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Stories of Suspense
A moron turns genius - and foresees his own doom.
Thousands of deadly birds stalk men - then attack with suicidal fury.
A lonely man wins a chance for new happiness - and loses it through split-second doubt.
Thousands of deadly birds stalk men - then attack with suicidal fury.
A lonely man wins a chance for new happiness - and loses it through split-second doubt.
None great stories by masters of the macabre. Tales of shock and suspense, of strange twists hidden in a shadow world of fear.
Contents:
The Birds - Daphne du Maurier
Of Missing Persons - Jack Finney
Midnight Blue - John Collier
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
Taste - Roald Dahl
Two Bottles of Relish - Lord Dunsany
Charles - Shirley Jackson
Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets - Jack Finney
The Perfectionist 0 Margaret St. Clair
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 13, 2020
This is a wonderful little Scholastic Scope paperback anthology. As I've said before, I think these bookmobile treasures made me the wide-ranging and voracious reader I am, simply by presenting a young me with stories written by adults FOR adults - no pandering to my juvenile sensibilities with YA writing, just the straight stuff - jump in, kid, and start swimming. This book is no exception and if you want the short version - it is worth your time as there isn't a bum story in the bunch!
This collection's thematic focus made me think a bit on "Suspense" stories (which often get lumped into "Mystery & Detective fiction") and more to the point, is there a way to separate "Suspense" stories from "Thrillers"? I came up with a few ideas but this is still a nascent concept, so take it with a grain of salt (and, as usual, NOTHING is absolute). It seems that, like most genres and subgenres, "suspense" and "thrillers" can be broken down into a difference between two aspects - content and intent. On the content end, "Suspense" plots tend to arise from the mostly plausible, and stress that real world aspect, while "Thriller" plots tend to arise from the appearance of the atypical into the character's life. For intent, "Suspense" stories tend to be slow burns with a measured accrual of detail, while "thrillers" tend toward a mad rush of events, with escalation/magnification for effect at the forefront. Not always - but mostly.
And now the stories - as I said, there was nothing bad or mediocre her, so let's get right to the somewhat qualified "Good" stories. "Midnight Blue" by John Collier has a businessman arrives home late from a meeting and the next morning, over breakfast, his wife relates a disturbing dream she had about him. You really have to give Collier credit - he's such a solid writer that even in a case like this (where we can kind of guess where the piece is heading by the halfway mark) - his mastery of terse description and realistic, snappy dialogue makes reading a pleasure. In "Two Bottles Of Relish" by Lord Dunsany, a salesman befriends a genius by sharing his flat, but soon thinks the young man would be better off turning his brilliant mind to solving a criminal disappearance in the news. And solve it he does, although no one finds the solution particularly reassuring. I rated this a little higher on the reread. It's atypical Dunsany in that he's set himself the task of writing a mystery story, but his twist is so shocking that the story has to, in a way, become an interrogation of people's drive to know the answers to a crime and whether such answers should be pursued to the end. A very nice voice in this one - my previous low opinion was probably based around an inability to get past a logical flaw I saw in the scenario, but it is a satisfying read.
Of the solidly good stories: A man hears of a secretive travel agency that offers real *escape* from all the problems of modern life but only if one follows the stringent set of rules in "Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney. And he finds out for himself that both of these details are true. I'm surprised that this was never adapted on THE TWILIGHT ZONE (although bringing off the interiority of the piece - the main character's thoughts and feelings, as well as the way the climax comes about - might have been difficult). In lots of ways this is a very *sad* story, as one can see Finney really wrestling with the problems and drives behind escapism, as well as the discontent with modern society that engenders it. Well Done. Shirley Jackson's "Charles" has a young boy dutifully report to his parents about the disruptive actions of another boy at school. Cute - a nice, short, light mental palate-cleanser in a collection like this. Meanwhile, a businessman entertains a wine connoisseur and they frequently make small bets over the latter's ability to identify a wine's origin by taste alone in "Taste" by Roald Dahl. But faced with a supposedly "unguessable" challenge, the connoisseur wagers two expensive properties for the hand of the businessman's daughter in marriage. Much like Collier, you have to marvel at Dahl's ability to take a trifle of a plot and make it gripping - especially the process of elimination the wine-taster verbalizes as he hones in on his target. A fun read. In Margaret St. Clair's "The Perfectionist" an unemployed young man is offered housing by his doting Aunt, who has developed an obsessive hobby for sketching stilllifes (despite her frustration that her living subjects will not stay still, which she solves in multiple peculiar ways). A fun little romp, lightly written in just the right tone of dark humor.
There are also three truly excellent stories here: "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier is a classic, although I'd bet more people have seen the film than read the story. I could be wrong on that, but what's most interesting about the story is that the Hitchcock film is very different than the source material (there's none of the sexual and gender psychodrama of the film - although as to *what* exactly he was trying to say in that film, outside of the idea that nature goes crazy when the sexes don't get along, I've never been able to crack). Du Maurier's source text is all about rural, familial farm life on the rugged shore, the day to day details of living with nature - and the slow-building, suspenseful accrual of details, ominous portents caught by the trained eye of the narrator. In truth, it's a stunningly apocalyptic tale when all is said and done, revolving on the contrast between self-sufficiency and inadequate preparedness versus the very British trust in Government stability (and subsequent lack of support). Very different but equally as good is "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, in which a retarded adult undergoes an operation designed to increase his intelligence, but the results are almost too successful. Most may be familiar with this through the Academy Award winning film CHARLY (1968) (and it was expanded fully into a novel in 1966). It's a moving and ultimately sad tale, as Charlie advances to a point where he realizes that his friends' "good-natured" ribbing is actually mockery, then feels satisfaction as an "average man", only to be overcome with alienation as his intelligence makes him an outcast from society. And the worst is yet to come. Extremely well done - if you want to hear a free reading of it, sf podcast "Escape Pod" has you covered. Finally, we have the amazing "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" by Jack Finney, a very simple and elegant example of suspense writing at its finest. A workaholic young man eschews a movie with his wife in order to tackle a project for work, but his important notes blow out the window and onto the ledge of their 11th floor New York City Apartment... so he decides to climb out onto the ledge to retrieve them. As a nearly lifelong acrophobic, and susceptible to both the image and *idea* of heights, I'll be honest and say this was one of the most riveting and gripping things I have ever read in my life (I actually said out loud at one point "I can't BELIEVE there are four more pages of this story!" - the cat was unimpressed). A modern riff on it would be Stephen King's "The Ledge". An extremely, extremely good read.
So there you are!
This collection's thematic focus made me think a bit on "Suspense" stories (which often get lumped into "Mystery & Detective fiction") and more to the point, is there a way to separate "Suspense" stories from "Thrillers"? I came up with a few ideas but this is still a nascent concept, so take it with a grain of salt (and, as usual, NOTHING is absolute). It seems that, like most genres and subgenres, "suspense" and "thrillers" can be broken down into a difference between two aspects - content and intent. On the content end, "Suspense" plots tend to arise from the mostly plausible, and stress that real world aspect, while "Thriller" plots tend to arise from the appearance of the atypical into the character's life. For intent, "Suspense" stories tend to be slow burns with a measured accrual of detail, while "thrillers" tend toward a mad rush of events, with escalation/magnification for effect at the forefront. Not always - but mostly.
And now the stories - as I said, there was nothing bad or mediocre her, so let's get right to the somewhat qualified "Good" stories. "Midnight Blue" by John Collier has a businessman arrives home late from a meeting and the next morning, over breakfast, his wife relates a disturbing dream she had about him. You really have to give Collier credit - he's such a solid writer that even in a case like this (where we can kind of guess where the piece is heading by the halfway mark) - his mastery of terse description and realistic, snappy dialogue makes reading a pleasure. In "Two Bottles Of Relish" by Lord Dunsany, a salesman befriends a genius by sharing his flat, but soon thinks the young man would be better off turning his brilliant mind to solving a criminal disappearance in the news. And solve it he does, although no one finds the solution particularly reassuring. I rated this a little higher on the reread. It's atypical Dunsany in that he's set himself the task of writing a mystery story, but his twist is so shocking that the story has to, in a way, become an interrogation of people's drive to know the answers to a crime and whether such answers should be pursued to the end. A very nice voice in this one - my previous low opinion was probably based around an inability to get past a logical flaw I saw in the scenario, but it is a satisfying read.
Of the solidly good stories: A man hears of a secretive travel agency that offers real *escape* from all the problems of modern life but only if one follows the stringent set of rules in "Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney. And he finds out for himself that both of these details are true. I'm surprised that this was never adapted on THE TWILIGHT ZONE (although bringing off the interiority of the piece - the main character's thoughts and feelings, as well as the way the climax comes about - might have been difficult). In lots of ways this is a very *sad* story, as one can see Finney really wrestling with the problems and drives behind escapism, as well as the discontent with modern society that engenders it. Well Done. Shirley Jackson's "Charles" has a young boy dutifully report to his parents about the disruptive actions of another boy at school. Cute - a nice, short, light mental palate-cleanser in a collection like this. Meanwhile, a businessman entertains a wine connoisseur and they frequently make small bets over the latter's ability to identify a wine's origin by taste alone in "Taste" by Roald Dahl. But faced with a supposedly "unguessable" challenge, the connoisseur wagers two expensive properties for the hand of the businessman's daughter in marriage. Much like Collier, you have to marvel at Dahl's ability to take a trifle of a plot and make it gripping - especially the process of elimination the wine-taster verbalizes as he hones in on his target. A fun read. In Margaret St. Clair's "The Perfectionist" an unemployed young man is offered housing by his doting Aunt, who has developed an obsessive hobby for sketching stilllifes (despite her frustration that her living subjects will not stay still, which she solves in multiple peculiar ways). A fun little romp, lightly written in just the right tone of dark humor.
There are also three truly excellent stories here: "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier is a classic, although I'd bet more people have seen the film than read the story. I could be wrong on that, but what's most interesting about the story is that the Hitchcock film is very different than the source material (there's none of the sexual and gender psychodrama of the film - although as to *what* exactly he was trying to say in that film, outside of the idea that nature goes crazy when the sexes don't get along, I've never been able to crack). Du Maurier's source text is all about rural, familial farm life on the rugged shore, the day to day details of living with nature - and the slow-building, suspenseful accrual of details, ominous portents caught by the trained eye of the narrator. In truth, it's a stunningly apocalyptic tale when all is said and done, revolving on the contrast between self-sufficiency and inadequate preparedness versus the very British trust in Government stability (and subsequent lack of support). Very different but equally as good is "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, in which a retarded adult undergoes an operation designed to increase his intelligence, but the results are almost too successful. Most may be familiar with this through the Academy Award winning film CHARLY (1968) (and it was expanded fully into a novel in 1966). It's a moving and ultimately sad tale, as Charlie advances to a point where he realizes that his friends' "good-natured" ribbing is actually mockery, then feels satisfaction as an "average man", only to be overcome with alienation as his intelligence makes him an outcast from society. And the worst is yet to come. Extremely well done - if you want to hear a free reading of it, sf podcast "Escape Pod" has you covered. Finally, we have the amazing "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" by Jack Finney, a very simple and elegant example of suspense writing at its finest. A workaholic young man eschews a movie with his wife in order to tackle a project for work, but his important notes blow out the window and onto the ledge of their 11th floor New York City Apartment... so he decides to climb out onto the ledge to retrieve them. As a nearly lifelong acrophobic, and susceptible to both the image and *idea* of heights, I'll be honest and say this was one of the most riveting and gripping things I have ever read in my life (I actually said out loud at one point "I can't BELIEVE there are four more pages of this story!" - the cat was unimpressed). A modern riff on it would be Stephen King's "The Ledge". An extremely, extremely good read.
So there you are!
September 1, 2011
A rather old collection of suspense stories with du Maurier's "The Birds" headlining the list. It also contains stories by Jack Finney and Shirley Jackson, Roald Dahl and other writers. Technically speaking, they're all masters of short stories, so all of the tales are concise and well written. However, since it was published in the sixties, the stories have a very nostalgic feel to them that it feels like you're watching reruns of "The Twilight Zone". Compared to more modern stories, they're almost predictable and stale, although some works do stand out (notably Finney's "Of Missing Persons", Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon" and "The Birds" ). It's a good collection to have around when one if feeling nostalgic.
Includes:
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier
(see The Birds for my review)
Of Missing Persons by Jack Finney
The standout of the bunch in my opinion. A man is given a secret and a chance to go to Utopia. But is there such a place? Walk in as though it were an ordinary travel bureau...
Midnight Blue by John Collier
The story suffers from being outdated. This was probably a wonderful thriller back then, but a little cliched now.
Flowers for Algernon by Keyes
The original short story version of the classic. A man vs mouse and its tragic consequences
Taste by Roald Dahl
Two bottles of Relish by Lord Dunsany
Charles by Shirley Jackson
Again, suffers from being outdated. The twist in the end is pretty predictable.
Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket by Jack Finney
The Perfectionist by Margaret St. Clair
Includes:
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier
(see The Birds for my review)
Of Missing Persons by Jack Finney
The standout of the bunch in my opinion. A man is given a secret and a chance to go to Utopia. But is there such a place? Walk in as though it were an ordinary travel bureau...
Midnight Blue by John Collier
The story suffers from being outdated. This was probably a wonderful thriller back then, but a little cliched now.
Flowers for Algernon by Keyes
The original short story version of the classic. A man vs mouse and its tragic consequences
Taste by Roald Dahl
Two bottles of Relish by Lord Dunsany
Charles by Shirley Jackson
Again, suffers from being outdated. The twist in the end is pretty predictable.
Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket by Jack Finney
The Perfectionist by Margaret St. Clair
April 16, 2019
I came across this at the annual library book sale for fifty cents. It's an odd little collection of stories in that they cross genres but cover the cream of the crop of some famous fiction authors including Shirley Jackson and Jack Finney. They really can't be summed up as pure suspense though a lot of them end in a twist or a clever ambiguity.
"The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier - The short story on which the more famous Hitchcock adaptation is based really blew me away. It's not often enough that quiet apocalyptic stories get told. The kind of slow, open to interpretation sequence of abnormal events or signs that only a select or singular group of people take note of and by the time the world at large notices, its far too late. The arctic chill of the winter season throws off the flight pattern of multiple species of birds, causing them to go hungry and act violently out of character. The ending was the perfect - you know enough about the narrating character's fate for the short term, but the fate of their future and humanity is left open, even if bleakly so.
"Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney - This tale of there being underground knowledge of the way to a real utopia was a nice touch of magical realism. I'm going to feel really stupid if this has already been made into a legendary Twilight Zone episode, but honestly I haven't seen every episode of the original series, but anyhow, this should be if it isn't. It has that tone of bittersweet hope mixed with loss, all brought together by what would look like on the outside to be a common meeting with a travel agent. The ending is perfect and brings you full circle to the painful sweetness of having tasted a fleeting picture of utopia or escape from the mundane, unsatisfying existence you know.
"Midnight Blue" by John Collier - Kind of a dud in the group. It's pretty brief, even by the standards of a short story so you don't waste too much time at least. A husband hesitantly hears out his wife's story of a nightmare she had about him and realizes there may be more ominous foresight to her dreams than she initially figured. The story hangs on one detail but I didn't find it very clever or worth the dialogue train it pulls you through.
"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes - I've read the full length novel, but I think I prefer the original short story. It makes great use of its few pages and the lack of subplot stuffing makes the swift elevation and devolution of Charlie's intelligence arc even more dramatic and tragic.
"Taste" by Roald Dahl - Very comparable to "Midnight Blue" where it all hangs on a detail in the dialogue but, again, not funny or compelling enough to be worth the set up. A man bets his daughter's hand in marriage on a man's inability to guess an obscure wine.
"Two Bottle of Relish" by Lord Dunsany - Classy, yet wickedly gruesome. A relish salesman convinces his smarter roommate to try to solve the Scotland yard confounding disappearance and potential murder of a woman. Smither's perspective was unique and charming - I will definitely be looking into the Smithers series of stories Dunsany wrote after this.
"Charles" by Shirley Jackson- I saw the twist coming from a mile away but that was more due to my exposure to psychological duality characters in the media my whole life than the story being shallow. This is another story that hangs on the impact of the twist, so if you don't like the twist, the story seems kind of meh. Points for creepy kids though. You can't go wrong scaring people when you're depicting children that may be more manipulative and conniving than their sophisticated guardians.
"Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" by Jack Finney - I appreciate the message of this story, but the action heavy descriptions did get a bit tedious. A man follows a wind blown set of project notes nearly to his doom outside his study window. Jack Finney has a special affinity for the oppressed working man with a heart of gold.
"The Perfectionist" by Margaret St. Clair - How fitting a title, since this was by far my FAVORITE of the collection. An out of work, down on his luck young man gets what we all hope for - a letter from a distant relative promising rent free living and money in exchange for company and minor chores- and learns during his short seasonal stay with his aunt that she has a very peculiar ocd about her drawings. This had a southern gothic flair but with way more immediate horrific menace.
"The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier - The short story on which the more famous Hitchcock adaptation is based really blew me away. It's not often enough that quiet apocalyptic stories get told. The kind of slow, open to interpretation sequence of abnormal events or signs that only a select or singular group of people take note of and by the time the world at large notices, its far too late. The arctic chill of the winter season throws off the flight pattern of multiple species of birds, causing them to go hungry and act violently out of character. The ending was the perfect - you know enough about the narrating character's fate for the short term, but the fate of their future and humanity is left open, even if bleakly so.
"Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney - This tale of there being underground knowledge of the way to a real utopia was a nice touch of magical realism. I'm going to feel really stupid if this has already been made into a legendary Twilight Zone episode, but honestly I haven't seen every episode of the original series, but anyhow, this should be if it isn't. It has that tone of bittersweet hope mixed with loss, all brought together by what would look like on the outside to be a common meeting with a travel agent. The ending is perfect and brings you full circle to the painful sweetness of having tasted a fleeting picture of utopia or escape from the mundane, unsatisfying existence you know.
"Midnight Blue" by John Collier - Kind of a dud in the group. It's pretty brief, even by the standards of a short story so you don't waste too much time at least. A husband hesitantly hears out his wife's story of a nightmare she had about him and realizes there may be more ominous foresight to her dreams than she initially figured. The story hangs on one detail but I didn't find it very clever or worth the dialogue train it pulls you through.
"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes - I've read the full length novel, but I think I prefer the original short story. It makes great use of its few pages and the lack of subplot stuffing makes the swift elevation and devolution of Charlie's intelligence arc even more dramatic and tragic.
"Taste" by Roald Dahl - Very comparable to "Midnight Blue" where it all hangs on a detail in the dialogue but, again, not funny or compelling enough to be worth the set up. A man bets his daughter's hand in marriage on a man's inability to guess an obscure wine.
"Two Bottle of Relish" by Lord Dunsany - Classy, yet wickedly gruesome. A relish salesman convinces his smarter roommate to try to solve the Scotland yard confounding disappearance and potential murder of a woman. Smither's perspective was unique and charming - I will definitely be looking into the Smithers series of stories Dunsany wrote after this.
"Charles" by Shirley Jackson- I saw the twist coming from a mile away but that was more due to my exposure to psychological duality characters in the media my whole life than the story being shallow. This is another story that hangs on the impact of the twist, so if you don't like the twist, the story seems kind of meh. Points for creepy kids though. You can't go wrong scaring people when you're depicting children that may be more manipulative and conniving than their sophisticated guardians.
"Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" by Jack Finney - I appreciate the message of this story, but the action heavy descriptions did get a bit tedious. A man follows a wind blown set of project notes nearly to his doom outside his study window. Jack Finney has a special affinity for the oppressed working man with a heart of gold.
"The Perfectionist" by Margaret St. Clair - How fitting a title, since this was by far my FAVORITE of the collection. An out of work, down on his luck young man gets what we all hope for - a letter from a distant relative promising rent free living and money in exchange for company and minor chores- and learns during his short seasonal stay with his aunt that she has a very peculiar ocd about her drawings. This had a southern gothic flair but with way more immediate horrific menace.
November 24, 2016
I grabbed this off the shelf at a used book store for the title story "The Birds." I love the movie and was curious to see how the story was in comparison; it's actually quite harrowing and similarly mysterious.
I have to say, though, that what really made this book was "Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney. It was my favorite in this book as it had a really mysterious air about it and didn't leave too many unanswered questions. I'm actually interested in reading more by the author and plan to see what other things he's written. I highly recommend reading this story, at least, whether or not you read the entire book!
"Two Bottles of Relish" kept me guessing and, while I sort of figured it out early, they still didn't explain one pretty big plot hole.
"Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets" was extremely frustrating to read, especially the ending. I don't want to spoil anything about it, so, I'll just say that I was pretty sure of a particular outcome that didn't actually happen. And what actually happens, well, I can only shake my head and say "Are you kidding me?." Also, I just realized Jack Finney wrote this one, too. He's a good writer!
I'll also mention "The Perfectionist" and note that I was somewhat happy with how the storyteller handled the situation. Not quite the expected outcome for that one, either.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a nice way to pass the time. I read it while waiting on several different occasions. I wouldn't recommend spending too much money on it, though.
I have to say, though, that what really made this book was "Of Missing Persons" by Jack Finney. It was my favorite in this book as it had a really mysterious air about it and didn't leave too many unanswered questions. I'm actually interested in reading more by the author and plan to see what other things he's written. I highly recommend reading this story, at least, whether or not you read the entire book!
"Two Bottles of Relish" kept me guessing and, while I sort of figured it out early, they still didn't explain one pretty big plot hole.
"Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets" was extremely frustrating to read, especially the ending. I don't want to spoil anything about it, so, I'll just say that I was pretty sure of a particular outcome that didn't actually happen. And what actually happens, well, I can only shake my head and say "Are you kidding me?." Also, I just realized Jack Finney wrote this one, too. He's a good writer!
I'll also mention "The Perfectionist" and note that I was somewhat happy with how the storyteller handled the situation. Not quite the expected outcome for that one, either.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It's a nice way to pass the time. I read it while waiting on several different occasions. I wouldn't recommend spending too much money on it, though.
January 14, 2017
Short fantasy-tinged classics of the '30s to early '60s, especially Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon," one of the saddest tales ever. The cover emphasizes Daphne du Maurier's "The Birds," not one of my favorites here. But if you happen, like me, to have an extreme fear of heights, Jack Finney's "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" will literally make you sweat. This story of a man trapped by his own doings on a ledge 11 stories above New York is agonizing. And of course there's Lord Dunsany's "Two Bottles of Relish." There will always be Lord Dunsany's "Two Bottles of Relish."
February 16, 2009
Back growing up, I remember the tv shows 'Circle of Fear' and wasn't the other one called 'Sixth Sense'? Good, spooky stuff - and it was in the spirit of that sort of suspenseful interesting fun that I picked this up long ago. They are suspenseful, but endings are often more curdling than I would have preferred. But I seem to have re-read it a number of times even so..
February 17, 2015
Sometimes a short story collection comes along that is, in a word, perfect. I had no idea when I picked up this aged book with the dated cover that inside was pure gold. Obviously I had some stories that I enjoyed more than others but I appreciated them all. If you see this little book please pick it up, don't let it's age and apperance put you off!
June 27, 2009
I don't usually enjoy short stories, but I was trying to complete a task on the Next Best Book Club seasonal challenge and stumbled across this little collection. Fantastic! Of them all, my absolute favorite was "Taste" by Roald Dahl. I did not even come close to guessing the ending, what a joy!
January 7, 2010
A really great collection - most of the "mysteries" were easy to solve but still the presentation and the writing was really engaging and fun to read. I especially liked the last story in the book, Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets.
July 4, 2009
Suspense stories, including "The Birds" by Daphne DuMaurier, which I expected not to like and instead found extremely compelling. This is also one of the collections that contains "Two bottles of Relish," "Flowers for Algernon," and "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets." An excellent collection.
May 24, 2014
I purchased this collection of short stories at school through Scholastic Book Services (for 75 cents) back in days of mini skirts, Watergate, and Vietnam. It contains Daniel Keyes' marvelous Flowers for Algernon and Daphne Du Maurier's frightening The Birds, amongst others.
April 5, 2011
I thought this book was funny in the little stories with silly little twists. very fun to rad slightly chilling but overall just quirky.
Read
September 4, 2014Good introduction to classics in the genre. Had it when I was a kid. Just curious to see if I could find it again.
December 28, 2015
It was ok. A couple good stories.
December 14, 2016
It was a re-read. Enjoyed a few stories more upon second reading.
January 30, 2017
An amazing collection of short stories. All fantastic.
August 9, 2017
Bought this at the Strand for 48 cents! Some good ones, some meh ones, and one I'd read before. Don't know if I would have come across the Shirley Jackson one otherwise, so I'm glad I read it!
September 13, 2024
A delightful little book of horrors, as curated by Mary E. MacEwen. Sans foreword nor introduction, it goes straight for the kill, if you'll pardon my pun. Indeed, seven of the nine stories deliver the suspense, and then some. Four of the nine I had already read, and amazingly, I can still recall the decade I'd read them: Charles by Shirley Jackson, I'd read from our thick book of Laughter, the Best Medicine from Reader's Digest as a kid in the early eighties, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes I first read from my friend Cecille's psychology book in the late eighties, followed by one or two re-readings in the next twenty years or so, The Birds by Daphne du Maurier sometime in the mid second decade of the 21st century, and Taste by Roald Dahl during the pandemic).
Horror comes in many forms, and what terrifies one reader may merely garner a flinch from the other. To captivate both requires storytelling panache, easily suspending the reader's disbelief, and asking "what would I have done?" I feel the following short stories have this in spades:
1) The Birds by Daphne du Maurier - An unprovoked, spontaneous aggressive uprising of birds of all flocks and feathers holds terror over the British Isles. The horror!
2) Of Missing Persons by Jack Finney - Finney's short tale takes a page or two from his other stories of inter-dimensional and time travels, and delivers this gem. (Had I been asked to guess the writer, I think I would have pointed to Ray Bradbury.)
3) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - Suspenseful as it is, I'm not sure this story belongs here, but looking at it from Charly and Algernon's points of view, then yes--horrific.
4) Taste by Roald Dahl - Horror and suspense of an altogether different bouquet, featuring epicurean snobs, social climbers, and ghastly dinner conversation. Very Oscar Wilde, this would be perfect fodder for a one-act play.
5) Two Bottles of Relish by Lord Dunsany - Pure horror, as our bestselling crime writers know it to be. Indeed, while we know what's coming, we have no inkling how we can prove it.
6) Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets by Jack Finney - Finney again, minus his usual science fictional devices. His story takes place in a matter of minutes, with narration so precise, leaving this reader swooning over the thrill of the dilemma.
7) The Perfectionist by Margaret St. Clair - A frightful little comedy in the vein of Arsenic and Lace, needing little guesswork to ascertain the outcome. But what can I say, it's hard to brush off Dotty Aunt Muriel. (Aunt Muriel has a Pomeranian named Teddy, and I had mixed feelings reading this, having lost our beloved ten-year-old Pomeranian, Loki just days before.)
Three and a half stars.
Horror comes in many forms, and what terrifies one reader may merely garner a flinch from the other. To captivate both requires storytelling panache, easily suspending the reader's disbelief, and asking "what would I have done?" I feel the following short stories have this in spades:
1) The Birds by Daphne du Maurier - An unprovoked, spontaneous aggressive uprising of birds of all flocks and feathers holds terror over the British Isles. The horror!
2) Of Missing Persons by Jack Finney - Finney's short tale takes a page or two from his other stories of inter-dimensional and time travels, and delivers this gem. (Had I been asked to guess the writer, I think I would have pointed to Ray Bradbury.)
3) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - Suspenseful as it is, I'm not sure this story belongs here, but looking at it from Charly and Algernon's points of view, then yes--horrific.
4) Taste by Roald Dahl - Horror and suspense of an altogether different bouquet, featuring epicurean snobs, social climbers, and ghastly dinner conversation. Very Oscar Wilde, this would be perfect fodder for a one-act play.
5) Two Bottles of Relish by Lord Dunsany - Pure horror, as our bestselling crime writers know it to be. Indeed, while we know what's coming, we have no inkling how we can prove it.
6) Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets by Jack Finney - Finney again, minus his usual science fictional devices. His story takes place in a matter of minutes, with narration so precise, leaving this reader swooning over the thrill of the dilemma.
7) The Perfectionist by Margaret St. Clair - A frightful little comedy in the vein of Arsenic and Lace, needing little guesswork to ascertain the outcome. But what can I say, it's hard to brush off Dotty Aunt Muriel. (Aunt Muriel has a Pomeranian named Teddy, and I had mixed feelings reading this, having lost our beloved ten-year-old Pomeranian, Loki just days before.)
Three and a half stars.
October 25, 2025
A pleasant surprise is in store for you if you happen to pick up this book. A friend gave it to me after seeing it opened with ‘The Birds’ by Daphne duMaurier, but after finishing it myself, The Birds wasn’t even the best short story. So here is a personal ranking for the short stories included in this paperback;
1. ‘The Birds’- Interesting to see where Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration for the movie The Birds but other than that it was only mildly entertaining.
2. ‘Of Missing Persons’- Because of this short story I will be on the search for more Jack Finney stories because this was truly interesting to think about. The idea of reachable Utopia and missing out because of impatience.
3. ‘Midnight Blue’- I have to say I did see the ending coming from a mile away but still a good read!
4. ‘Flowers for Algernon’- This story evoked such emotion from me honestly. Finishing it I had such a pit in my stomach, it truly hurt my heart. 100% recommend!
5. ‘Taste’- From Roald Dahl, this was a story I wasn’t expecting. I’ve really only read his children books but even so he will always come through with an ending that is satisfying.
6. ‘Two Bottles of Relish’- Yes at some point I could see where it was leading, but did that take away from the fact this gave you the heebiejeebies?! Absolutely not.
7. ‘Charles’- I recently finished a different Shirley Jackson story, so this one really intrigued me. Though at first, it didn’t really surprise me but after thinking on it more, it would seem the true suspense of it all is whether or not that kid is a sociopath.
8. ‘Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets’- Another Jack Finney story yet this one was all about terror-inducing heights and realizing too late what you’ve missing.
9. ‘The Perfectionist’- Truly spine-chilling stuff, gives very much House of Wax vibes but somehow just a little creepier.
1. ‘The Birds’- Interesting to see where Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration for the movie The Birds but other than that it was only mildly entertaining.
2. ‘Of Missing Persons’- Because of this short story I will be on the search for more Jack Finney stories because this was truly interesting to think about. The idea of reachable Utopia and missing out because of impatience.
3. ‘Midnight Blue’- I have to say I did see the ending coming from a mile away but still a good read!
4. ‘Flowers for Algernon’- This story evoked such emotion from me honestly. Finishing it I had such a pit in my stomach, it truly hurt my heart. 100% recommend!
5. ‘Taste’- From Roald Dahl, this was a story I wasn’t expecting. I’ve really only read his children books but even so he will always come through with an ending that is satisfying.
6. ‘Two Bottles of Relish’- Yes at some point I could see where it was leading, but did that take away from the fact this gave you the heebiejeebies?! Absolutely not.
7. ‘Charles’- I recently finished a different Shirley Jackson story, so this one really intrigued me. Though at first, it didn’t really surprise me but after thinking on it more, it would seem the true suspense of it all is whether or not that kid is a sociopath.
8. ‘Contents of the Dead Man’s Pockets’- Another Jack Finney story yet this one was all about terror-inducing heights and realizing too late what you’ve missing.
9. ‘The Perfectionist’- Truly spine-chilling stuff, gives very much House of Wax vibes but somehow just a little creepier.
December 24, 2020
This is an excellent collection of suspenseful stories. Every story is engaging and thought-provoking. Some of the stories have a touch of humor, some are a bit macabre, some feature an ironic twist.
My ratings for the individual stories:
1. Daphne du Maurier “The Birds” 1952 ****
2. Jack Finney “Of Missing Persons” 1955 ****
3. John Colleir “Midnight Blue” 1938 ***
4. Daniel Keyes “Flowers for Algernon” 1959 *****
5. Roald Dahl “Taste” 1951 ****
6. Lord Dunsany “Two Bottles of Relish” 1932 ***
7. Shirley Jackson “Charles” 1948 *****
8. Jack Finney “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pockets” 1956 *****
9. Margaret St. Clair “The Perfectionist” 1946 ****
My ratings for the individual stories:
1. Daphne du Maurier “The Birds” 1952 ****
2. Jack Finney “Of Missing Persons” 1955 ****
3. John Colleir “Midnight Blue” 1938 ***
4. Daniel Keyes “Flowers for Algernon” 1959 *****
5. Roald Dahl “Taste” 1951 ****
6. Lord Dunsany “Two Bottles of Relish” 1932 ***
7. Shirley Jackson “Charles” 1948 *****
8. Jack Finney “Contents of a Dead Man’s Pockets” 1956 *****
9. Margaret St. Clair “The Perfectionist” 1946 ****
February 22, 2019
Of the nine stories, I'd read four before. Of those, "Flowers for Algernon" was probably the best. The other five were great, I liked all of them.
August 16, 2022
I read this book when I was a kid and loved it! I wish I still had it. It was timeless.
November 29, 2023
What an amazing book. Wonderful stories and all of different genres. Yet each story was enthralling.
November 25, 2024
I love this collection of nine "Twilight Zonish" tales. This is the rare book of short stories that does not have any clunkers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️ I enjoyed reading a story a day! I liked all but a couple.
April 30, 2025
An interesting little book of stories. A couple of them were really good - Flowers for Algernon was really interesting, and I would be curious to read the novel that he expanded the short story into.
October 25, 2022
A highly enjoyable little anthology, including many stories I've read in my early reading days, and two that are entirely new to me. The two highlights are the classic stories by Daphne du Maurier and Daniel Keyes, both of which I (and many readers), have re-read numerous times; these continue to hold up nicely, and if possible, improve with age. (Of course it's my understanding and appreciation that continue to evolve.) Aside from Jack Finney's "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets," (which felt dated to me even when I read it as kid back in the late 1980s), all the stories are readable, even the predictable ones.
Predictability in these stories is also a form of evolution: at the time they were published, they would have been surprising to the general public, as these are among the first stories to fool around with its central ideas (whereas today the likes of cannibalism is fairly common). Even many of the twists in these stories have been re-produced by later authors (such as the narrator being the intended victim--surprise, surprise!). and have become familiar twists to the general reader. If someone were today to write one of these, the story would be deemed obvious and needless, but reading the original stories that propelled these ideas, from cannibals and cheating gourmets to murderous animals and potentially murdering perfectionists, there is much fun to be had. The fact that it is packaged for a younger audience is quite appropriate, since younger readers can discover these story elements via older tales, rather than to stumble upon them when older and the ideas familiar, and the classic stories be dismissed as contrived drivel.
For a brief review of each story, please visit Casual Debris.
Predictability in these stories is also a form of evolution: at the time they were published, they would have been surprising to the general public, as these are among the first stories to fool around with its central ideas (whereas today the likes of cannibalism is fairly common). Even many of the twists in these stories have been re-produced by later authors (such as the narrator being the intended victim--surprise, surprise!). and have become familiar twists to the general reader. If someone were today to write one of these, the story would be deemed obvious and needless, but reading the original stories that propelled these ideas, from cannibals and cheating gourmets to murderous animals and potentially murdering perfectionists, there is much fun to be had. The fact that it is packaged for a younger audience is quite appropriate, since younger readers can discover these story elements via older tales, rather than to stumble upon them when older and the ideas familiar, and the classic stories be dismissed as contrived drivel.
For a brief review of each story, please visit Casual Debris.
December 9, 2021
The Birds - 5 stars
Of Missing Persons - 5 stars
Midnight Blue - 3 stars
Flowers for Algernon -5 stars
Taste - 3 stars
Two Bottles of Relish - 3 stars
Charles - 3 stars
Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets - 4 stars
The Perfectionist - 4 stars
Of Missing Persons - 5 stars
Midnight Blue - 3 stars
Flowers for Algernon -5 stars
Taste - 3 stars
Two Bottles of Relish - 3 stars
Charles - 3 stars
Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets - 4 stars
The Perfectionist - 4 stars
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews