From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Best Detective Stories of Cyril Hare

Cyril Hare

Start date: January 1, 2023

Finish date: January 31, 2023

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of the poll for our January group read.
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Group reads

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What Members Thought

Dec 15, 2022 Susan rated it really liked it

Having quite recently discovered Cyril Hare's detective novels, I have become a huge fan and so, although I am not really a lover of short stories, I was keen to read those by Hare. In fact, the author's real name was Alfred Alexander Clark, who was a Judge and who died in 1958, a year before this volume was published. There are thirty stories in this collection:

Legal
"Where There's a Will-"
Miss Burnside's Dilemma
Name of Smith
Murderer's Luck
The Tragedy of Young Macintyre

Murder
Weight and See
"It Ta ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Aug 09, 2019 ShanDizzy rated it it was amazing

These stories were deliciously sardonic! Some of them made me chuckle out loud. Cyril Hare's short stories are absolutely brilliant! ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2023 Carolien rated it liked it

Shelves: 2023, short-story

I would recommend reading this collection slowly, a story or two a day as they can start blending into each other. Some really interesting plots combining law and crime in Cyril Hare's style of wit and cynicism. I enjoyed it very much. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 12, 2023 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, shortstories, mystery, bought-2016, vintage-mystery

A collection of thirty short stories, most of which use Hare's background in the law. He also has a positive mania for short stories with a sharp twist in the tail. Nearly all of the stories have a surprise ending--some are more obvious to long-time mystery fans, but most did catch this mystery fan out. It is a very strong collection which I heartily recommend. My favorites are "Where There's a Will--," "Weight & See," "It Takes Two...," "The Heel," and "Monday's Child." ★★★★

"Where There's a Wil ...more

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Dec 31, 2022 Susan in NC rated it really liked it

Shelves: tbr-with-gr-groups

I’ve enjoyed the Cyril Hare mysteries I’ve read with the Detectives Group. He was a barrister and judge, writing detective stories under the Hare pseudonym - I’ve especially enjoyed the Francis Pettigrew mysteries we’ve read in 2022.

Pettigrew appears in a few of these short stories, which mostly deal with would-be swindlers or murderers with plans to blackmail, cheat, or murder their way out of trouble or into wealth, but Hare always provides a twist at the end, and the plans go awry. Sometimes ...more

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Dec 28, 2022 Jill rated it it was ok

Shelves: cyril-hare

This book started with stories which were all very alike. I was almost at the point of giving up on it, but then a few longer stories were included and that made it slightly more interesting. I have read the novels by this author and found that they were a lot better than these short stories. Hare seemed to get into his stride with a longer story to tell.

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2023 Leslie rated it liked it

Shelves: short-stories, mysteries, kindle

3.5*

Really "detective stories" is a bit of a misnomer. Many of the stories don't involve detection at all but rather are crime stories, some told told from the criminal's point of view and others relating tales to friends, often with little or no police involvement.

Hare shows a fine hand at irony in many of the stories. ...more

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Jan 11, 2023 Sandy rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, own, short-story-collection, mystery-classic, z2023-own-24, rread-2023

While I enjoyed this collection, I read the first few much too close together. All the stories have imaginative twists, but they need to be widely spaced or the novelty wears off. Hare is an excellent writer, knows the legal system, and his Pettigrew character is one of my favorites. I think his full-length novels are better than the short stories and the longest story in this collection is one of the best.

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