In the time of prosperity and Trebuchet. In the time which was about Aztec paintings and Trebuchet which was about the end of the world.
I look forward to reading the rest of Baroness Rendell`s books.
I have tried to watch Ruth Rendell`s Inspector Wexford on television many times over the years. Unfortunately I never warmed to Wexford or his wife so I was never tempted to give her books a try.
Luckily I enjoy short stories that I can dip in and out of. When I saw a collection of the late Baroness Rendell`s stories were due to be released I thought I would give it a try.
This was a delightful collection of old school murder mysteries, the motives adultery, jealously and greed. My favourite stories were Never Sleep facing a mirror, it was only three lines but spine chilling. I also enjoyed The Thief which was the longest story in the book. A young woman was humiliated on a flight to New York, on the flight home she took revenge with disastrous results.
I enjoyed most of the stories apart from In the time of prosperity and Trebuchet. In the time which was about Aztec paintings and Trebuchet which was about the end of the world.
I look forward to reading the rest of Baroness Rendell`s books.
December 14, 2018
This collection of short stories is quite good. There's the usual mix of stories so great you want to share them with others (The Irony of Hate, The Long Corridor of Time for me), and others you might not care for at all (The Thief for me). But if you have a long journey to make somewhere, this is as good a bet as any for time-killing with suspense.
April 5, 2020
Not usually a lover of short stories but really enjoyed this. Only one tale that I wasn't so keen on.
Tried to guess the twist at end of every story.... I didn't do too badly 😊
Tried to guess the twist at end of every story.... I didn't do too badly 😊
February 19, 2022
Esu skaičiusi Ruth Rendell romanų, bet visai netyčia google play radau jos apsakymų rinktinę ir negaliu sustoti skaityti jos apsakymų! Nu tokie geri! Nusprendžiau skaityti visas Rendell apsakymų rinktines iš eilės, gal šitaip persisotinsiu ir nebenorėsiu.
Čia keli apsakymai yra supernatural, bet dauguma - tiesiog situacijos, į kurias sumesti personažai tiesiog reaguoja kaip išmokę, o išmokę jie daugiausiai visokių nesveikų elgesio modelių, kas galiausiai priveda prie nusikaltimų.
1. Never sleep in a bed facing a mirror - vos kelių sakinių siaubo vaizdelis, tiesą sakant, nesuprantu, kam jo čia reikėjo.
2. A spot of folly - verslo kelionėje vienas verslininkas giriasi jaunesniam kolegai savo neištikimybėmis, tas pasišlykšti.
3. The price of Joy - gyvendamas su savo trečiąja žmona turtingas vyras staiga ima baisiai ilgėtis prarastos pirmosios, kai staiga gauna žinią, kad jo esama žmona pagrobta.
4. The irony of hate - į ramią priemiesčio bendruomenę atsikrausto jauna ekscentriška kaimynė, visiems pasakojanti apie savo meilės nuotykius. Vyras nepatenkintas, kad jo žmona draugauja ir nepaprastai žavisi naująja kaimyne.
5. Digby's wives - pasakotojas įtaria, kad jo bičiulis Digbis nužudė savo antrąją žmoną, bet netikėtai iš jo gauna puikų pasiūlymą nuomotis butą.
6. The Haunting of Shawley rectory - supernatural istorija, kai kurie iš vieno seno namo gyventojų mato vaiduoklius - vyresnę moterį, kuri nužudo jaunesniąją.
7. A drop too much - labai savarankiškos ir daug uždirbančios moters vyras įsimyli jos sekretorę ir planuoja nužudyti savo sutuoktinę. Juokingas apsakymas, apskritai Rendell labai dažnai pašiepia vyrus, kurie mano, jog jūra jiems iki kelių.
8. The thief - Polly turi polinkį vogti iš žmonių, kurie ją sunervina, bet dabar, susiradusi nuostabų vaikiną, visai sėkmingai slopina šį troškimą. Man gal labiausiai patikęs apsakymas, net širdį sugėlė.
9. The long corridor of time - irgi tokia pusiau supernatural istorija, vyras veda labai jauną merginą ir niekaip nesupranta jos nenumaldomo poreikio sėdėti nykiame medžių guote šalia namų.
10. In the time of his prosperity - ekscentriškas keliautojas, savo sode įsitaisęs majų piramidę, priima sau padėjėją. Šiaip gana silpnokas apsakymas, jei pradėję skaityti įsivaizduojat, kad žinot, kas nutiko, tai esat teisūs.
11. Trebuchet - Von Trier'o "Melancholijos" gerbėjams. Ne crime fiction, bet šiaip gana įspūdingas apsakymas.
Čia keli apsakymai yra supernatural, bet dauguma - tiesiog situacijos, į kurias sumesti personažai tiesiog reaguoja kaip išmokę, o išmokę jie daugiausiai visokių nesveikų elgesio modelių, kas galiausiai priveda prie nusikaltimų.
1. Never sleep in a bed facing a mirror - vos kelių sakinių siaubo vaizdelis, tiesą sakant, nesuprantu, kam jo čia reikėjo.
2. A spot of folly - verslo kelionėje vienas verslininkas giriasi jaunesniam kolegai savo neištikimybėmis, tas pasišlykšti.
3. The price of Joy - gyvendamas su savo trečiąja žmona turtingas vyras staiga ima baisiai ilgėtis prarastos pirmosios, kai staiga gauna žinią, kad jo esama žmona pagrobta.
4. The irony of hate - į ramią priemiesčio bendruomenę atsikrausto jauna ekscentriška kaimynė, visiems pasakojanti apie savo meilės nuotykius. Vyras nepatenkintas, kad jo žmona draugauja ir nepaprastai žavisi naująja kaimyne.
5. Digby's wives - pasakotojas įtaria, kad jo bičiulis Digbis nužudė savo antrąją žmoną, bet netikėtai iš jo gauna puikų pasiūlymą nuomotis butą.
6. The Haunting of Shawley rectory - supernatural istorija, kai kurie iš vieno seno namo gyventojų mato vaiduoklius - vyresnę moterį, kuri nužudo jaunesniąją.
7. A drop too much - labai savarankiškos ir daug uždirbančios moters vyras įsimyli jos sekretorę ir planuoja nužudyti savo sutuoktinę. Juokingas apsakymas, apskritai Rendell labai dažnai pašiepia vyrus, kurie mano, jog jūra jiems iki kelių.
8. The thief - Polly turi polinkį vogti iš žmonių, kurie ją sunervina, bet dabar, susiradusi nuostabų vaikiną, visai sėkmingai slopina šį troškimą. Man gal labiausiai patikęs apsakymas, net širdį sugėlė.
9. The long corridor of time - irgi tokia pusiau supernatural istorija, vyras veda labai jauną merginą ir niekaip nesupranta jos nenumaldomo poreikio sėdėti nykiame medžių guote šalia namų.
10. In the time of his prosperity - ekscentriškas keliautojas, savo sode įsitaisęs majų piramidę, priima sau padėjėją. Šiaip gana silpnokas apsakymas, jei pradėję skaityti įsivaizduojat, kad žinot, kas nutiko, tai esat teisūs.
11. Trebuchet - Von Trier'o "Melancholijos" gerbėjams. Ne crime fiction, bet šiaip gana įspūdingas apsakymas.
February 16, 2024
this was a fun read. i would say half of them were 5 stars but some were 2, so i gave an average rating of 3. the haunting of shawley rectory was my favourite, very suspenseful. and the thief was my least favourite, just dragged on a bit. but overall, enjoyed it - probably the shortest amount of time a book has spent on my tbr shelf!
May 26, 2021
With hovering suspense and intrigue, A Spot of Folly by Ruth Rendell is a provocative and stimulating short story collection. Packed with ten shocking, intense, spooky tales, this book is absolutely fabulous.
The story I found most interesting is The Irony of Hate and the one that gave me anxious and insecure vibes is The Thief. Another story that I really enjoyed is A Spot of Folly.
Easy plots, but twisty storylines will make you read the whole story before stopping for a break.
All the stories are crafted with great precision and accompanied with some twists and turn to remove the tag of predictable and invoke a wicked smile on the reader’s face. The stories are unpredictable and even if you think that you got the plot, Ruth will have a twist stored for you at the end of the story.
Read the full review on:
https://bit.ly/3bX25Zl
The story I found most interesting is The Irony of Hate and the one that gave me anxious and insecure vibes is The Thief. Another story that I really enjoyed is A Spot of Folly.
Easy plots, but twisty storylines will make you read the whole story before stopping for a break.
All the stories are crafted with great precision and accompanied with some twists and turn to remove the tag of predictable and invoke a wicked smile on the reader’s face. The stories are unpredictable and even if you think that you got the plot, Ruth will have a twist stored for you at the end of the story.
Read the full review on:
https://bit.ly/3bX25Zl
November 4, 2019
Stories are good, but predictable.
March 28, 2018
Sad to think that this is the final book from Ruth Rendell. This collection of her previously published short stories begins with a chilling tale of just three sentences and the remainder of the book continues to provide shivers down the spine. Rendell's characters, as those in many of her books, are slightly strange and one can use that strangeness to distance oneself from the horrors they experience but ultimately the real horror for the reader is the realisation that civilisation is a thin veneer and it is no great leap to imagine that we could all share their experiences. The more conventional tales of hauntings are slightly less successful in my opinion but overall these stories are close in style and effect to those of the ineffable Shirley Jackson. Highly recommended.
August 22, 2019
Another excellent collection from Ruth Rendell, and her last. Ten and a quarter tales (and that quarter one packs a punch) ranging from good to outstanding. There are several clever suspense stories, naturally enough, but also one of the best ghost stories I've read in quite a while and a memorable apocalyptic tale. If you love Rendell, you'll love this, and if you're not a fan, you probably shouldn't bother reading any of my reviews of suspense fiction.
December 31, 2017
Excellent collection of stories by an absolute master.
May 10, 2021
I’m not usually a fan of short stories but I really enjoyed these short quirky crime stories.
October 26, 2024
Great collection of short stories. A wonderful introduction to Ruth Rendell as an author. The stories were eerie, mysterious and clever as well as being extremely articulate and sophisticated.
December 22, 2023
I found these stories a bit underwhelming and also dated. I read about six stories and i skimmed the rest just because i found it so underwhelming. I really expected more from this book.
December 22, 2020
I don’t mind short story collections having a theme to them, but this just got repetitive and I very quickly lost interest after the overly long story ‘The Thief’ and skimmed the last few stories
January 7, 2022
From the pen of a master
Nothing earth-shattering here, just pleasure reading. This is a second reading, perhaps the second of many. If you enjoy short stories, you can count on Ruth Rendell to surprise you with a twist in the tale.
4
Nothing earth-shattering here, just pleasure reading. This is a second reading, perhaps the second of many. If you enjoy short stories, you can count on Ruth Rendell to surprise you with a twist in the tale.
4
December 26, 2019
An impressive collection of stories from 1974-1989 and some fabulous first line hooks!
As a reader who prefers the longer form of a novel I am a harsh judge of short stories but this collection by the late Ruth Rendell proved a real delight with virtually every story (except the quarter - all of five lines) making a strong and satisfying impression. Although previously published in magazines and written between the years of 1974-1989, the ten and a quarter stories are previously uncollected and were all new to me. What stood out for me was how skilful Ruth Rendell was at picking apart her characters and examining their obsessions and dysfunctional predilections without judgement, and by doing so getting to the heart of what makes a person tick. In her hands the individuals feel believable and often sympathetic and the reader can empathise when a surprise twist sends them scrambling and the very worst happens.
The longest story, released under the Quick Reads scheme, is The Thief and sees a reformed liar and pilferer tied up in knots when an impulsive reaction leads her to come unstuck in the cruellest of ways. Several of the stories are supernatural and of these The Haunting of Shawley Rectory is an atmospheric tale of two married couples attempt to experience the ghostly phenomenon for themselves, only for a shot of dark humour and brilliant twist to unseat the reader. A Drop Too Much and Digby’s Wives are wonderfully ironic whilst the only story written as Barbara Vine (In The Time of His Prosperity) has a shockingly bleak denouement as befitting her darker pen name. The final story, Trebeuchet, is a timely account of the approach of a doom laden apocalypse on a Scottish Isle and is a very fitting end point to a admirable collection.
Several stories do suffer from slightly dated dialogue and domestic circumstances (husband works, wife stays at home and spends his money) and I would have appreciated being presented with the date they were actually written. Admittedly the set-up of one or two is too elaborate to be likely but for the most part the stories resolve themselves with a credible denouement and practically all guarantee a wry smile or sardonic laugh.
The introduction by Sophie Hannah mentions “the hookiness of Rendell’s writing” and her ability to hook the reader from the first line and several of stories included in this collection do justice to this reputation, including the following opening, “You won’t believe this, but last week I tried to murder my wife” which begs to be read! In Hannah’s foreword she also notes that many of Rendell’s unscrupulous characters come undone because they are so certain that they know the lie of the land and fail to consider that other people are similarly unscrupulous. Remembering that undoubtedly helped me guess a few of the denouements in this memorable collection.
As a reader who prefers the longer form of a novel I am a harsh judge of short stories but this collection by the late Ruth Rendell proved a real delight with virtually every story (except the quarter - all of five lines) making a strong and satisfying impression. Although previously published in magazines and written between the years of 1974-1989, the ten and a quarter stories are previously uncollected and were all new to me. What stood out for me was how skilful Ruth Rendell was at picking apart her characters and examining their obsessions and dysfunctional predilections without judgement, and by doing so getting to the heart of what makes a person tick. In her hands the individuals feel believable and often sympathetic and the reader can empathise when a surprise twist sends them scrambling and the very worst happens.
The longest story, released under the Quick Reads scheme, is The Thief and sees a reformed liar and pilferer tied up in knots when an impulsive reaction leads her to come unstuck in the cruellest of ways. Several of the stories are supernatural and of these The Haunting of Shawley Rectory is an atmospheric tale of two married couples attempt to experience the ghostly phenomenon for themselves, only for a shot of dark humour and brilliant twist to unseat the reader. A Drop Too Much and Digby’s Wives are wonderfully ironic whilst the only story written as Barbara Vine (In The Time of His Prosperity) has a shockingly bleak denouement as befitting her darker pen name. The final story, Trebeuchet, is a timely account of the approach of a doom laden apocalypse on a Scottish Isle and is a very fitting end point to a admirable collection.
Several stories do suffer from slightly dated dialogue and domestic circumstances (husband works, wife stays at home and spends his money) and I would have appreciated being presented with the date they were actually written. Admittedly the set-up of one or two is too elaborate to be likely but for the most part the stories resolve themselves with a credible denouement and practically all guarantee a wry smile or sardonic laugh.
The introduction by Sophie Hannah mentions “the hookiness of Rendell’s writing” and her ability to hook the reader from the first line and several of stories included in this collection do justice to this reputation, including the following opening, “You won’t believe this, but last week I tried to murder my wife” which begs to be read! In Hannah’s foreword she also notes that many of Rendell’s unscrupulous characters come undone because they are so certain that they know the lie of the land and fail to consider that other people are similarly unscrupulous. Remembering that undoubtedly helped me guess a few of the denouements in this memorable collection.
September 22, 2018
1. Never Sleep in a Bed Facing a Mirror;
Oh wow… that is one of the best super short stories I’ve ever read. It’s three lines long.
2. A Spot of Folly;
Each time the insurance man is away on his business, he meets up with other women. His junior exec disapproves. When the man’s car is damaged, the junior suggests it might be the French lover’s boyfriend…
Ah, but whose folly? A murder with a twist.
3. The Price of Joy;
His first wife, Joy re-interests Dan after an intervening three marriages. But how can he get rid of his current wife, Prunella, and get Joy back? And then after an article on them both appears in Tatler, Prunella is kidnapped. What if he doesn’t pay the ransom?
4. The Irony of Hate;
A new single neighbour with a highly inflated sense of self and a ream of fake stories about how many men she’s dated befriends a young wife. Much to her husband’s irritation. How can he get rid of this annoying guest who always overstays her welcome?
When another resident is murdered in a random attack, he gets an idea.
5. Digby's Wives;
A man meets up with an old friend, Digby, whose second wife disappears, which is odd, because his first wife drowned. But if you cry ‘murder’ too soon… who will believe you?
6. The Haunting of Shawley Rectory;
Oh now… that’s a very interesting idea; a haunted house that only ‘haunts’ people who fit the correct profiles.
7. A Drop Too Much;
8. The Thief;
A real ‘bad seed’ vibe to this one. But it was so anxiety inducing it made me stop listening… a serial liar meets her match on a flight to the US.
9. The Long Corridor of Time;
A very young wife spends all her time in the abandoned garden near their home, setting in motion a chain of historic events.
10. In the Time of his Prosperity;
A beautiful young man is offered a job cataloguing a millionaire’s art collection. All the art is Mayan or Aztec. He writes to his girlfriend and when he’s not seen again after a year, she shows the letters to his second cousin. It isn’t until years later that she sees the parallels in what he’d written to an Aztec ceremony her historian husband shows her.
11. Trebuchet.
Perfect weapons and if they should be used. Or has it already been used?
***
I did not know Rendell wrote short stories but I’ll keep an eye out for more. These were excellent.
4 stars
Oh wow… that is one of the best super short stories I’ve ever read. It’s three lines long.
2. A Spot of Folly;
Each time the insurance man is away on his business, he meets up with other women. His junior exec disapproves. When the man’s car is damaged, the junior suggests it might be the French lover’s boyfriend…
Ah, but whose folly? A murder with a twist.
3. The Price of Joy;
His first wife, Joy re-interests Dan after an intervening three marriages. But how can he get rid of his current wife, Prunella, and get Joy back? And then after an article on them both appears in Tatler, Prunella is kidnapped. What if he doesn’t pay the ransom?
4. The Irony of Hate;
A new single neighbour with a highly inflated sense of self and a ream of fake stories about how many men she’s dated befriends a young wife. Much to her husband’s irritation. How can he get rid of this annoying guest who always overstays her welcome?
When another resident is murdered in a random attack, he gets an idea.
5. Digby's Wives;
A man meets up with an old friend, Digby, whose second wife disappears, which is odd, because his first wife drowned. But if you cry ‘murder’ too soon… who will believe you?
6. The Haunting of Shawley Rectory;
Oh now… that’s a very interesting idea; a haunted house that only ‘haunts’ people who fit the correct profiles.
7. A Drop Too Much;
8. The Thief;
A real ‘bad seed’ vibe to this one. But it was so anxiety inducing it made me stop listening… a serial liar meets her match on a flight to the US.
9. The Long Corridor of Time;
A very young wife spends all her time in the abandoned garden near their home, setting in motion a chain of historic events.
10. In the Time of his Prosperity;
A beautiful young man is offered a job cataloguing a millionaire’s art collection. All the art is Mayan or Aztec. He writes to his girlfriend and when he’s not seen again after a year, she shows the letters to his second cousin. It isn’t until years later that she sees the parallels in what he’d written to an Aztec ceremony her historian husband shows her.
11. Trebuchet.
Perfect weapons and if they should be used. Or has it already been used?
***
I did not know Rendell wrote short stories but I’ll keep an eye out for more. These were excellent.
4 stars
December 17, 2019
Quando estamos assoberbados de trabalho não há nada melhor que ler um policial. Pelo menos para mim e especialmente quando a autora é Ruth Rendell. No caso não se trata de uma história apenas mas de 10 histórias e um quarto de homicídio e caos (Ten and a quarter new tales of murder and Mayhem).
Como em todas as coletâneas, há contos melhores que outros. Uma referência particular ao primeiro conto que tem apenas quatro linhas e meia e funciona, isto é, é verdadeiramente uma história, até com efeito final de surpresa.
O livro tem uma introdução interessante, de Sophie Hannah, em que nos fala da importância que os livros da Ruth Rendell tiveram durante os primeiros anos de faculdade. Conta também que numa apresentação que a autora fez falou da importância de agarrar o leitor desde a primeira linha. Como tenho a mania de ler a introdução depois de acabar de o livro respetivo, fui logo reler as primeiras linhas de cada conto, e é inegável que ela respeita esta regra.
Não esgota a fórmula na primeira linha, bem pelo contrário, obrigando o leitor a prosseguir a leitura até ao desenlace.
Nos seus contos utiliza personagens estranhas cujos comportamentos não antecipamos, nem compreendemos, nem sequer simpatizamos. Não estamos do lado dos bons ou dos maus porque não sabemos quem são uns e outros ou porque rapidamente um se pode transformar no outro.
https://leiturasemclube.blogspot.com/
Como em todas as coletâneas, há contos melhores que outros. Uma referência particular ao primeiro conto que tem apenas quatro linhas e meia e funciona, isto é, é verdadeiramente uma história, até com efeito final de surpresa.
O livro tem uma introdução interessante, de Sophie Hannah, em que nos fala da importância que os livros da Ruth Rendell tiveram durante os primeiros anos de faculdade. Conta também que numa apresentação que a autora fez falou da importância de agarrar o leitor desde a primeira linha. Como tenho a mania de ler a introdução depois de acabar de o livro respetivo, fui logo reler as primeiras linhas de cada conto, e é inegável que ela respeita esta regra.
Não esgota a fórmula na primeira linha, bem pelo contrário, obrigando o leitor a prosseguir a leitura até ao desenlace.
Nos seus contos utiliza personagens estranhas cujos comportamentos não antecipamos, nem compreendemos, nem sequer simpatizamos. Não estamos do lado dos bons ou dos maus porque não sabemos quem são uns e outros ou porque rapidamente um se pode transformar no outro.
https://leiturasemclube.blogspot.com/
April 10, 2025
Having previously only read Rendell's Inspector Wexford novels, I came to this short story collection with a solid respect for her craft as a writer but no very big expectations. I was delighted to be, on the whole, surprised by the depth, power and complexity of many of these stories. Naturally, not every one is a hit (I've yet to read a collection with no variation in quality), but the best ones are incredible, and will stay with me a long time.
Rendell combines mystery / puzzle staples with supernatural elements (in two, arguably three, stories), social commentary including a scathing take on misogyny and its many and various faces (in at least half of them) and psychological thriller-style tension (two in particular are outstanding exemplars of this).
My favourite stories of the book:
1. The Irony of Hate - because it really is actually ironic
2. The Thief - bent my brain, excellent psychological thriller
3. The Long Corridor of Time - best, and saddest, of the paranormal ones
4. Trebuchet - not a mystery, not a thriller, but a massive gut-punch story on "what man hath wrought".
Rendell combines mystery / puzzle staples with supernatural elements (in two, arguably three, stories), social commentary including a scathing take on misogyny and its many and various faces (in at least half of them) and psychological thriller-style tension (two in particular are outstanding exemplars of this).
My favourite stories of the book:
1. The Irony of Hate - because it really is actually ironic
2. The Thief - bent my brain, excellent psychological thriller
3. The Long Corridor of Time - best, and saddest, of the paranormal ones
4. Trebuchet - not a mystery, not a thriller, but a massive gut-punch story on "what man hath wrought".
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