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A Twist in the Tale
Strong spine with light creasing. Bright clean cover has light edge wear. Text is perfect. Same day shipping from AZ.
253 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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About the author
Jeffrey Archer
676books12.1kfollowersJeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
July 9, 2016
It's called the O'Henry twist - where the whole complexion of the story changes in the last paragraph, maybe in the last sentence. It was invented by , and most probably the most well-known example is . I don't think there would many readers here who is not familiar with that iconic story.
Even in the hands of a consummate storyteller such as O'Henry, the device starts to pall after a time - because all said and done, it's a gimmick. So mainstream short-stories are generally not "twisty" any more. Nowadays, this technique is used mostly in mystery and horror stories, where the last sentence is supposed to hit you with the power of a sledge-hammer. (Robert Bloch is a past master at this - read his stories "The Night Before Christmas" and "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" to get genuine shivers.)
In this collection, Jeffrey Archer attempts to deal the above-mentioned mega-punch and fails every time, except maybe in a couple of stories. His plots are contrived (some even descending to the level of total gimmickry) and in many instances, one can see the ending coming. The only good thing I felt about these tales was that they were quick reads, ideal for mental distraction. Since they helped me tide over a rather stressful time, I am giving this book two stars.
Even in the hands of a consummate storyteller such as O'Henry, the device starts to pall after a time - because all said and done, it's a gimmick. So mainstream short-stories are generally not "twisty" any more. Nowadays, this technique is used mostly in mystery and horror stories, where the last sentence is supposed to hit you with the power of a sledge-hammer. (Robert Bloch is a past master at this - read his stories "The Night Before Christmas" and "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" to get genuine shivers.)
In this collection, Jeffrey Archer attempts to deal the above-mentioned mega-punch and fails every time, except maybe in a couple of stories. His plots are contrived (some even descending to the level of total gimmickry) and in many instances, one can see the ending coming. The only good thing I felt about these tales was that they were quick reads, ideal for mental distraction. Since they helped me tide over a rather stressful time, I am giving this book two stars.
June 2, 2016
Reviravolta(s) no Conto
Livro de contos de Jeffrey Archer a fazer jus ao título original, ”A Twist in the Tale�, marcado pelas surpresas e reviravoltas narrativas.
Na maioria das suas páginas, cumpre, entretém. Conjuga alguns textos interessantes, como o “Impoluto Ignatius� , “Cheque Mate� ou “À La Carte � e um punhado de outros não tão inspirados.
Uma leitura agradável, rápida, interessante para conhecer a arte de bem escrever de Archer.
”Viu o primeiro comboio e depois o segundo a partirem para Coventry. Deu conta de que a estação começava a ficar mais escura com as sombras a projectarem-se pelas janelas sobre o público. De repente, virou-se e afastou-se num passo ainda mais apressado. Se corresse, talvez chegasse a tempo de ajudar o chefe a preparar o jantar daquela noite.�
Nota: 3.5/5.0
Livro de contos de Jeffrey Archer a fazer jus ao título original, ”A Twist in the Tale�, marcado pelas surpresas e reviravoltas narrativas.
Na maioria das suas páginas, cumpre, entretém. Conjuga alguns textos interessantes, como o “Impoluto Ignatius� , “Cheque Mate� ou “À La Carte � e um punhado de outros não tão inspirados.
Uma leitura agradável, rápida, interessante para conhecer a arte de bem escrever de Archer.
”Viu o primeiro comboio e depois o segundo a partirem para Coventry. Deu conta de que a estação começava a ficar mais escura com as sombras a projectarem-se pelas janelas sobre o público. De repente, virou-se e afastou-se num passo ainda mais apressado. Se corresse, talvez chegasse a tempo de ajudar o chefe a preparar o jantar daquela noite.�
Nota: 3.5/5.0
August 11, 2019
I’m a big fan of Archer’s short story collections. They are perfect for when you are very busy and don’t have much reading time. I find it hard to read a book and get a lot out of it if it takes me a month to read 400 pages or such. So, this has been the perfect answer for me this year during my busy times. I can finish one story in a night or 2 (if it’s a long one) and there isn’t too much going on I have to try to remember. But the stories still feel complete and not like an afterthought.
May 26, 2020
Twelve more short stories by this great storyteller with a wide array of different endings, but all essentially twists. Most centred around mystery, thriller and/or contemporary fiction genres. 6 out of 12.
January 31, 2012
BLAH. There is no twist and no tale for that matter - atleast none worth the mettle... All the while reading it I had a sense of deja-vu and not because I had read this earlier, but because the stories were so predictable. Couldnt wait to finish this book - and I dont mean it in a good way.
For people who are just starting to read books this would suit their liking, but not for seasoned readers or lovers of writing.
For people who are just starting to read books this would suit their liking, but not for seasoned readers or lovers of writing.
March 25, 2020
Review to follow
August 10, 2016
Archer says that ten of the dozen stories in this volume are based on true incidents. The tales are quite ordinary, but each has the promised "twist" in the end. Like everything Archer writes, I give the book 4 stars because I can't stop reading whatever he writes. These are the 12 stort stories contained in this volume:
SPOILERS Ahead. Consider yourself warned!!
1. A Perfect Murder is the story about a man who has committed the perfect murder. Not only does he stand by seeing another man being arrestted for the murder of his mistress, but he makes sure that another man is convicted of his crime by making sure he is called upon as a juror on the case.
2. Clean Sweep Ignatius is a story about a Minister from Nigeria has made great strides in rooting out corruption from his country...but is he clean himself?
3. A La Carte is the story of a war hero who returns home to his old job as a car mechanic. He works extra hard to get his son well educated and make him more successful than his father. The son at last finds his true calling as a chef.
4. Not the Real Thing tells the story about a British engineer who likes to collect medals since he was a child.
5. Just Good Friends is a first person narrative of a how a woman met her boyfriend...the twist in the tale is that we discover at the end that the narrator is actually a cat.
6. The Steal is the story of a married couple of two teachers who save up all the year round for their vacation. At the end of the year they visit a new country and bring home a memento of their vacation that they refer to as the "steal".
7. Colonel Bullfrog is the story of unlikely friendship between Japanese soldiers and a British PoW and how the friendship evolves even after the WW2 has ended.
8. Checkmate is the story of two people who meet at a chess club and how the host captain gets hustled by an accountant and her pretty girlfriend.
9. The Wine Taster is the story of a intolerable man who has inherited wealth and state from his ancestors. He also inherits a wine cellar from his father but doesn't know much about wines...but that doesn't stop him from boasting about it.
10. A Chapter of Accidents is the story of a man who sets an elaborate trap to revenge a man he suspects of having an affair with his wife.
11. The Loophole is the story of two best friends who fake a public spat and consequently sue each other for defame, only to save money on the taxes.
12. Christina Rosenthal is a tragic love story of a Jew boy and a Christian girl. The story is told in the last letter the boy wrote his Rabi father before committing suicide.
SPOILERS Ahead. Consider yourself warned!!
1. A Perfect Murder is the story about a man who has committed the perfect murder. Not only does he stand by seeing another man being arrestted for the murder of his mistress, but he makes sure that another man is convicted of his crime by making sure he is called upon as a juror on the case.
2. Clean Sweep Ignatius is a story about a Minister from Nigeria has made great strides in rooting out corruption from his country...but is he clean himself?
3. A La Carte is the story of a war hero who returns home to his old job as a car mechanic. He works extra hard to get his son well educated and make him more successful than his father. The son at last finds his true calling as a chef.
4. Not the Real Thing tells the story about a British engineer who likes to collect medals since he was a child.
5. Just Good Friends is a first person narrative of a how a woman met her boyfriend...the twist in the tale is that we discover at the end that the narrator is actually a cat.
6. The Steal is the story of a married couple of two teachers who save up all the year round for their vacation. At the end of the year they visit a new country and bring home a memento of their vacation that they refer to as the "steal".
7. Colonel Bullfrog is the story of unlikely friendship between Japanese soldiers and a British PoW and how the friendship evolves even after the WW2 has ended.
8. Checkmate is the story of two people who meet at a chess club and how the host captain gets hustled by an accountant and her pretty girlfriend.
9. The Wine Taster is the story of a intolerable man who has inherited wealth and state from his ancestors. He also inherits a wine cellar from his father but doesn't know much about wines...but that doesn't stop him from boasting about it.
10. A Chapter of Accidents is the story of a man who sets an elaborate trap to revenge a man he suspects of having an affair with his wife.
11. The Loophole is the story of two best friends who fake a public spat and consequently sue each other for defame, only to save money on the taxes.
12. Christina Rosenthal is a tragic love story of a Jew boy and a Christian girl. The story is told in the last letter the boy wrote his Rabi father before committing suicide.
August 16, 2020
"Παιχνιδίσματα", εκδόσεις Bell.
Πέρυσι τον Ιανουάριο διάβασα για πρώτη φορά βιβλίο του Τζέφρι Άρτσερ, το καλό και ενδιαφέρον θεατρικό έργο "Πέρα από κάθε λογική αμφιβολία", οπότε τούτη η συλλογή διηγημάτων αποτελεί τη δεύτερη επαφή με το έργο του. Λοιπόν, το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι πέρασα πολύ ωραία, διάβασα δώδεκα καλογραμμένα και ψυχαγωγικά διηγήματα διανθισμένα με χιούμορ και κυνισμό, ενώ τα περισσότερα είχαν και κάποια έξυπνα τρικ στα φινάλε τους, για να εκπλήξουν λιγάκι τους αναγνώστες. Η γραφή ευχάριστη και ιδιαίτερα ευκολοδιάβαστη, σίγουρα βοηθάει στη γρήγορη και ξεκούραστη ανάγνωση του βιβλίου. Αν και όλα τα διηγήματα μου άρεσαν, αν ήταν να επιλέξω τέσσερα εξ αυτών που για τον έναν ή τον άλλο λόγο μου έκαναν περισσότερη εντύπωση από τα άλλα, μάλλον θα ήταν αυτά: "A La Carte", "Η κλεψιά", "Μια σειρά ατυχημάτων" και "Χριστίνα Ρόζενταλ".
Πέρυσι τον Ιανουάριο διάβασα για πρώτη φορά βιβλίο του Τζέφρι Άρτσερ, το καλό και ενδιαφέρον θεατρικό έργο "Πέρα από κάθε λογική αμφιβολία", οπότε τούτη η συλλογή διηγημάτων αποτελεί τη δεύτερη επαφή με το έργο του. Λοιπόν, το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι πέρασα πολύ ωραία, διάβασα δώδεκα καλογραμμένα και ψυχαγωγικά διηγήματα διανθισμένα με χιούμορ και κυνισμό, ενώ τα περισσότερα είχαν και κάποια έξυπνα τρικ στα φινάλε τους, για να εκπλήξουν λιγάκι τους αναγνώστες. Η γραφή ευχάριστη και ιδιαίτερα ευκολοδιάβαστη, σίγουρα βοηθάει στη γρήγορη και ξεκούραστη ανάγνωση του βιβλίου. Αν και όλα τα διηγήματα μου άρεσαν, αν ήταν να επιλέξω τέσσερα εξ αυτών που για τον έναν ή τον άλλο λόγο μου έκαναν περισσότερη εντύπωση από τα άλλα, μάλλον θα ήταν αυτά: "A La Carte", "Η κλεψιά", "Μια σειρά ατυχημάτων" και "Χριστίνα Ρόζενταλ".
January 24, 2021
kiadott műben, Jeffrey Archer tollából. A méltán népszerű angol írótól a kedvencem egyértelműen a Clifton-krónika volt, de a Párbaj, az Első az egyenlők között és a Légvonalban épp annyira magával tudott ragadni. A novelláit kevésbé szeretem, egy másik novelláskötetét már olvastam korábban, de azért most kíváncsian vágtam bele ezekben a történetekbe, azért is, mert néhány évvel korábban még egyáltalán nem is szerettem a novellákat, mára viszont nagyon sok jó rövid történeten vagyok túl. Érdekelt, hogy az én ízlésem is változott-e annyit, vagy inkább az játszik ebben szerepet, hogy egyszerűen ezek a novellák jobban tetszenek, mint amiket korábban olvastam? Nos, a válasz valószínűleg az, hogy valahol mindkettő. Én is és a "könyvfogyasztási" szokásaim, ízlésem is változott kissé, és sikerült jobbakat is olvasnom azóta (ugyanis amiket régebben olvastam és nem szerettem, azokat most sem).
Archer ebben a kötetben is hozza a kötelezőt, és a rá leginkább jellemző stílust és témákat. 20. század, gyilkosság, tárgyalás, étterem, banki, pénzügyi csatározások, háború, veteránok, fiatal tehetségek, ügyeskedők, ügyvédek, politikusok, egyszerű munkások - ezek és ők a könyveinek a szereplői, jómódú és kevésbé jómódú családok sarjai, bevándorlók és tős-gyökeres angolok/amerikaiak (már persze amennyiben a kaukázusi ember tekinthető tős-gyökeres amerikainak). Fordulatokban gazdag, élvezetesen megírt történetek, amiket nagyon szívesen olvastam.
Mégis egy kissé ambivalens vagyok Archerrel kapcsolatban. Továbbra is kedvenc szerzők között tartom számon, noha nagyon régóta érzem, hogy nem hoz, nem ad újat. Belesüppedt a számára leginkább kényelmes és az általa leginkább ismert témákba, korszakokba, és nagyon sok könyvének a szereplőinek az életét simán fel lehetne cserélni egymással, annyira hasonlóak. Persze ő ebben a legjobb, ebben volt mindig is a legjobb. És továbbra is nagyon élvezem a könyveit, mégis azt érzem, hogy nem újul meg. Aztán felmerül bennem a kérdés, vajon meg kell újulnia? Egyszerűen ő valamikor már a legelső könyvénél megtalálta a hangját, 40 évvel ezelőtt, és ezt azóta sem eresztette. Kiszámítható? Igen. De mégis élvezetes, szórakoztató, a karakterei bár ugyanazokra a sémákra épülnek, mégis sokfélék tudnak lenni, a párbeszédei okosak, és még ilyen rövid, 6-30 oldal közötti történetekben is kaptak némi egyedi hangot, akkor kell ennél több?
Talán nem. Mégis motoszkál bennem mindig ez, hogy jó ez, de ugyanezt csinálja negyven éve. Neki vajon nem igénye rá, hogy kipróbálja magát egy kicsit más témában is? Nem tudom, nekem biztosan lenne. Persze azzal is tisztában vagyok, hogy ezek a történetek immár 30 évesek elmúltak, szóval nem pont ezeken kéne számon kérnem a megújulás elmaradását - de a 2-3 évvel ezelőtt megjelentekre is éppúgy igazak a fentiek. És még egyszer kiemelném: még így is, még mindig a kedvencek között van.
A kötet érdekessége, hogy a 12 novellából csupán 2, ami Archer saját elméjének szüleménye, a többi mind olyan történet, amit az utazásai során hallott, és kiszínezett, megváltoztatott, árírt.
Ez a tizenkét történet változatos és tényleg fordulatos volt, amolyan Archeri módon. Számomra ő már semmi újat nem tud mondani, és a fordulatai rendkívül kiszámíthatóak lettek, valószínűleg azért, mert majd' minden könyvét olvastam már. De így is azon kaptam magam, hogy bár pontosan tudom, hová fogja kifuttatni a sztorit, hogy melyik szereplővel mi történik, mégis élvezettel és szívesen olvastam. Kell ennél több egy könyvnél?
Archer ebben a kötetben is hozza a kötelezőt, és a rá leginkább jellemző stílust és témákat. 20. század, gyilkosság, tárgyalás, étterem, banki, pénzügyi csatározások, háború, veteránok, fiatal tehetségek, ügyeskedők, ügyvédek, politikusok, egyszerű munkások - ezek és ők a könyveinek a szereplői, jómódú és kevésbé jómódú családok sarjai, bevándorlók és tős-gyökeres angolok/amerikaiak (már persze amennyiben a kaukázusi ember tekinthető tős-gyökeres amerikainak). Fordulatokban gazdag, élvezetesen megírt történetek, amiket nagyon szívesen olvastam.
Mégis egy kissé ambivalens vagyok Archerrel kapcsolatban. Továbbra is kedvenc szerzők között tartom számon, noha nagyon régóta érzem, hogy nem hoz, nem ad újat. Belesüppedt a számára leginkább kényelmes és az általa leginkább ismert témákba, korszakokba, és nagyon sok könyvének a szereplőinek az életét simán fel lehetne cserélni egymással, annyira hasonlóak. Persze ő ebben a legjobb, ebben volt mindig is a legjobb. És továbbra is nagyon élvezem a könyveit, mégis azt érzem, hogy nem újul meg. Aztán felmerül bennem a kérdés, vajon meg kell újulnia? Egyszerűen ő valamikor már a legelső könyvénél megtalálta a hangját, 40 évvel ezelőtt, és ezt azóta sem eresztette. Kiszámítható? Igen. De mégis élvezetes, szórakoztató, a karakterei bár ugyanazokra a sémákra épülnek, mégis sokfélék tudnak lenni, a párbeszédei okosak, és még ilyen rövid, 6-30 oldal közötti történetekben is kaptak némi egyedi hangot, akkor kell ennél több?
Talán nem. Mégis motoszkál bennem mindig ez, hogy jó ez, de ugyanezt csinálja negyven éve. Neki vajon nem igénye rá, hogy kipróbálja magát egy kicsit más témában is? Nem tudom, nekem biztosan lenne. Persze azzal is tisztában vagyok, hogy ezek a történetek immár 30 évesek elmúltak, szóval nem pont ezeken kéne számon kérnem a megújulás elmaradását - de a 2-3 évvel ezelőtt megjelentekre is éppúgy igazak a fentiek. És még egyszer kiemelném: még így is, még mindig a kedvencek között van.
A kötet érdekessége, hogy a 12 novellából csupán 2, ami Archer saját elméjének szüleménye, a többi mind olyan történet, amit az utazásai során hallott, és kiszínezett, megváltoztatott, árírt.
Ez a tizenkét történet változatos és tényleg fordulatos volt, amolyan Archeri módon. Számomra ő már semmi újat nem tud mondani, és a fordulatai rendkívül kiszámíthatóak lettek, valószínűleg azért, mert majd' minden könyvét olvastam már. De így is azon kaptam magam, hogy bár pontosan tudom, hová fogja kifuttatni a sztorit, hogy melyik szereplővel mi történik, mégis élvezettel és szívesen olvastam. Kell ennél több egy könyvnél?
March 13, 2013
Dear Booklovers,
I was just 11 years old when this book was published in 1988. That was more than 25 years ago and Jeffrey Archer was 48 years old.
A Twist in the Tale is a collection of 12 short stories with a twist in the end for each story.
Jeffrey Archer stated in the book that ten of the short stories are based on known incidents plus some embellishment and only two of the stories are a result of his own imagination.
While this book is not his best work I still loved reading each story.
I was just 11 years old when this book was published in 1988. That was more than 25 years ago and Jeffrey Archer was 48 years old.
A Twist in the Tale is a collection of 12 short stories with a twist in the end for each story.
Jeffrey Archer stated in the book that ten of the short stories are based on known incidents plus some embellishment and only two of the stories are a result of his own imagination.
While this book is not his best work I still loved reading each story.
November 17, 2021
Serie de doce relatos en los que se tratan temas tan diversos como el amor, el honor, el crimen perfecto... ideal para leer a ratos o entremezclando con otras lecturas.
March 24, 2022
I love a twist and I love Archer's style. I thought five of the stories were tremendous, but the others, although the twists were cleverly in play, were a bit cheesy. Overall, it was a fun read.
June 10, 2023
As an avid reader of Archer's works, I consistently find myself engrossed, which is why I wholeheartedly give this book a four-star rating. Let's explore the intriguing contents of this collection:
"A Perfect Murder" presents a man who orchestrates a flawless crime. Not only does he witness another man being arrested for his mistress's murder, but he manipulates his role as a juror to ensure the conviction of an innocent person.
"Clean Sweep Ignatius" follows the journey of a Nigerian Minister known for combating corruption. However, doubts emerge regarding the Minister's own integrity.
In "A La Carte," a war hero returns to his former profession as a car mechanic, dedicating himself to providing his son with a superior education. The story takes a turn when the son discovers his true passion as a chef.
"Not the Real Thing" revolves around a British engineer's lifelong fascination with collecting medals.
"Just Good Friends" presents a unique perspective through a first-person narrative where a woman recounts how she met her boyfriend. The surprising revelation at the end is that the narrator is actually a cat.
"The Steal" tells the story of a married couple, both teachers, who diligently save money throughout the year to embark on a vacation. Their journey leads them to a new country, where they acquire a memorable keepsake referred to as the "steal."
"Colonel Bullfrog" explores the remarkable friendship between Japanese soldiers and a British Prisoner of War , which continues to evolve even after the conclusion of World War II.
"Checkmate" revolves around two individuals who meet at a chess club, where the host captain becomes the target of deception by an accountant and her captivating girlfriend.
"The Wine Taster" introduces an insufferable man who inherits both wealth and a wine cellar from his ancestors. Despite his limited knowledge of wines, he boasts about his expertise.
"A Chapter of Accidents" portrays a man who meticulously plans an elaborate trap to seek revenge on someone he suspects of having an affair with his wife.
"The Loophole" delves into the story of two best friends who stage a public quarrel and subsequently sue each other for defamation in a cunning scheme to save money on taxes.
"Christina Rosenthal" narrates a heart-wrenching love story between a Jewish boy and a Christian girl. The emotional tale unfolds through the final letter the boy writes to his Rabbi father.
According to Archer, this volume comprises twelve short stories, with ten of them drawing inspiration from real-life incidents. Although the narratives themselves may appear ordinary, each story delivers an unexpected twist. This one i must say is my re-read. I might've read this while in college, but it still keeps you engrossed to it.
Would recommend you this if you like reading Short Stories like me. Though, my favorite was "Christina Rosenthal", and "Colonel Bullfrog" I did enjoyed each of them.
"A Perfect Murder" presents a man who orchestrates a flawless crime. Not only does he witness another man being arrested for his mistress's murder, but he manipulates his role as a juror to ensure the conviction of an innocent person.
"Clean Sweep Ignatius" follows the journey of a Nigerian Minister known for combating corruption. However, doubts emerge regarding the Minister's own integrity.
In "A La Carte," a war hero returns to his former profession as a car mechanic, dedicating himself to providing his son with a superior education. The story takes a turn when the son discovers his true passion as a chef.
"Not the Real Thing" revolves around a British engineer's lifelong fascination with collecting medals.
"Just Good Friends" presents a unique perspective through a first-person narrative where a woman recounts how she met her boyfriend. The surprising revelation at the end is that the narrator is actually a cat.
"The Steal" tells the story of a married couple, both teachers, who diligently save money throughout the year to embark on a vacation. Their journey leads them to a new country, where they acquire a memorable keepsake referred to as the "steal."
"Colonel Bullfrog" explores the remarkable friendship between Japanese soldiers and a British Prisoner of War , which continues to evolve even after the conclusion of World War II.
"Checkmate" revolves around two individuals who meet at a chess club, where the host captain becomes the target of deception by an accountant and her captivating girlfriend.
"The Wine Taster" introduces an insufferable man who inherits both wealth and a wine cellar from his ancestors. Despite his limited knowledge of wines, he boasts about his expertise.
"A Chapter of Accidents" portrays a man who meticulously plans an elaborate trap to seek revenge on someone he suspects of having an affair with his wife.
"The Loophole" delves into the story of two best friends who stage a public quarrel and subsequently sue each other for defamation in a cunning scheme to save money on taxes.
"Christina Rosenthal" narrates a heart-wrenching love story between a Jewish boy and a Christian girl. The emotional tale unfolds through the final letter the boy writes to his Rabbi father.
According to Archer, this volume comprises twelve short stories, with ten of them drawing inspiration from real-life incidents. Although the narratives themselves may appear ordinary, each story delivers an unexpected twist. This one i must say is my re-read. I might've read this while in college, but it still keeps you engrossed to it.
Would recommend you this if you like reading Short Stories like me. Though, my favorite was "Christina Rosenthal", and "Colonel Bullfrog" I did enjoyed each of them.
August 17, 2013
Jeffrey Archer is frequently inspired to write short stories based on actual events. He is kind enough to * those titles in the table of contents. Since most of the books I read are E-Books, my curiosity prompts me to easily Google the situations, the tales and the characters in order to learn --as Paul Harvey famously put it -- "The rest of the story".
Archer is a master of 'the twist' ending...without exception, my response after having read each of .his short stories is "I never saw THAT coming!". In fact, more often than not I feel compelled to immediately re-read them to see if I can learn what I may have missed!
Naturally, it is difficult to rate a collection. Some are more engaging than others --it depends on the readers preferences. But all are extremely well done. I won't rate it a 5, because I reserve that for my all-time favorite books. But I unreservedly give it a strong 4. I look forward to reading more of Jeffrey Archer's works.
Archer is a master of 'the twist' ending...without exception, my response after having read each of .his short stories is "I never saw THAT coming!". In fact, more often than not I feel compelled to immediately re-read them to see if I can learn what I may have missed!
Naturally, it is difficult to rate a collection. Some are more engaging than others --it depends on the readers preferences. But all are extremely well done. I won't rate it a 5, because I reserve that for my all-time favorite books. But I unreservedly give it a strong 4. I look forward to reading more of Jeffrey Archer's works.
February 25, 2009
Two stories stand out - the last, and most poignant, a detailed letter written by a loving son to his rabbi father, describing how he first met and fell in love with his Gentile wife, which manages to catalogue the important landmarks of his life; and a story about a female picking up a man at a pub that is nothing like it seems. The others seem a little forced, especially the Golf Club one, and even the first in the book, about the 'perfect murder'. By the end I'd lost interest in whether he could get away with it or not, and had guessed the ending, which ruined everything, that being one of Archer's key skills, and the point of these short stories, as we can gather from the title.
July 16, 2018
Refreshingly twisted.
July 1, 2023
"A Twist in the Tale": five stars. Rest of the stories: mmm, not so brilliant. That's as far as I can remember - from over thirty years ago: friend of mine lent me this book (oh yes, in 1991 - year I graduated), and I remember loving "A Twist in the Tale" and reading it over and over again, xeroxing it and sending it to many of my "fellows" ... the works - while being underwhelmed by the rest of the stories. Then I read "Twist" again a few times during the nineties, and haven't thought about it much over the years - until some days ago, when I read Andy Weir's "Annie's Day", which follows the same idea, but, to my mind, doesn't come off as well.
October 24, 2014
I read this book about 4 years ago, and I wasn't very impressed by a story or two that i read then. Now, luckily I decided to give it another chance. It is an example of good story telling ability of Archer. He is a master. I loved some stories, the plot and especially the awesome endings. These are just the kind of stuff I look for in a short story book. I loved the stories and they kept me amused during the long hours of boredom that I normally experience while traveling to and from my university.
It is a fine book.
It is a fine book.
April 25, 2012
Jeffery Archer is a master story teller. The book, A Twist in the Tale, indeed confirms this. Of the twelve stories in the collection, my favorite is "Clean Sweep Ignatius", which tells the tale of the Nigerian finance minister who wanted to test the avowed code of privacy of a Swiss bank before stashing nearly $5 million in cash he embezzled from his country in the bank.
July 14, 2014
2005 Jan 01
Archer is apparently somewhat gullible, and when told a story that happened to a friend of a friend (FOAF) he believes that it is in fact true. But, he does a good job of making urban legends into real stories, so I won't dog him to bad for that.
Archer is apparently somewhat gullible, and when told a story that happened to a friend of a friend (FOAF) he believes that it is in fact true. But, he does a good job of making urban legends into real stories, so I won't dog him to bad for that.
August 8, 2020
Most of the plots were cliched and predictable. Though this book is suggested under mystery genre, I did not find any suspense or mystery in any of the stories. Most of them I felt like the narration of plain incidents.
November 20, 2018
A fine collection of short stories.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
June 2, 2017
A few good short stories with real good twists, but the most was very predictable and some even boring
October 1, 2016
The last story made my day.
July 16, 2021
7 out of 10.
Well that was fun.
Well that was fun.
May 31, 2022
Poslech v českém překladu jako "Všechno je jinak".
A tentokrát mě povídky zase bavily. J. Archerovi, se mi zdá, jdou líp povídky, které nejsou podle skutečnosti, ale kde se může vyřádit ve škodolibosti :)
Tentokrát jsou zas dobře vypointované, a konce jsou opravdu "jinak", než se zdálo na začátku.
A tentokrát mě povídky zase bavily. J. Archerovi, se mi zdá, jdou líp povídky, které nejsou podle skutečnosti, ale kde se může vyřádit ve škodolibosti :)
Tentokrát jsou zas dobře vypointované, a konce jsou opravdu "jinak", než se zdálo na začátku.
June 3, 2019
I read this collection and some other short stories (I think it was A Quiver Full of Arrows) by this author many years ago, and I remember I enjoyed them. Then he got unpopular because of the scandal. I'd love to reread them to see how I feel now.
January 13, 2018
My first Jeffrey Archer. Will read more.
September 3, 2018
Was not expecting short stories, but it was good, didn't like the "steal" but the rest had a good twist.
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