What do you think?
Rate this book
The Part-Time Job
My only regret is that I shan't be alive to savour my retrospective triumph. But that is of small account. I savour it every day of my life. I shall have done the one thing I resolved to do when I was twelve years old - and the world will know it.
Follow the 'Queen of Crime' as she takes us into the mind of a man who has waited decades to enact his patient, ingenious revenge on a school bully.
Follow the 'Queen of Crime' as she takes us into the mind of a man who has waited decades to enact his patient, ingenious revenge on a school bully.
17 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
342 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
P.D. James
330 books3,212 followersP. D. James, byname of Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park, (born August 3, 1920, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England—died November 27, 2014, Oxford), British mystery novelist best known for her fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard.
The daughter of a middle-grade civil servant, James grew up in the university town of Cambridge. Her formal education, however, ended at age 16 because of lack of funds, and she was thereafter self-educated. In 1941 she married Ernest C.B. White, a medical student and future physician, who returned home from wartime service mentally deranged and spent much of the rest of his life in psychiatric hospitals. To support her family (which included two children), she took work in hospital administration and, after her husband’s death in 1964, became a civil servant in the criminal section of the Department of Home Affairs. Her first mystery novel, Cover Her Face (1962), introduced Dalgliesh and was followed by six more mysteries before she retired from government service in 1979 to devote full time to writing.
Dalgliesh, James’s master detective who rises from chief inspector in the first novel to chief superintendent and then to commander, is a serious, introspective person, moralistic yet realistic. The novels in which he appears are peopled by fully rounded characters, who are civilized, genteel, and motivated. The public resonance created by James’s singular characterization and deployment of classic mystery devices led to most of the novels featuring Dalgliesh being filmed for television. James, who earned the sobriquet “Queen of Crime,” penned 14 Dalgliesh novels, with the last, The Private Patient, appearing in 2008.
James also wrote An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972) and The Skull Beneath the Skin (1982), which centre on Cordelia Gray, a young private detective. The first of these novels was the basis for both a television movie and a short-lived series. James expanded beyond the mystery genre in The Children of Men (1992; film 2006), which explores a dystopian world in which the human race has become infertile. Her final work, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011)—a sequel to Pride and Prejudice (1813)—amplifies the class and relationship tensions between Jane Austen’s characters by situating them in the midst of a murder investigation. James’s nonfiction works include The Maul and the Pear Tree (1971), a telling of the Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 written with historian T.A. Critchley, and the insightful Talking About Detective Fiction (2009). Her memoir, Time to Be in Earnest, was published in 2000. She was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.
The daughter of a middle-grade civil servant, James grew up in the university town of Cambridge. Her formal education, however, ended at age 16 because of lack of funds, and she was thereafter self-educated. In 1941 she married Ernest C.B. White, a medical student and future physician, who returned home from wartime service mentally deranged and spent much of the rest of his life in psychiatric hospitals. To support her family (which included two children), she took work in hospital administration and, after her husband’s death in 1964, became a civil servant in the criminal section of the Department of Home Affairs. Her first mystery novel, Cover Her Face (1962), introduced Dalgliesh and was followed by six more mysteries before she retired from government service in 1979 to devote full time to writing.
Dalgliesh, James’s master detective who rises from chief inspector in the first novel to chief superintendent and then to commander, is a serious, introspective person, moralistic yet realistic. The novels in which he appears are peopled by fully rounded characters, who are civilized, genteel, and motivated. The public resonance created by James’s singular characterization and deployment of classic mystery devices led to most of the novels featuring Dalgliesh being filmed for television. James, who earned the sobriquet “Queen of Crime,” penned 14 Dalgliesh novels, with the last, The Private Patient, appearing in 2008.
James also wrote An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972) and The Skull Beneath the Skin (1982), which centre on Cordelia Gray, a young private detective. The first of these novels was the basis for both a television movie and a short-lived series. James expanded beyond the mystery genre in The Children of Men (1992; film 2006), which explores a dystopian world in which the human race has become infertile. Her final work, Death Comes to Pemberley (2011)—a sequel to Pride and Prejudice (1813)—amplifies the class and relationship tensions between Jane Austen’s characters by situating them in the midst of a murder investigation. James’s nonfiction works include The Maul and the Pear Tree (1971), a telling of the Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 written with historian T.A. Critchley, and the insightful Talking About Detective Fiction (2009). Her memoir, Time to Be in Earnest, was published in 2000. She was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
October 16, 2025
4.5 stars
short review for busy readers:
A short, sharp historic short story about a long-plotted murder. (Murder weapon on the cover!)
A man decides the bully from his childhood needs to die. Maybe not right then, because revenge needs planning and is a dish best served cold. And cold it is served! Great voice and lovely surprise twist that puts everything in perspective.
NB: Nothing in the story would let you know it was historic, except for the fact that the UK in the 1960s.
short review for busy readers:
A short, sharp historic short story about a long-plotted murder. (Murder weapon on the cover!)
A man decides the bully from his childhood needs to die. Maybe not right then, because revenge needs planning and is a dish best served cold. And cold it is served! Great voice and lovely surprise twist that puts everything in perspective.
NB: Nothing in the story would let you know it was historic, except for the fact that the UK in the 1960s.
August 4, 2020
A grown man decides to moiderize his old school bully - using his part-time job! Wha…
PD James’ short story wasn’t bad. It reads very rushed, almost like an outline - specifics are glossed over (ie. what the bully did when they were kids that was so bad that the bitterness and anger has continued well into the victim’s life) and any obstacles the man faces in enacting his grim plan are easily overcome. And I think that’s likely because James thought of the ending first and went back from there - it feels like the reveal of the part-time job is the point of the story.
Take the revenge plot where And that’s why I think it’s rather contrived.
Still, I wasn’t bored and wanted to see how the madness would play out. The Part-Time Job is a decent, dark short story that’s worth a read for crime fiction fans who enjoy the likes of Patricia Highsmith and Agatha Christie.
PD James’ short story wasn’t bad. It reads very rushed, almost like an outline - specifics are glossed over (ie. what the bully did when they were kids that was so bad that the bitterness and anger has continued well into the victim’s life) and any obstacles the man faces in enacting his grim plan are easily overcome. And I think that’s likely because James thought of the ending first and went back from there - it feels like the reveal of the part-time job is the point of the story.
Take the revenge plot where And that’s why I think it’s rather contrived.
Still, I wasn’t bored and wanted to see how the madness would play out. The Part-Time Job is a decent, dark short story that’s worth a read for crime fiction fans who enjoy the likes of Patricia Highsmith and Agatha Christie.
May 30, 2023
Outsmithing Highsmith
Review of the Knopf Canada Kindle eBook edition (2020) of the original short story as it appeared in the anthology The Detection Collection (October 31, 2005).
P.D. James was not known for her short stories, so when The Part-Time Job was offered as a Kindle Deal of the Day on the weekend I snapped it up out of curiosity. This is not an Adam Dalgliesh story (I don't even know if there are any short stories featuring James' regular character), but is instead more of a noir with an anti-hero bent on carrying out a life-long murder vow against the man who once bullied him back during their schooldays. It actually seemed like something Patricia Highsmith would have written i.e. having a murderous anti-hero protagonist à la Thomas Ripley in The Ripliad.
This is so short (17 pages on Kindle) that saying anything further would be spoilery, so let us just say that the explanation for the title doesn't become evident until the very final page, when it is part of a shocking reveal.
Review of the Knopf Canada Kindle eBook edition (2020) of the original short story as it appeared in the anthology The Detection Collection (October 31, 2005).
P.D. James was not known for her short stories, so when The Part-Time Job was offered as a Kindle Deal of the Day on the weekend I snapped it up out of curiosity. This is not an Adam Dalgliesh story (I don't even know if there are any short stories featuring James' regular character), but is instead more of a noir with an anti-hero bent on carrying out a life-long murder vow against the man who once bullied him back during their schooldays. It actually seemed like something Patricia Highsmith would have written i.e. having a murderous anti-hero protagonist à la Thomas Ripley in The Ripliad.
This is so short (17 pages on Kindle) that saying anything further would be spoilery, so let us just say that the explanation for the title doesn't become evident until the very final page, when it is part of a shocking reveal.
August 2, 2020
A short, and somewhat disturbing, crime story expertly written, as always, by P.D. James.
August 30, 2020
A twisted tale of a well planned revenge leading to a cold blooded murder by an ordinary man. Simply Genius. James holds you till the climax and then drops the bomb.
You don't want to miss this one Mystery lovers.
You don't want to miss this one Mystery lovers.
August 18, 2020
Not a bad short story that can be read during a break or before bed.
The narrator is dead and after his death he confesses to a murder in a form of an letter that is sent to a major newspaper the day after his funeral ....
The narrator is dead and after his death he confesses to a murder in a form of an letter that is sent to a major newspaper the day after his funeral ....
July 27, 2020
If you want a quick read to celebrate the 100th birthday of the "Queen of Crime" this is the book for you! https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/07/1...
September 1, 2020
How neat, cold and well planned!
One hell of a short story.
Thanks mystery buddy for the recommandation!
One hell of a short story.
Thanks mystery buddy for the recommandation!
January 17, 2022
Short.......but dark rather than sweet.....
A man who can never forgive the fellow pupil who relentlessly bullied him at school, has followed the progress of his tormentor’s life for years.
He finally sees a way of making him suffer.....and he’s in the unique position of making sure the bully knows exactly who has sealed his fate.
A good short story with a twist......
A man who can never forgive the fellow pupil who relentlessly bullied him at school, has followed the progress of his tormentor’s life for years.
He finally sees a way of making him suffer.....and he’s in the unique position of making sure the bully knows exactly who has sealed his fate.
A good short story with a twist......
July 20, 2020
3 August 2020 will mark what would have been the 100th birthday of P. D. James, who was published by Faber for over fifty years following the publication of her first novel, Cover Her Face, in 1962. In celebration of this centenary, Faber will publish for the first time in book form, her short story The Part-Time Job.
Our anonymous narrator has resolved to kill his tormentor, Keith Manston-Green ever since he was 12 years old. Manston-Green was a bully who terrorised his victim for years. In between working at the family locksmith business which he inherited following his parent’s death during the war, and his other part time job, like his father before him, he follows and plans and bides his time.
This cracker of a short story may only be about 20 small pages long but it packs a punch to the gut in its simplicity and execution. If I didn’t know what Manston-Green had done to deserve his fate, I could have felt sorry for him.
Told in the narrator’s first person past tense this reads like a confession. We are privy to his thoughts and actions on how he planned to commit the perfect crime. Without giving away the details, it’s so clever and so brutal.
I’ve read many of P D James’ books over the years, my favourite being the Adam Dalgliesh series. She had a wonderful talent and following on from The Part-Time Job is an essay, Murder Most Foul, in which James discusses her enjoyment of the genre and its influences and ponders on why the mystery genre attracts readers. Is it because they wish to pit their wits against the writer as opposed to the villain or detective or maybe that wrongs will be righted?
The Part-Time Job is a real treat of a book and certainly one for fans of this much missed crime writer.
Our anonymous narrator has resolved to kill his tormentor, Keith Manston-Green ever since he was 12 years old. Manston-Green was a bully who terrorised his victim for years. In between working at the family locksmith business which he inherited following his parent’s death during the war, and his other part time job, like his father before him, he follows and plans and bides his time.
This cracker of a short story may only be about 20 small pages long but it packs a punch to the gut in its simplicity and execution. If I didn’t know what Manston-Green had done to deserve his fate, I could have felt sorry for him.
Told in the narrator’s first person past tense this reads like a confession. We are privy to his thoughts and actions on how he planned to commit the perfect crime. Without giving away the details, it’s so clever and so brutal.
I’ve read many of P D James’ books over the years, my favourite being the Adam Dalgliesh series. She had a wonderful talent and following on from The Part-Time Job is an essay, Murder Most Foul, in which James discusses her enjoyment of the genre and its influences and ponders on why the mystery genre attracts readers. Is it because they wish to pit their wits against the writer as opposed to the villain or detective or maybe that wrongs will be righted?
The Part-Time Job is a real treat of a book and certainly one for fans of this much missed crime writer.
January 4, 2021
This is an interesting book; a short story, The Part-Time Job and an article “‘Murder Most Foul’ which first appeared in the Observer in 1982”.
P. D. James demonstrates through her short story and this article what makes a good murder mystery and who it’s trailblazers, the talented authors and why there is a ready audience to read detective fiction.
She is a torch bearer, a natural descendent of this genre and where “middle-aged women” as identified at the time of her newspaper piece, were probably the best proponents of the art.
Worth reading for this historic interview alone, but the short story is a great mini saga of the almost perfect murder.
The “murderer” is the narrator and not only shares his motive, planning and execution of his childhood desire to kill his school bully.
Hopefully crime fans will either find this author for the first time and others may be able to check back and rediscover her skill and quality writing. This short story is an ideal opportunity to read something of P.D. James and rejoice with me as someone who enjoys her writing, that there is a great catalogue of books to further discover.
P. D. James demonstrates through her short story and this article what makes a good murder mystery and who it’s trailblazers, the talented authors and why there is a ready audience to read detective fiction.
She is a torch bearer, a natural descendent of this genre and where “middle-aged women” as identified at the time of her newspaper piece, were probably the best proponents of the art.
Worth reading for this historic interview alone, but the short story is a great mini saga of the almost perfect murder.
The “murderer” is the narrator and not only shares his motive, planning and execution of his childhood desire to kill his school bully.
Hopefully crime fans will either find this author for the first time and others may be able to check back and rediscover her skill and quality writing. This short story is an ideal opportunity to read something of P.D. James and rejoice with me as someone who enjoys her writing, that there is a great catalogue of books to further discover.
April 20, 2025
A short and quick revenge story with a "twist" at the end. The sort that would be perfect for a show like Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
September 16, 2020
Short but dark, disturbing and lasting.
February 6, 2021
Synopsis- My only regret is that I shan't be alive to savour my retrospective triumph. But that is of small account. I savour it every day of my life. I shall have done the one thing I resolved to do when I was twelve years old - and the world will know it.
Follow the 'Queen of Crime' as she takes us into the mind of a man who has waited decades to enact his patient, ingenious revenge on a school bully.
Review- Meh. Good thing it was only 30 pages. I think I would have been bored otherwise. These types of mystery are not my thing. I've read two Agatha Christie novels which were so snooze-worthy it took me ages to finish them. The genre is just not compelling enough. I don’t care whodunit. I might care, if they threw some hot sex in though.🤔🤔🤔 Does whodunit erotica exist?
The only book of this genre that I've enjoyed is Stuart Turton's The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Maybe it was the supernatural element that made that book intriguing. Besides, if I'm going to read about murder I want it so ultra violent, so over the top it's ridiculous, like a Schwarzenegger movie or like Every Dead Thing.
This one was no great mystery. It was just a sad man's
posthumous confession. I might try her The Children of Men but otherwise this is where Ms James and I part ways.
Rating - Two 30 pages was just about right stars. ��⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Devoured the book, couldn't put it down.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Really liked it, consumed within days
⭐⭐⭐ - Enjoyed a fair bit, better than average
⭐⭐ - Meh
⭐ - Absolute drivel
Follow the 'Queen of Crime' as she takes us into the mind of a man who has waited decades to enact his patient, ingenious revenge on a school bully.
Review- Meh. Good thing it was only 30 pages. I think I would have been bored otherwise. These types of mystery are not my thing. I've read two Agatha Christie novels which were so snooze-worthy it took me ages to finish them. The genre is just not compelling enough. I don’t care whodunit. I might care, if they threw some hot sex in though.🤔🤔🤔 Does whodunit erotica exist?
The only book of this genre that I've enjoyed is Stuart Turton's The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Maybe it was the supernatural element that made that book intriguing. Besides, if I'm going to read about murder I want it so ultra violent, so over the top it's ridiculous, like a Schwarzenegger movie or like Every Dead Thing.
This one was no great mystery. It was just a sad man's
posthumous confession. I might try her The Children of Men but otherwise this is where Ms James and I part ways.
Rating - Two 30 pages was just about right stars. ��⭐⭐
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Devoured the book, couldn't put it down.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Really liked it, consumed within days
⭐⭐⭐ - Enjoyed a fair bit, better than average
⭐⭐ - Meh
⭐ - Absolute drivel
December 5, 2021
"By the time you read this I shall be dead. Dead for how long, of course, I cannot predict."
So begins a classic, elegant and very clever short story. It is the tale of a man who was mercilessly bullied for his entire school life and whose urge for revenge dominated his life. He wants his tormentor dead even though both boys have grown up, married and have successful careers.
The story is told in the first person by the bullied boy and explains, in meticulous detail, how he plans to kill his enemy. It shows the thoughts and actions of a disturbed and obsessed man in a calm and chilling way. Intelligent, dark, sharp and extremely well written with a wonderful ending I didn't predict. This is followed by an essay from the author on aspects of crime writing, which is also very interesting.
This is first time The Part Time Job has has been published in book form, to commemorate what would have been P.D. James' 100th birthday on 3 August 2020. A wonderful crime writer.
So begins a classic, elegant and very clever short story. It is the tale of a man who was mercilessly bullied for his entire school life and whose urge for revenge dominated his life. He wants his tormentor dead even though both boys have grown up, married and have successful careers.
The story is told in the first person by the bullied boy and explains, in meticulous detail, how he plans to kill his enemy. It shows the thoughts and actions of a disturbed and obsessed man in a calm and chilling way. Intelligent, dark, sharp and extremely well written with a wonderful ending I didn't predict. This is followed by an essay from the author on aspects of crime writing, which is also very interesting.
This is first time The Part Time Job has has been published in book form, to commemorate what would have been P.D. James' 100th birthday on 3 August 2020. A wonderful crime writer.
September 28, 2021
This book is tiny and so cute ! Also what a great short story took a little twist at the end
February 27, 2021
A very short & very dark tale of revenge.
July 23, 2020
P D James has always been my favourite author.
Fitting short story to celebrate the date of her birthday
Fitting short story to celebrate the date of her birthday
August 4, 2020
Crazy!!!
I love PD James!!! She writes fun and brilliant mysteries!!! They are hard to put down and always make you wonder, and then you get it!!!!
I love PD James!!! She writes fun and brilliant mysteries!!! They are hard to put down and always make you wonder, and then you get it!!!!
December 17, 2023
Short and gripping. A great short story by P.D. James. Enough suspense to keep you reading. The only problem I felt was it felt somewhat rushed, even for a short story.
June 17, 2020
Revenge is a dish best served cold!
What a cracking little book. The Part-Time Job contains a short story from P.D. James but also an essay Murder Most Foul that I wasn’t expecting.
Murder Most Foul is a super insight into the mind of one of our most popular and influential crime writers. P.D. James gives her views on crime writing and how she has developed her craft in a manner I found fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this bonus content I wasn’t expecting because it took me closer to the author and her writing rationale. I can imagine any aspiring crime writer – particularly anyone writing psychological crime – would be incredibly interested in this piece.
However, it is The Part-Time Job that is the absolute gem in this book. It is the epitome of a perfect crime story in spite of being only 20 pages long. Indeed, I can imagine it being a television programme every bit as much as any longer text because so much is packed into it with fabulous economy of language and taut plotting. The narrator waits years to exact revenge on his school bully, and carries out planning that revenge with surgical precision so that the reader is left reeling. I thought the encircling structure of the first and last lines was just sublime, but you’ll have to read the story to find out why.
I loved the fact that the narrator isn’t named because not only does this add a chilling undercurrent of the anonymous dangerous stranger we all fear, but it affords the opportunity for any reader to project themselves into his shoes more effectively. Any one of us may have been bullied and may have wanted to exact revenge. Here, vicariously, is our opportunity to do so. There’s an intimacy too because the first person voice addresses the reader on several occasions directly, making them feel as if they are special, hearing the facts and thought processes first hand. It felt wrong to rejoice in the activities of the narrator because they are morally wrong in so many ways, but I wanted him to succeed. I think this is because there is considerable dry and wry humour in his words too. I loved the fact he wanted to kill his bully, but was terrified the war might kill him first!
The Part-Time Job is an absolute cracker. It’s exemplary for aspiring writers to see how a narrative is plotted and executed so flawlessly, but for readers it is a superb diversion that can be read on a commute, in a lunch break or as a tasty amuse bouche before reading other of P.D. James’ work. It’s the first of her writing I’ve read but it has persuaded me I have missed out on a mega-star of crime writing for far too long. I loved it.
What a cracking little book. The Part-Time Job contains a short story from P.D. James but also an essay Murder Most Foul that I wasn’t expecting.
Murder Most Foul is a super insight into the mind of one of our most popular and influential crime writers. P.D. James gives her views on crime writing and how she has developed her craft in a manner I found fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this bonus content I wasn’t expecting because it took me closer to the author and her writing rationale. I can imagine any aspiring crime writer – particularly anyone writing psychological crime – would be incredibly interested in this piece.
However, it is The Part-Time Job that is the absolute gem in this book. It is the epitome of a perfect crime story in spite of being only 20 pages long. Indeed, I can imagine it being a television programme every bit as much as any longer text because so much is packed into it with fabulous economy of language and taut plotting. The narrator waits years to exact revenge on his school bully, and carries out planning that revenge with surgical precision so that the reader is left reeling. I thought the encircling structure of the first and last lines was just sublime, but you’ll have to read the story to find out why.
I loved the fact that the narrator isn’t named because not only does this add a chilling undercurrent of the anonymous dangerous stranger we all fear, but it affords the opportunity for any reader to project themselves into his shoes more effectively. Any one of us may have been bullied and may have wanted to exact revenge. Here, vicariously, is our opportunity to do so. There’s an intimacy too because the first person voice addresses the reader on several occasions directly, making them feel as if they are special, hearing the facts and thought processes first hand. It felt wrong to rejoice in the activities of the narrator because they are morally wrong in so many ways, but I wanted him to succeed. I think this is because there is considerable dry and wry humour in his words too. I loved the fact he wanted to kill his bully, but was terrified the war might kill him first!
The Part-Time Job is an absolute cracker. It’s exemplary for aspiring writers to see how a narrative is plotted and executed so flawlessly, but for readers it is a superb diversion that can be read on a commute, in a lunch break or as a tasty amuse bouche before reading other of P.D. James’ work. It’s the first of her writing I’ve read but it has persuaded me I have missed out on a mega-star of crime writing for far too long. I loved it.
August 27, 2020
Faber are being a bit cheeky here. They have published two posthumous short story collections by PD James in recent years, and there’s no reason why ‘The Part Time Job’ could not have been included in either of those. Even ‘Murder Most Foul’ a non fiction piece which previously appeared in a magazine could have been published as a preface/introduction to either collection.
In fairness the short story is slight but has a good twist, but this is a money making exercise and no more.
In fairness the short story is slight but has a good twist, but this is a money making exercise and no more.
September 15, 2020
This Is Why I Don't Read Short Stories
this story is literally like 27 pages long. it is a letter written posthumously admitting to the death/execution of a former bully. i don't know what i expected but it was just over before it even began. it was fine. nothing great, nothing bad. there isn't much more i can say.
=-=-=-=
i gave this 3 stars bcos what else was i supposed to give it?
=-=-=-=
this story is literally like 27 pages long. it is a letter written posthumously admitting to the death/execution of a former bully. i don't know what i expected but it was just over before it even began. it was fine. nothing great, nothing bad. there isn't much more i can say.
=-=-=-=
i gave this 3 stars bcos what else was i supposed to give it?
=-=-=-=
May 28, 2025
I was giddy to find one more P.D. James story, having read them all more than once, and still grieving her demise. So this is such a welcome addition, to be read in 5 minutes - ones that remined you of her brilliance and make you wish you didn't have bills to pay and could dedicate lots of free time for beautiful prose like hers.
October 25, 2020
A brilliant story masterfully told
I couldn’t have anticipated the ending.
The most satisfying storylines I have recently had the pleasure of reading,
An absolutely brilliant story masterfully told!
I couldn’t have anticipated the ending.
The most satisfying storylines I have recently had the pleasure of reading,
An absolutely brilliant story masterfully told!
July 31, 2021
Nice short story. I am picky with short stories, short stories often leave me unsatisfied, but this one is a good one. P.D. James writing is good, and the story is complete (good description, nice development and final surprise!).
July 31, 2021
The scare I gave the poor staff member at Waterstone's was, honestly, more impressive than the story. I don't normally sit and read in a bookshop, but it was pouring with rain and the chair was comfy, and I figured no one would mind if I sat and read a palm-sized shelf-stuffer while I waited it for stop. The corner was quiet, the shop was too, and all seemed well.
Unfortunately, it seems I'm stealthier unintentionally than I have ever been on purpose - the poor staff member had an armful of paperbacks before she seemed to catch sight of me from the corner of her eye, shrieked, and dropped the books all over the floor.
For those who will judge me if I don't say so - yes, I helped her pick them up before slinking out the door. I probably can't go back for a fortnight at least.
I tell this story because, honestly, I have more to say about it than I do about the story. It's well written and distinctive in terms of style, but the actual material is nowhere near as tense, interesting or chilling as the blurb told me. The little plot twist related to the title is rather good, and I did enjoy that, but overall it felt fairly boilerplate and predictable. Fans of James' other material might get something out of the follow-up commentary, but for me, a newcomer, there wasn't much to be had.
Unfortunately, it seems I'm stealthier unintentionally than I have ever been on purpose - the poor staff member had an armful of paperbacks before she seemed to catch sight of me from the corner of her eye, shrieked, and dropped the books all over the floor.
For those who will judge me if I don't say so - yes, I helped her pick them up before slinking out the door. I probably can't go back for a fortnight at least.
I tell this story because, honestly, I have more to say about it than I do about the story. It's well written and distinctive in terms of style, but the actual material is nowhere near as tense, interesting or chilling as the blurb told me. The little plot twist related to the title is rather good, and I did enjoy that, but overall it felt fairly boilerplate and predictable. Fans of James' other material might get something out of the follow-up commentary, but for me, a newcomer, there wasn't much to be had.
August 30, 2020
This is a tiny delight - only 40 pages of not-very-dense text - but a true delight nonetheless. The first section is a previously uncollected short story, a straightforward revenge tale with a little sting in its tail, which, as ever in the Sayers tradition, James fairly signals to us with a couple of clues including the story title. The little paperback is filled out with a short, informal essay by James on writing mysteries, in which she makes a number of observations that are so perfectly true that they almost strike one as obvious (once they've been pointed out). She also discusses her own tastes and influences a little bit, and I found her preferences amongst the "big 4" classic mystery lady novelists to be predictable, though the reasons are interesting. Ever gracious, she disparages no-one, but simply points out those aspects of her older peers that give her the most pleasure &/or influenced her the most..
The volume was published by Faber on the occasion of what would have been James' 100th anniversary. Of course it's a bit of a money grab, but in this case I'm quite happy to be taken advantage of.
The volume was published by Faber on the occasion of what would have been James' 100th anniversary. Of course it's a bit of a money grab, but in this case I'm quite happy to be taken advantage of.
June 10, 2021
What a short little read this was! I loved how meticulously planned and somewhat disturbing the plot of the novel was. Brilliantly executed!
The story itself is only 23 pages long and makes for an enticing read after work or just before bed to get your murder fix. The narrator is out to seek twisted revenge on his school bully. I love how the story builds as the narrator plans and prepares for the execution of his plan. The climax reveals the sweetest form of revenge to make up for his years of high school torment.
The copy I read had a print edition of James' interview with the Observer, first published in 1982, titled Murder Most Foul. In the article, James discusses what characteristics make an enticing murder mystery, the iconic writers of this genre and the audience which enjoys the thrill of reading them.
I would most certainly recommend this read to any and all murder mystery lovers. And even if you don't enjoy murder mysteries, I still recommend it to you as it will only take you half an hour to read and you may fall in love with the genre.
Completed on: 10th June 2021
The story itself is only 23 pages long and makes for an enticing read after work or just before bed to get your murder fix. The narrator is out to seek twisted revenge on his school bully. I love how the story builds as the narrator plans and prepares for the execution of his plan. The climax reveals the sweetest form of revenge to make up for his years of high school torment.
The copy I read had a print edition of James' interview with the Observer, first published in 1982, titled Murder Most Foul. In the article, James discusses what characteristics make an enticing murder mystery, the iconic writers of this genre and the audience which enjoys the thrill of reading them.
I would most certainly recommend this read to any and all murder mystery lovers. And even if you don't enjoy murder mysteries, I still recommend it to you as it will only take you half an hour to read and you may fall in love with the genre.
Completed on: 10th June 2021
November 8, 2020
A fantastic little short story that is a must-read for mystery fans. A young owner of a locksmith business - with a mystery part-time job - aims to exact revenge on his former sadistic secondary-school bully. Dark, creepy, and slightly Dahlesque.
Bonus content: an afterword where P.D. James talks about the mystery genre, her favourite writers in it, and what makes particularly good mysteries stand out. Interestingly, she admires Dorothy L. Sayers for “[working] within the conventions of the genre, yet ...[helping] to raise the mystery from a subliterary puzzle to a form with serious claims to be regarded as a novel.” (With setting, atmosphere, moral ambiguity, etc.)
Absolutely right!
She then goes onto say that Agatha Christie is not so much a novelist, but rather a “literary conjuror whose sleight of hand as she shuffles her cast of characters can outwit the keenest eye.” Lots of food for thought there!
Bonus content: an afterword where P.D. James talks about the mystery genre, her favourite writers in it, and what makes particularly good mysteries stand out. Interestingly, she admires Dorothy L. Sayers for “[working] within the conventions of the genre, yet ...[helping] to raise the mystery from a subliterary puzzle to a form with serious claims to be regarded as a novel.” (With setting, atmosphere, moral ambiguity, etc.)
Absolutely right!
She then goes onto say that Agatha Christie is not so much a novelist, but rather a “literary conjuror whose sleight of hand as she shuffles her cast of characters can outwit the keenest eye.” Lots of food for thought there!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews