Jun 20, 2010 08:18 PM
10735 Views
(Updated Jun 20, 2010 08:57 PM)
Jeffrey Archer is one of the top fiction writers in the world today. He is also in my opinion the best short story writer alive. Archer's mastery of the language, his typical British sense of humour, the plot, characterisation and above all, the twist in the tale - all these are the hallmark of an Archer story. This is the seventh short story collection from Archer, who is a fan of the story masters Maupassant and O Henry. From the past few collections, Archer has been extensively using real life incidents as the base for his short stories.
Most of these stories are collected by him during his stay in prison, when he was jailed for perjury. Also, during his travels to promote his previous novel he has picked up ideas, including one from India.
This is a real good effort from Archer. Usually when there is lot of hype about anything, it raises expectations and creates dissatisfaction. But in this case, Archer's book lives upto expectations. Atleast it lives upto mine :) It is a good collection and definitely readable. Of course, it is not his best effort, but it is a very commendable effort. And you will definitely have an enjoyable time reading this short story collection.
Here's my take on this collection:
1) Stuck on You : The first short story is the true story of a jewelry heist. A young man gets engaged and the couple plan to flick a De Beers diamond ring. The ending has two typical Archer twists that leave you stunned. This is definitely one of the best stories of this collection. My rating : 4.75/5
2) The Queen's Birthday Telegram : is the true story of a 100 year old man who gets a telegram from Queen Elizabeth wishing him on his centenrary birthday. I didnt like the way this tale ends. Rating 2.5/5
3) High heels : is a true story of an insurance adjustor's first case, where he deals with a fire claim and finds something fishy in the claim. His investigative efforts with the help of his wife is the highlight. A nice story Rating : 4/5.
4) Blind Date : is a pure work of fiction and centres around a man, woman and a waiter in a restaurant. A very cute story, it is really sweet, but if you dont read is closely, you may miss the point. Rating 4.9/5
5) When There's a Will : is a true story of a calculating woman who plans to net a fortune, by hook or crook. Does she succeed? Find out by reading this very well-written tale. Rating 4.75/5
6) Double Cross : is a true story, which again features a jewel robbery and the detective's determination to find the jewels. The ending of this story will bring a wry smile on your face. Rating 4.5/5
7) I Will Survive : is yet another true story. A Faberge egg, a collector and a famous singer are the key elements of this story, which is definitely one of the best ones of this book. Rating 4.9/5
8) A Good Eye : is a work of fiction featuring a collection of art works. The ending again is vintage Archer. Nice tale. Rating : 4.5/5
9) Members Only : is a true story featuring around golf and the attempt of the hero to become a member of a prestigious golf club. A nice tale with a classic Archer ending. Rating 4.75/5
10) The Undiplomatic Diplomat : is the true story of a diplomat who finds a loophole in an old law and tries to exploit it, with surprising results. Rating : 4.5/5
11) The Luck of the Irish : is a true story that centres around an Irish estate agent. Archer himself says that the story would be unbelievable, if the central character was not an Irishman! An Ok story, with an Ok ending. Rating : 4.25/5
12) Politically Correct : is a work of fiction featuring a hyper-active man who smells something suspicious going on in his apartment buildings. The ending however was disappointing. Rating : 2.75/5
13) Better the Devil you know : is a fictional tale, where Archer uses The Faustian story of the deal with the Devil. A bank chairman is made an offer he cant refuse. Thing seem to be satisfactory for all those concerned, but Archer has other ideas for the ending. Rating : 4.75/5
14) No Room at the Inn : is a work of fiction ..contd in comments
