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Alfred Hitchcock's Happiness is a Warm Corpse
Tetanus Anyone?
That's one way to insure a prompt departure from this vale of tears. But there are many other methods just as swift and sure. Nor are there lacking shadowy citizens only too eager to employ them. You might not want to meet these nefarious purveyors of ingenious homicide in the flesh - but you'll have a screaming good time with them in these superb tales of macabre mystery and suspense by such talents as:
Jonathon Craig, Robert Colby, Robert Edmond Alter, John Cortez, Fletcher Flora, Diane Frazer, Hal Ellson, James Holding Jr., Gilbert Ralston, Robert O. Lewis, Richard Demind, Pat Stadley.
All personally selected by Alfred Hitchcock.
That's one way to insure a prompt departure from this vale of tears. But there are many other methods just as swift and sure. Nor are there lacking shadowy citizens only too eager to employ them. You might not want to meet these nefarious purveyors of ingenious homicide in the flesh - but you'll have a screaming good time with them in these superb tales of macabre mystery and suspense by such talents as:
Jonathon Craig, Robert Colby, Robert Edmond Alter, John Cortez, Fletcher Flora, Diane Frazer, Hal Ellson, James Holding Jr., Gilbert Ralston, Robert O. Lewis, Richard Demind, Pat Stadley.
All personally selected by Alfred Hitchcock.
205 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1969
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Alfred Hitchcock
1,145 books772 followersSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (1899-1980) was an iconic and highly influential film director and producer, who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 6, 2020
i read little bits of this when i was five
I just found
Happiness is a Warm Corpse
Up the Down Staircase
and i would just browse little bits of it
I'm sure they formed my world-view as it stands to-day
I just found
Happiness is a Warm Corpse
Up the Down Staircase
and i would just browse little bits of it
I'm sure they formed my world-view as it stands to-day
August 5, 2017
This one was originally published in 1969, and contains AHMM reprints from 1960 to 1967. After a cute intro by Robert Arthur doing his spot-on Hitchcock voice, it opens with "Once Upon a Bank Floor..." by James Holding Jr, in which a bank clerk on an airplane shares his story of being robbed with a fellow passenger who turns out to be connected to him in a way he couldn't have guessed. A decent opener. "The Egg Head", by Rog Phillips, has a hard-bitten police detective changing his mind about his daughter's new husband, a geeky scientist, when the young man shows an aptitude for crime-solving.
The great Robert Edmund Alter is next with "Each Night He Pulled the Trigger," in which a Foreign Legionnaire is mortified by an officer's nightly playing of Russian Roulette, until he learns the strange code of honor behind it, and saves the officer's reputation. In "The Waiting Game" by Pat Stadley, the young female narrator seems to be a clever killer, knocking off her sisters one by one, but the truth of the matter is something quite different.
Gilbert Ralston appears a lot in these anthologies, and he's usually very reliable. In this one, "Destruction is Always Arranged," a professional arsonist is contracted to burn down a man's house, but the man has more in mind than the arsonist expected. In John Cortez's "The Happy Death", an old viejo deals with the man who has bad intentions with his granddaughter.
In "The Sweater", by Richard O. Lewis, a man plans to use an experimental stay in his fallout shelter to do away with his wife, but a malfunction brings long, agonizing justice. Fletcher Flora is next, with "IQ-184", which is probably the best story in this collection. A woman tells the police about the strange death of a suitor, and it's obvious to the reader at least that the man with her is the murderer but... well, the "man" is not what he seems. Trust me, saying anything else would just give this one away. Typical brilliant Flora.
In "Kill, If You Want Me!", by Richard Deming, a hustler learns that his boss is having an affair and apparently plans on murdering his wife-- so he and the wife plan to do away with the husband first. "Antique", by Hal Ellson, seemed really familiar to me while reading it, and sure enough it had been reprinted before, in a different Hitchcock anthology; that's the first time I've seen that happen, but no worries, it's a great story, about the dangers of trying to rob a person with dementia.
In "Mrs. Gilly and the Gigolo", by Mary L. Roby, a middle-aged woman regrets a brief fling with a gigolo when he starts a campaign of blackmail against her. "This Day's Evil", by the always reliable Jonathon Craig, is about a guy who robs and kills a local oddball, only to be caught by the "lazy" sheriff and an errant bottle of whiskey.
In "Private and Confidential" by Dian Frazer, a bank exec in France receives a damning letter and is forced into the uncomfortable position of having to investigate possible embezzlement. Finally, "Never Come Back", by Robert Colby, is a very old-school noir tale about a cab driver desperate for money and love who gets in way over his head.
Highlights of this volume: "The Waiting Game", "Destruction is Always Arranged", "IQ-184", and "Antique".
The great Robert Edmund Alter is next with "Each Night He Pulled the Trigger," in which a Foreign Legionnaire is mortified by an officer's nightly playing of Russian Roulette, until he learns the strange code of honor behind it, and saves the officer's reputation. In "The Waiting Game" by Pat Stadley, the young female narrator seems to be a clever killer, knocking off her sisters one by one, but the truth of the matter is something quite different.
Gilbert Ralston appears a lot in these anthologies, and he's usually very reliable. In this one, "Destruction is Always Arranged," a professional arsonist is contracted to burn down a man's house, but the man has more in mind than the arsonist expected. In John Cortez's "The Happy Death", an old viejo deals with the man who has bad intentions with his granddaughter.
In "The Sweater", by Richard O. Lewis, a man plans to use an experimental stay in his fallout shelter to do away with his wife, but a malfunction brings long, agonizing justice. Fletcher Flora is next, with "IQ-184", which is probably the best story in this collection. A woman tells the police about the strange death of a suitor, and it's obvious to the reader at least that the man with her is the murderer but... well, the "man" is not what he seems. Trust me, saying anything else would just give this one away. Typical brilliant Flora.
In "Kill, If You Want Me!", by Richard Deming, a hustler learns that his boss is having an affair and apparently plans on murdering his wife-- so he and the wife plan to do away with the husband first. "Antique", by Hal Ellson, seemed really familiar to me while reading it, and sure enough it had been reprinted before, in a different Hitchcock anthology; that's the first time I've seen that happen, but no worries, it's a great story, about the dangers of trying to rob a person with dementia.
In "Mrs. Gilly and the Gigolo", by Mary L. Roby, a middle-aged woman regrets a brief fling with a gigolo when he starts a campaign of blackmail against her. "This Day's Evil", by the always reliable Jonathon Craig, is about a guy who robs and kills a local oddball, only to be caught by the "lazy" sheriff and an errant bottle of whiskey.
In "Private and Confidential" by Dian Frazer, a bank exec in France receives a damning letter and is forced into the uncomfortable position of having to investigate possible embezzlement. Finally, "Never Come Back", by Robert Colby, is a very old-school noir tale about a cab driver desperate for money and love who gets in way over his head.
Highlights of this volume: "The Waiting Game", "Destruction is Always Arranged", "IQ-184", and "Antique".
October 8, 2015
Happiness Is a Warm Corpse (1969) is a collection of short stories presented as "personally selected by Alfred Hitchcock." These collections of stories Hitchcock's name and include introductions ostensibly written by the director, but it is generally agreed that Hitchcock had little, if any, involvement in the books. Such collections were plentiful in my school libraries and I soon made my way through all that were available. This may well have been one of them--if so, I did not record it in my book log and I have long forgotten it. As a collection, it is--as most collections are--a mixed bag. There are several excellent stories...from "Once Upon a Bank Floor," the tale of a foiled bank robbery that yielded loot for one of the criminals much later, to "The Egg Head" in which a young scientist wins the respect of his police chief father-in-law by helping to solve an unsolved murder to "IQ-184" which produces a most surprising murderer, indeed. And "Kill If You Want Me" is a very chilling story of cold-blooded murder. But there are a few stories that are either a bit confusing ("The Sweater," for instance) or which fall just a bit flat in the telling. Overall, a solid mystery collection--just right for a cozy October evening of reading.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
February 21, 2014
An interesting variety of short stories from authors I've never heard of. Felt the book declined in twists and quality as I read through it but still one that I will save and return to again.
Introduction - Alfred Hitchcock****
Once Upon a Bank Floor - James Holding, Jr. ***
The Egg Head - Rog Philips****
Each Night He Pulled the Trigger - Robert Edmund Alter**
The Waiting Game - Pat Stadly**
Destruction is Always Arranged - Gilbert Ralston***
The Happy Death - John Cortez**
The Sweater - Robert O. Lewis**
IQ - 184 - Fletcher Flora***
Kill, If You Want Me! - Richard Deming**
Antique - Hal Ellson **
Mrs. Gilly and the Gigolo - Mary L. Roby**
This Day's Evil - Jonathan Craig***
Private and Confidential - Diane Frazer***
Never Come Back - Robert Colby**
Introduction - Alfred Hitchcock****
Once Upon a Bank Floor - James Holding, Jr. ***
The Egg Head - Rog Philips****
Each Night He Pulled the Trigger - Robert Edmund Alter**
The Waiting Game - Pat Stadly**
Destruction is Always Arranged - Gilbert Ralston***
The Happy Death - John Cortez**
The Sweater - Robert O. Lewis**
IQ - 184 - Fletcher Flora***
Kill, If You Want Me! - Richard Deming**
Antique - Hal Ellson **
Mrs. Gilly and the Gigolo - Mary L. Roby**
This Day's Evil - Jonathan Craig***
Private and Confidential - Diane Frazer***
Never Come Back - Robert Colby**
February 22, 2016
Read this collection of short stories several times over the years. Very good!
Read
January 26, 2025Wonderful short stories that leave different impressions as one finishes them.
December 22, 2022
Let’s give a hand for this title, shall we? So random. I’m a big Hitchcock fan (more so Rear Window and To Catch a Thief than Psycho or The Birds) so this is exciting. My mom claims she found it while cleaning out the farm, my dad insists he never read that. Whatever, his loss.
Published in 1969, is a compilation of mystery/thriller stories handpicked by Hitchcock. It’s like if your high school English teacher told your class to write a scary short story but they’re all actually good. I really savor short stories like this because I don’t have to wait too long to find out the twist and I know not to trust anything while I’m reading. Some were mediocre, but quite a few were really clever and enjoyable.
If you happen to find one of Hitchcock’s collections of short stories at the resale shop, go ahead and spend a dollar. It’ll be worth it.
Published in 1969, is a compilation of mystery/thriller stories handpicked by Hitchcock. It’s like if your high school English teacher told your class to write a scary short story but they’re all actually good. I really savor short stories like this because I don’t have to wait too long to find out the twist and I know not to trust anything while I’m reading. Some were mediocre, but quite a few were really clever and enjoyable.
If you happen to find one of Hitchcock’s collections of short stories at the resale shop, go ahead and spend a dollar. It’ll be worth it.
September 5, 2015
A fun collection of mystery, horror and suspense tales, circa 1969.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews