A Twist in the Tale: Amazon.ca: Jeffrey Archer, Martin Jarvis: Books

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Archer's ( Kane and Abel ) talent as a raconteur is evident in these 12 distinctive short stories, all of which have surprise endings. Many center on human failings such as jealousy, obstinacy, pettiness or prejudice; 10 are based on "known incidents" that Archer has "embellished." An almost reportorial, straightforward style actually enhances each concluding jolt. In "The Perfect Murder," a married man kills his mistress, cunningly implicates someone else, and ensures that hapless person's conviction. "A La Carte" concerns Mark Hapgood, who grudgingly works as a lowly hotel porter to please his father, then unexpectedly becomes a celebrated hotel chef. The amorous, contented female narrator of "Just Good Friends" turns out to be a cat. The stunning "Christinia Rosenthal" shows the needless tragedy that results when a girl's anti-Semitic parents oppose her marriage to a rabbi's son. Though the plots are rather slight, Archer's understanding of human nature, and his talent for surprise endings, make this volume a must for his fans. First serial to Penthouse and New Woman; Literary Guild alternate; major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“Archer is a master entertainer.” —Time

“A storyteller in the class of Alexander Dumas...Unsurpassed skill...making the reader wonder intensely what will happen next.”—The Washington Post

“There isn’t a better storyteller alive.” —Larry King

“Archer...has anextraordinary talent for turning notoriety into gold, and telling fast-moving stories.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“One of the top ten storytellers in the world”— Los Angeles Times

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Not what I'd usually pick, Jun 25 2006

By

C.W. (White Horse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Twist in the Tale (Mass Market Paperback)

Normally one to pick a run-away bestseller that EVERYONE is reading, like DA VINCI by Brown of KATZENJAMMER by McCrae, I instead opted for Jeffrey Archers's A TWIST IN THE TALE. Glad I did. With Archer's unusual display of panache, humour and tremendous imaginative strength, each story is tightly packed with more richness and humanness than many good writers manage to achieve in a single novel. His observation of human quirks and eccentricities is acute, and some of his insights are unusually penetrating. His storytelling flows with ingenious fluidity so that the tales and the characters that people the landscape of his vivid imagination seem to sparkle and come alive, all of which makes this collection consistently entertaining.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A true twist in the stories, Mar 9 2006

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Mikhail "mike" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Twist in the Tale (Mass Market Paperback)

A TWIST IN THE TALE is the most exciting of Archer's collection of short storiesbook. The stories simply grip you from the start and you wouldn't guess it right how they would end no matter how hard you try to. They get particularly interesting towards the end. The plots are all too unpredictable and the writing is fast-paced, smooth and rich.. It's simply vintage Archer and with other collections like USUPER AND OTHER STORIES, RUNAWAY, WARD NUMBER SIX AND OTHER RORIES,UNION MOUJIK, I am in the phase of my life where I am enjoying short fiction the most.

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4.0 out of 5 stars AN ACES STORY AND READING, Jan 12 2005

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Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Twist in the Tale (Audio CD)

"A" is for Archer. "A" is also what readers give to the political thrillers flowing from the pen (always felt tipped, we're told) of this popular British author. He's often been found at the top of the New York Times best-selling list.

Also top listed is Martin Jarvis, talented stage and film performer who gives voice to these tales of duplicity, cupidity, and suspense. (Jarvis also reads Archer's "A Matter Of Honor," another Audio Renaissance edition.)

Archer is so skillful that it seems he almost teases the listener by dropping clues that allow us to think we've figured the matter out when we haven't at all.

"A Twist In The Tale" is a bit of a departure for the author as it is a collection of 12 short stories all plot and character driven, all intriguing listening. We find an unfaithful husband who does a great deal more than cheat on his wife , and in another story discover that chess is not just a game.

Knowing Archer, we must have a corrupt diplomat, and in another yarn a controlling father learns a sad lesson.

Someone once said that a first-rate short story is much harder to write than a full length novel. Jeffrey Archer has mastered both genres.

- Gail Cooke

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good short stories!
The 12 stories were all good but I specially liked the first (the Perfect Murther) and the last stories (Cristina Rosenthal, which made me cry).