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Bibliomisterios #4
The Scroll
An ancient scroll draws a bookseller into a chilling mystery
Monty Danforth finds the tin buried beneath a shipment of leather-bound classics. Inside is a millennia-old vellum manuscript written in an unfamiliar but unmistakably ancient language. Danforth tries to photocopy and photograph it, but he ends up with blank images, as though the ink were made of something impervious to modern technology. As the scroll’s mystery enchants him, this hapless bookseller falls into a cutthroat conspiracy that he may never escape.
Soon a dead-eyed old man and his granddaughter come calling for the scroll. Danforth refuses to sell them the manuscript, but they will not be the last to demand it. Powerful forces crave the secrets locked within this ancient document, and Danforth will survive only if he can master its power.
Monty Danforth finds the tin buried beneath a shipment of leather-bound classics. Inside is a millennia-old vellum manuscript written in an unfamiliar but unmistakably ancient language. Danforth tries to photocopy and photograph it, but he ends up with blank images, as though the ink were made of something impervious to modern technology. As the scroll’s mystery enchants him, this hapless bookseller falls into a cutthroat conspiracy that he may never escape.
Soon a dead-eyed old man and his granddaughter come calling for the scroll. Danforth refuses to sell them the manuscript, but they will not be the last to demand it. Powerful forces crave the secrets locked within this ancient document, and Danforth will survive only if he can master its power.
64 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2011
About the author
Anne Perry
371 books3,423 followersAnne Perry, born Juliet Hulme in England, lived in Scotland most of her life after serving five years in prison for murder (in New Zealand). A beloved mystery authoress, she is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series.
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
October 25, 2018
(C+) 66% | Almost Satisfactory
Notes: With dollar-bin religious themes and chintzy genre tropes, it's a wannabe Da Vinci Code and pretends to have a point.
Notes: With dollar-bin religious themes and chintzy genre tropes, it's a wannabe Da Vinci Code and pretends to have a point.
December 22, 2022
I loved this short story about an ancient scroll which is found in a box of books bought at an auction.
July 5, 2021
Fascinating build with the mystery of what the scroll was or contained, but disappointing and pointless ending without a satisfactory explanation. The bookseller could have gotten an expert or at least an Aramaic reader much faster, and with such a curious object, why delay?
July 6, 2024
1.5 stars
short review for busy readers: a mash-up of about 207 mystery tropes that reads like everything you’ve ever read in the ‘creepy bookshop’ genre. Nothing interesting to see here, move along.
in detail:
I’m a fan of Anne Perry’s Victorian era Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery series, so I was interested in reading a modern tale from her.
My mistake.
Not only does the plot of “The Scroll” resemble Swiss cheese that’s been munched by hungry slugs, its bones are little more than “A Christmas Carol” and the Greek myth “The Decision of Paris” smashed together like so much Play-Do and drop kicked into a back lane Oxford bookshop.
The dialogue heavily recalls the Victorian time period – so about 150 years out of date if this is to be a modern tale – and the ancient scroll of the title promises new info (maybe) about Jesus.
Interestingly, the moral question this story asks is the exact same one that virtually every Vatican thriller since time began does: if Jesus turned out not to be the Jesus of the Bible, would you want to know and would it bring down Christianity?
(Answer: yes, people would and no, it wouldn't.)
If you really like trope pile-ups with hackneyed non-starters as ‘the stakes’, then you may enjoy this story. Otherwise, great bin liner.
short review for busy readers: a mash-up of about 207 mystery tropes that reads like everything you’ve ever read in the ‘creepy bookshop’ genre. Nothing interesting to see here, move along.
in detail:
I’m a fan of Anne Perry’s Victorian era Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery series, so I was interested in reading a modern tale from her.
My mistake.
Not only does the plot of “The Scroll” resemble Swiss cheese that’s been munched by hungry slugs, its bones are little more than “A Christmas Carol” and the Greek myth “The Decision of Paris” smashed together like so much Play-Do and drop kicked into a back lane Oxford bookshop.
The dialogue heavily recalls the Victorian time period – so about 150 years out of date if this is to be a modern tale – and the ancient scroll of the title promises new info (maybe) about Jesus.
Interestingly, the moral question this story asks is the exact same one that virtually every Vatican thriller since time began does: if Jesus turned out not to be the Jesus of the Bible, would you want to know and would it bring down Christianity?
(Answer: yes, people would and no, it wouldn't.)
If you really like trope pile-ups with hackneyed non-starters as ‘the stakes’, then you may enjoy this story. Otherwise, great bin liner.
April 9, 2015
First Sentence: The early winter evening was drawing in. In the antiquarian bookshop well away from the High Street in Cambridge, Monty Danforth sat in his room in the back, working on unpacking and cataloguing the books and papers from the last crate of the Greville Estate.
Monty Danforth’s boss is out sick so it falls on him to unpack the shipment of books received from an estate sale. At the very bottom of the box, is an incredibly old scroll written in a language unknown to Monty. Thinking to have it translated, he tries both photocopying and photographing it, only to find blank images. Soon, three very different individuals come to the shop insisting he sell the scroll to each of them. He is also given a warning that the scroll could present great danger.
How delightful to have a contemporary story from Ms. Perry. Even more delightful is that it is a combination of mystery, supernatural, and spirituality. As well as the quandary in which Danforth finds himself, and the increasing level of threat in the story, as well an element of faith beyond any one religion, that causes one to wonder what they would do.
“The Scroll” is yet another example of Ms. Perry’s writing excellence. It’s a tiny bit Di Vinci Code and a tiny bit Stephen King in the best possible way, with just a touch of philosophical questioning. The only problem with having it be a bedtime read, is the ending leaves you contemplating long after finishing the story. And isn’t that the mark of an excellent book?
THE SCROLL (Novella-Monty Danforth-England-Contemp) - Ex
Perry, Anne - Standalone
The Mysterious Bookshop – 2011 / Amazon Digital Services – 2012
Monty Danforth’s boss is out sick so it falls on him to unpack the shipment of books received from an estate sale. At the very bottom of the box, is an incredibly old scroll written in a language unknown to Monty. Thinking to have it translated, he tries both photocopying and photographing it, only to find blank images. Soon, three very different individuals come to the shop insisting he sell the scroll to each of them. He is also given a warning that the scroll could present great danger.
How delightful to have a contemporary story from Ms. Perry. Even more delightful is that it is a combination of mystery, supernatural, and spirituality. As well as the quandary in which Danforth finds himself, and the increasing level of threat in the story, as well an element of faith beyond any one religion, that causes one to wonder what they would do.
“The Scroll” is yet another example of Ms. Perry’s writing excellence. It’s a tiny bit Di Vinci Code and a tiny bit Stephen King in the best possible way, with just a touch of philosophical questioning. The only problem with having it be a bedtime read, is the ending leaves you contemplating long after finishing the story. And isn’t that the mark of an excellent book?
THE SCROLL (Novella-Monty Danforth-England-Contemp) - Ex
Perry, Anne - Standalone
The Mysterious Bookshop – 2011 / Amazon Digital Services – 2012
June 28, 2012
Liked the story. It was well written & felt longer than 64 pages. Anne Perry has proven again that she knows how to bind a reader to a story world and how to leave the reader crawing for more, no matter which genre she writes about.
Victorian crime isn´t required when modern day times themselves have enough mystery food hidden in the shadows of history.
Victorian crime isn´t required when modern day times themselves have enough mystery food hidden in the shadows of history.
March 25, 2018
It had a great start, the story keeps you alert but what happened in the end? I still can't understand why the author chose to finish it that way. Felt a bit "hors-sujet".
March 25, 2018
All That Start Well, was good, But somehow didn't end well !
The Story was gripping since start and kept the mystery going till last two pages and then it seems the author decided to spoil it all by choosing to end it in a bizarre way !!
Quick good reading. But left me a bit unsatisfied even after a good read !!!
The Story was gripping since start and kept the mystery going till last two pages and then it seems the author decided to spoil it all by choosing to end it in a bizarre way !!
Quick good reading. But left me a bit unsatisfied even after a good read !!!
January 17, 2017
Really bad short story. Don't bother.
November 19, 2012
Short story about a book seller employee who finds a valuable scroll at the bottom of a box of books bought at auction. Even though the scroll has not been advertised for sale three people request to buy it. The story moves well, the ending was kind of lame.
January 24, 2012
similar to The Da Vinci Code but mercifully shorter. very atmospheric and tense.
October 19, 2019
I love these little mysteries introducing me to writers I wouldn't otherwise invest in / have the patience for.
Super entertaining bedtime story.
Super entertaining bedtime story.
November 30, 2012
Cambridge bookstore employee Monty Danforth finds an old scroll written in Aramaic in a crate of old books received from an estate. Monty is curious about this scroll and wants to get the opinion of his best friend Hank, a scientist. Monty can’t believe his eyes when he finds he can’ take a picture of the ancient scroll or make a photo copy of it. He has told nobody else about the scroll, so Monty is even more puzzled when he starts getting visitors who all want to possess the scroll --- at any price.
This unusual story is a big departure from Anne Perry’s historical mysteries, but it is very well-written. It is a modern story of good vs. evil set in the present, but with historical references dating back to biblical times. Like Monty, the reader has no idea of the intentions of those wanting the scroll and whether or not they mean well. Monty is a hero to root for, especially when he can no longer ignore the supernatural properties of the mysterious scroll. Fans of “The Di Vinci Code” will enjoy this short, entertaining, but also complex and eerie tale.
“The Scroll” is part of the “Bibliomysteries” series. This is the only book in the series I have read, but after finishing this one, I would love to read the stories by the others authors, especially those written by Jeffery Deaver and C. J. Box.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Open Road Media in exchange for an honest review.
This unusual story is a big departure from Anne Perry’s historical mysteries, but it is very well-written. It is a modern story of good vs. evil set in the present, but with historical references dating back to biblical times. Like Monty, the reader has no idea of the intentions of those wanting the scroll and whether or not they mean well. Monty is a hero to root for, especially when he can no longer ignore the supernatural properties of the mysterious scroll. Fans of “The Di Vinci Code” will enjoy this short, entertaining, but also complex and eerie tale.
“The Scroll” is part of the “Bibliomysteries” series. This is the only book in the series I have read, but after finishing this one, I would love to read the stories by the others authors, especially those written by Jeffery Deaver and C. J. Box.
I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Open Road Media in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2019
This was the first thing of Anne Perry's I've ever read. I really liked it, but wanted it to be longer. Maybe I'll have to check out more of her novels.
May 1, 2022
Not really my cup of tea for a number of reasons. The beginning had promise but the ending felt rushed with the main character making leaps of logic that felt forced and unsupported by the events preceding. However, since it's a short story I didn't feel like I wasted time reading it. I expected more out of Anne Perry, but I suspect shorts aren't her cup of tea either.
May 22, 2025
Me ha enganchado desde la primera línea y se me ha hecho muy corto pero la última página tuve que leerla dos veces. El final ese tan rápido me decepcionó un poco. La historia da para una novela, no para un relato corto. Seguiré leyendo más de esta autora,
October 31, 2012
The Scroll is an eBook short mystery that’s full of intrigue, big questions and quite a bit of personal drama.
It all begins when Monty Danforth, a man who works in an antiquarian shop in Cambridge, starts unpacking and cataloguing the books delivered to him in crates by the Greville estate. Among the things that he uncovers is a mysterious scroll that seems to be written in Hebrew.
At first he doesn’t seem to know what to make of it since he can’t understand a word of the language it is written in but apparently someone else does, since before too long an old man, who claims to be a collector, arrives accompanied by a young girl. The man offers to buy the scroll straight away but Mr. Danforth refuses to grant him his wish, since he wants to have it evaluated first.
The visitors depart, promising to come back at a later time, but not before warning him that the scroll could prove to be quite dangerous because of its contents. What did they mean by that?
“Ha had always had a weird imagination, a sensitivity to the presence of evil. He told the most excellent ghost stories to the great entertainment of his friends. He was known for it, even loved. People liked to be given a frisson of fear, just enough to get the adrenalin going.”
Well, now he feels that kind of fear taking abode in his very soul, and he doesn’t know how to appease it. He knows that he needs to solve the mystery surrounding the scroll but would that prove enough?
In the end he has no choice so he decides to ask for the help of his good friend, Hank Savage, a pragmatic scientist, thus someone who doesn’t share his beliefs of the supernatural. Hank will offer him a helping hand but just by pointing out that the text on the scroll is written in Aramaic and not in Hebrew. Apart from that he can’t tell anything much since he only understands a few words of that long lost language.
So, where is he supposed to turn to now? That would be the million dollar question if two new ones didn’t arise in a brief period of time: Why are the church and a scholar of sorts interested in the scroll? And how did they, just like the old man, come to know about it?
As the story moves on the mystery deepens and the end comes with a bang that may solve a part of the riddle but gives birth to new questions in the mind of the reader.
Anne Perry delivers a well-written story, with a great plot and a few fascinating characters that drive the narrative from peak to peak. If you love mysteries you will love this short foray into the genre.
It all begins when Monty Danforth, a man who works in an antiquarian shop in Cambridge, starts unpacking and cataloguing the books delivered to him in crates by the Greville estate. Among the things that he uncovers is a mysterious scroll that seems to be written in Hebrew.
At first he doesn’t seem to know what to make of it since he can’t understand a word of the language it is written in but apparently someone else does, since before too long an old man, who claims to be a collector, arrives accompanied by a young girl. The man offers to buy the scroll straight away but Mr. Danforth refuses to grant him his wish, since he wants to have it evaluated first.
The visitors depart, promising to come back at a later time, but not before warning him that the scroll could prove to be quite dangerous because of its contents. What did they mean by that?
“Ha had always had a weird imagination, a sensitivity to the presence of evil. He told the most excellent ghost stories to the great entertainment of his friends. He was known for it, even loved. People liked to be given a frisson of fear, just enough to get the adrenalin going.”
Well, now he feels that kind of fear taking abode in his very soul, and he doesn’t know how to appease it. He knows that he needs to solve the mystery surrounding the scroll but would that prove enough?
In the end he has no choice so he decides to ask for the help of his good friend, Hank Savage, a pragmatic scientist, thus someone who doesn’t share his beliefs of the supernatural. Hank will offer him a helping hand but just by pointing out that the text on the scroll is written in Aramaic and not in Hebrew. Apart from that he can’t tell anything much since he only understands a few words of that long lost language.
So, where is he supposed to turn to now? That would be the million dollar question if two new ones didn’t arise in a brief period of time: Why are the church and a scholar of sorts interested in the scroll? And how did they, just like the old man, come to know about it?
As the story moves on the mystery deepens and the end comes with a bang that may solve a part of the riddle but gives birth to new questions in the mind of the reader.
Anne Perry delivers a well-written story, with a great plot and a few fascinating characters that drive the narrative from peak to peak. If you love mysteries you will love this short foray into the genre.
December 3, 2015
VON ALTEN MÄCHTEN...
Monty Danforth packt wie so oft in dem Antiquariat seines Arbeitgebers Bücher und Dokumente aus einer Kiste aus, um sie zu katalogisieren. Ganz unten entdeckt er jedoch eine Keksdose, in der sich etwas zu befinden scheint.
"Er trug es zur Lampe und machte sie an. ein gelber Schein erfüllte den Raum und tauchte die Ecken in noch dunklere Schatten. Das Ding in der Dose sah aus wie eine alte Schriftrolle. Behutsam nahm er sie heraus und legte sie direkt unter die Lampe auf den Tisch. Stück für Stück rollte er sie auf, um sie näher zu betrachten. Sie war beschrieben. Er erkannte Schriftzeichen, fleckig, verblasst und an einigen Stellen gar nicht zu lesen."
Monty vermag die Schriftrolle nicht zu entziffern, da sie in einer ihm nicht geläufigen Sprache geschrieben ist. Als er versucht, die Rolle zu kopieren, um sie auf diese Art von einem Schriftgelehrten begutachten und übersetzen zu lassen, produziert das Gerät ein unbeschriebenes Blatt. Auch der Versuch, die Schrift zu fotografieren, verläuft erfolglos. Ein ungutes Gefühl beschleicht Monty, was sich noch verstärkt, als unversehens ein Fremder im Antiquariat erscheint und großes Interesse an der Schriftrolle bekundet...
"'Eine Menge Leute wissen, dass sie hier ist', sagte er sehr leise. 'Sie werden herkommen und Ihnen alles Mögliche dafür bieten... nicht nur Geld. Seien Sie auf der Hut."
Ich habe mich beim Lesen tatsächlich ein wenig gegruselt. Anne Perry kreiert immer wieder düstere und unheimliche Szenen, die den Leser in die gleiche Unsicherheit stürzen wie Monty Danforth. Neben dem Rätsel, was es denn nun mit dieser Schriftrolle auf sich hat, überfuhr mich gelegentlich ein Schauder, der die Lektüre noch spannender gestaltete. Lediglich das Ende erschien mir ein wenig platt, was aber dem Lesevergnügen insgesamt kaum einen Abbruch tat.
"Menschen bauchen ihre Träume, ob sie nun real sind oder nicht. Man muss ihnen einen neuen geben, bevor man den alten zerstört."
Dies war Band 3 der Biblio-Mysteries Reihe (13 Folgen gibt es insgesamt), in der es immer um Kriminalfälle geht, die im Zusammenhang mit Büchern stehen: mit alten Büchern, seltenen Manuskripten, unschätzbaren Stücken. Und natürlich geht es auch um diejenigen, die sie unbedingt haben wollen: Buchhändler, exzentrische Sammler, Bibliothekare, Buchliebhaber - oder einfach: Leser.
Ich freue mich auf mehr!
© Parden
Monty Danforth packt wie so oft in dem Antiquariat seines Arbeitgebers Bücher und Dokumente aus einer Kiste aus, um sie zu katalogisieren. Ganz unten entdeckt er jedoch eine Keksdose, in der sich etwas zu befinden scheint.
"Er trug es zur Lampe und machte sie an. ein gelber Schein erfüllte den Raum und tauchte die Ecken in noch dunklere Schatten. Das Ding in der Dose sah aus wie eine alte Schriftrolle. Behutsam nahm er sie heraus und legte sie direkt unter die Lampe auf den Tisch. Stück für Stück rollte er sie auf, um sie näher zu betrachten. Sie war beschrieben. Er erkannte Schriftzeichen, fleckig, verblasst und an einigen Stellen gar nicht zu lesen."
Monty vermag die Schriftrolle nicht zu entziffern, da sie in einer ihm nicht geläufigen Sprache geschrieben ist. Als er versucht, die Rolle zu kopieren, um sie auf diese Art von einem Schriftgelehrten begutachten und übersetzen zu lassen, produziert das Gerät ein unbeschriebenes Blatt. Auch der Versuch, die Schrift zu fotografieren, verläuft erfolglos. Ein ungutes Gefühl beschleicht Monty, was sich noch verstärkt, als unversehens ein Fremder im Antiquariat erscheint und großes Interesse an der Schriftrolle bekundet...
"'Eine Menge Leute wissen, dass sie hier ist', sagte er sehr leise. 'Sie werden herkommen und Ihnen alles Mögliche dafür bieten... nicht nur Geld. Seien Sie auf der Hut."
Ich habe mich beim Lesen tatsächlich ein wenig gegruselt. Anne Perry kreiert immer wieder düstere und unheimliche Szenen, die den Leser in die gleiche Unsicherheit stürzen wie Monty Danforth. Neben dem Rätsel, was es denn nun mit dieser Schriftrolle auf sich hat, überfuhr mich gelegentlich ein Schauder, der die Lektüre noch spannender gestaltete. Lediglich das Ende erschien mir ein wenig platt, was aber dem Lesevergnügen insgesamt kaum einen Abbruch tat.
"Menschen bauchen ihre Träume, ob sie nun real sind oder nicht. Man muss ihnen einen neuen geben, bevor man den alten zerstört."
Dies war Band 3 der Biblio-Mysteries Reihe (13 Folgen gibt es insgesamt), in der es immer um Kriminalfälle geht, die im Zusammenhang mit Büchern stehen: mit alten Büchern, seltenen Manuskripten, unschätzbaren Stücken. Und natürlich geht es auch um diejenigen, die sie unbedingt haben wollen: Buchhändler, exzentrische Sammler, Bibliothekare, Buchliebhaber - oder einfach: Leser.
Ich freue mich auf mehr!
© Parden
March 5, 2019
Listened to audio book, short and decent story.
May 31, 2014
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Le Mystère de High Street?
"J'ai reçu ce livre grâce aux éditions Ombres Noires. Il s'agit d'une petite nouvelle d'Anne Perry qui n'avait pas encore été publié en France, suivie d'une interview exclusive de l'auteur."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Monty Danforth déballe des cartons dans le fond de la librairie où il travaille lorsqu'il tombe sur un manuscrit très étrange. Et les évènements qui vont suivre ne feront que renforcer cette impression."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous?
"J'ai bien aimé l'idée de départ, une histoire qui tourne autour des livres et le petit côté surnaturel. Je n'avais vraiment pas l'impression de lire du Anne Perry qui construit ici un tout nouvel univers et ça, c'est toujours agréable après avoir dévoré presque une trentaine de ses livres. Malheureusement, je retrouve également tout ce que je n'aime pas dans les nouvelles: une précipitation dans les évènements, peu d'éléments de réponse et une fin assez peu satisfaisante. En le refermant, je me suis vraiment demandée à quoi rimait cette histoire."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini?
"Comme pour le C.J. Box dont je vous ai parlé précédemment chez le même éditeur, j'apprécie beaucoup de pouvoir découvrir une petite interview de l'un de mes auteurs favoris à la fin de ces quelques pages même si ses explications ne m'ont pas fait changé d'avis sur l'histoire."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"J'ai reçu ce livre grâce aux éditions Ombres Noires. Il s'agit d'une petite nouvelle d'Anne Perry qui n'avait pas encore été publié en France, suivie d'une interview exclusive de l'auteur."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Monty Danforth déballe des cartons dans le fond de la librairie où il travaille lorsqu'il tombe sur un manuscrit très étrange. Et les évènements qui vont suivre ne feront que renforcer cette impression."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous?
"J'ai bien aimé l'idée de départ, une histoire qui tourne autour des livres et le petit côté surnaturel. Je n'avais vraiment pas l'impression de lire du Anne Perry qui construit ici un tout nouvel univers et ça, c'est toujours agréable après avoir dévoré presque une trentaine de ses livres. Malheureusement, je retrouve également tout ce que je n'aime pas dans les nouvelles: une précipitation dans les évènements, peu d'éléments de réponse et une fin assez peu satisfaisante. En le refermant, je me suis vraiment demandée à quoi rimait cette histoire."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini?
"Comme pour le C.J. Box dont je vous ai parlé précédemment chez le même éditeur, j'apprécie beaucoup de pouvoir découvrir une petite interview de l'un de mes auteurs favoris à la fin de ces quelques pages même si ses explications ne m'ont pas fait changé d'avis sur l'histoire."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
August 8, 2014
Née en 1938 à Londres, Anne Perry vit aujourd’hui en Écosse. Depuis le succès international des enquêtes du couple Pitt et de William Monk, publié en France aux Editions 10/18, elle s’est intéressée à d’autres périodes historiques, passant de la Révolution française au portrait d’une famille anglaise durant la Première Guerre mondiale.
Avec Le mystère de High Street, elle s’aventure dans une novella paranormale troublante et plonge son lecteur au cœur d'un Londres angoissant.
On peut faire confiance à Anne Perry pour écrire une nouvelle efficace et convaincante ! L'auteure a déjà maintes fois prouvé l'étendue de son talent de conteuse, notamment dans avec sa série des Petits crimes de Noël. Ici, le mystère de ce vieux manuscrit et les phénomènes inquiétants qui l'entourent ne sont pas sans rappeler l'ambiance des romans de Carlos Ruiz Zafón, de Clive Barker ou de Lovecraft. Qui sont ces personnages étranges et menaçants ? Comment expliquer les événements paranormaux qui envahissent peu à peu la vie de Monty ? D'entrée de jeu, le lecteur frissonne et s'identifie au personnage principal. Le suspense, teinté de surnaturel, fonctionne parfaitement.
Cependant, en dépit d'une intrigue passionnante et de personnages particulièrement attachants, Le mystère de High Street tient davantage de l'œuvre d'étude (à moins qu'il ne s'agisse ici de supercherie littéraire...) que de la nouvelle à proprement parler. C'est court, définitivement trop court pour satisfaire l'appétit du lecteur !
Avec Le mystère de High Street, elle s’aventure dans une novella paranormale troublante et plonge son lecteur au cœur d'un Londres angoissant.
On peut faire confiance à Anne Perry pour écrire une nouvelle efficace et convaincante ! L'auteure a déjà maintes fois prouvé l'étendue de son talent de conteuse, notamment dans avec sa série des Petits crimes de Noël. Ici, le mystère de ce vieux manuscrit et les phénomènes inquiétants qui l'entourent ne sont pas sans rappeler l'ambiance des romans de Carlos Ruiz Zafón, de Clive Barker ou de Lovecraft. Qui sont ces personnages étranges et menaçants ? Comment expliquer les événements paranormaux qui envahissent peu à peu la vie de Monty ? D'entrée de jeu, le lecteur frissonne et s'identifie au personnage principal. Le suspense, teinté de surnaturel, fonctionne parfaitement.
Cependant, en dépit d'une intrigue passionnante et de personnages particulièrement attachants, Le mystère de High Street tient davantage de l'œuvre d'étude (à moins qu'il ne s'agisse ici de supercherie littéraire...) que de la nouvelle à proprement parler. C'est court, définitivement trop court pour satisfaire l'appétit du lecteur !
June 4, 2015
Je connais Anne Perry pour ses romans policiers et je m'attendais à lire une nouvelle dans ce genre (non, je ne lis pas les résumés, enfin quand c'est l'un de mes auteurs favoris ...). J'ai donc été surprise par cette nouvelle fantastique qui reprend les codes des maitres du 19 ème siècle (le mystérieux manuscrit, la visite d'inconnus aussi énigmatiques qu'inquiétants, le choix que doit faire le héros...) et leur style ( j'ai du relire deux fois le mot photocopieuse, tant je m'étais projetée dans le passé...). L'histoire se lit d'une traite et est plutôt bien ficelée même si j'aurais aimé avoir quelques explications supplémentaires, l'identité du vieil homme m'a laissée un peu sceptique et j'aurais aimé avoir la traduction du parchemin (même si pour le coup, cela aurait trahi le genre)
Ce que j'aime : retrouver l'esprit "fantastique du 19 eme" qui est parfaitement restituée. L'énigme du manuscrit, la plume d'Anne Perry
Ce que j'aime moins : quelques explications auraient été bienvenues, notamment sur le vieil homme
En bref : Un plaisir de découvrir cet ouvrage d'Anne Perry, qui tranche avec son style de littérature habituel, et rend un bel hommage aux romans fantastiques du 19ème siècle, bien écrit quoiqu'un peu court. Je pense que les amateurs de cette littérature apprécieront, les autres peut-être un peu moins .
Ma note
7,5/10
Ce que j'aime : retrouver l'esprit "fantastique du 19 eme" qui est parfaitement restituée. L'énigme du manuscrit, la plume d'Anne Perry
Ce que j'aime moins : quelques explications auraient été bienvenues, notamment sur le vieil homme
En bref : Un plaisir de découvrir cet ouvrage d'Anne Perry, qui tranche avec son style de littérature habituel, et rend un bel hommage aux romans fantastiques du 19ème siècle, bien écrit quoiqu'un peu court. Je pense que les amateurs de cette littérature apprécieront, les autres peut-être un peu moins .
Ma note
7,5/10
December 18, 2014
Story opens upon the scene of a book shop worker, Monty, opening a create of books. The crate is a collection that the bookshop owner had bought from an estate sale.
Crate contains leather bound classics and a tin. Tin contains a scroll. Scroll may or may not be ancient. Then these mysterious spooky people start appearing asking for the scroll. A scroll that no one should know Monty has in his possession. The scroll may or may not come from the time of Christ and may or may not "destroy the earth" or really upset people.
I like history. Both nonfiction and fiction. The whole "massive conspiracy that if revealed will greatly shock and may massively disturb the world, in the form of thousands of skulls and rivers of blood" type of thing is vaguely off putting. Still, it was an interesting enough little story, so I was able to give it 3 out of 5 stars. Had a little too much purple prose and too much of a "revealed secrets will doom the earth" type vibe, but well written for what it was.
Crate contains leather bound classics and a tin. Tin contains a scroll. Scroll may or may not be ancient. Then these mysterious spooky people start appearing asking for the scroll. A scroll that no one should know Monty has in his possession. The scroll may or may not come from the time of Christ and may or may not "destroy the earth" or really upset people.
I like history. Both nonfiction and fiction. The whole "massive conspiracy that if revealed will greatly shock and may massively disturb the world, in the form of thousands of skulls and rivers of blood" type of thing is vaguely off putting. Still, it was an interesting enough little story, so I was able to give it 3 out of 5 stars. Had a little too much purple prose and too much of a "revealed secrets will doom the earth" type vibe, but well written for what it was.
November 3, 2012
Master mystery writer Anne Perry weaves a short story about an
ancient scroll, perhaps dating to the time of Jesus – a tale seasoned
with the supernatural.
What does this scroll in Aramaic say? Is it indeed part of the rumored
Judas Gospel? And if it is, will it contradict the story of the Crucifixion and Jesus’ rising from his tomb?
Three visitors, a bishop, a scholar, and an old man with a demon child
visit the bookseller who discovers the scroll in an estate sale. Should the bookseller sell to the bishop who will destroy it? To the scholar who will reveal the truth of the scroll? To the old man who warns of catastrophe if the scroll is revealed?
Anne Perry’s “The Scroll” is a thoughtful parable of belief, ‘truth’,
and kindness.
ancient scroll, perhaps dating to the time of Jesus – a tale seasoned
with the supernatural.
What does this scroll in Aramaic say? Is it indeed part of the rumored
Judas Gospel? And if it is, will it contradict the story of the Crucifixion and Jesus’ rising from his tomb?
Three visitors, a bishop, a scholar, and an old man with a demon child
visit the bookseller who discovers the scroll in an estate sale. Should the bookseller sell to the bishop who will destroy it? To the scholar who will reveal the truth of the scroll? To the old man who warns of catastrophe if the scroll is revealed?
Anne Perry’s “The Scroll” is a thoughtful parable of belief, ‘truth’,
and kindness.
December 31, 2013
Ended up with a handful of these "Bibliomysteries", ebook shorts by prominent suspense/thriller/mystery writers featuring deadly plots centered around books. Unfortunately, all but one were not really worth the read. I suspect it's not a coincidence either that the former were around 20 pages long and the one good one was twice that. In general, the short was over before the premise development really got enough steam going.
This was one of the ones that wasn't even merely satisfactory. Story development is stiff and contrived. There's always too many questions and never really any answers and then its over. If perhaps this was at least twice as long, there would have been time and words enough to flesh it out into a more engaging and fulfilling story.
This was one of the ones that wasn't even merely satisfactory. Story development is stiff and contrived. There's always too many questions and never really any answers and then its over. If perhaps this was at least twice as long, there would have been time and words enough to flesh it out into a more engaging and fulfilling story.
May 4, 2014
This is an ebook from the BiblioMysteries collection published by The Mysterious Press in New York which carries the tag line,"Short Tales About Deadly Books".
Indeed, each story concerns a book with evil or death connected to it.
This particular story concerns an ancient scroll that surfaces, and purports to be a document written by Judas Iscariot which is in need of translation from the original Aramaic.
While it is a rather compelling meditation on good vs. evil, and what the contents of the scroll might mean for Christianity itself, author Perry concludes the story on a note that combines the real with the magical that doesn't quite work.
All in all however, this is an entertaining and thought-provoking read.
Indeed, each story concerns a book with evil or death connected to it.
This particular story concerns an ancient scroll that surfaces, and purports to be a document written by Judas Iscariot which is in need of translation from the original Aramaic.
While it is a rather compelling meditation on good vs. evil, and what the contents of the scroll might mean for Christianity itself, author Perry concludes the story on a note that combines the real with the magical that doesn't quite work.
All in all however, this is an entertaining and thought-provoking read.
January 3, 2018
A little too obvious
There’s not much subtlety in this tale of an.ancient, mysterious scroll and the hapless, anxious book shopkeeper whose responsibility it is to determine where (or to whom) it goes. The various interested parties are all exactly what they seem to be, and some plot holes are covered with vague and unsatisfying explanations. The main shopkeeper character gets pretty annoying after awhile, mostly just wringing his hands (figuratively) and fretting over what to do. This is part of the “Bibliomystery” series, which fortunately has more worthwhile entries than The Scroll.
There’s not much subtlety in this tale of an.ancient, mysterious scroll and the hapless, anxious book shopkeeper whose responsibility it is to determine where (or to whom) it goes. The various interested parties are all exactly what they seem to be, and some plot holes are covered with vague and unsatisfying explanations. The main shopkeeper character gets pretty annoying after awhile, mostly just wringing his hands (figuratively) and fretting over what to do. This is part of the “Bibliomystery” series, which fortunately has more worthwhile entries than The Scroll.
April 29, 2013
This is a short e-book by one of my favourite historical mystery writers. However, I don't think the short story is a good form for Anne Perry. The story was very good and building nicely. I was really enjoying it but, as the number of pages remaining ran down, I began to worry that there weren't enough pages left to end the story properly. Ms. Perry does tend to wrap up her very complex mysteries a bit abruptly in the final pages, but in this short story, the end came way too soon. There was still so much story that could have been told.
January 28, 2018
The Scroll is a very short story. When an assistant finds an ancient scroll that can't be photographed or copied the tale begins. That very evening a strange old man and a child appear wanting the scroll. It is ancient and written in Aramaic. His boss dies a horrible death. Others come for th scroll but will he make the right decision as to who should have it? Anne Perry gives you a quick read in this one.
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