The deadly game;: A play adapted from the novel,

by James Yaffe

As told by Atkinson (NY Times): "Three retired men of law on a remote mountain in Switzerland amuse themselves by going through the legal ceremony of prosecuting strangers who drop in. An American traveling salesman is their guest on a snowy evening. Although their 'deadly game' seems foolish to him, he agrees to it to humor his hosts. Since he has never been guilty of a crime in his life, he is unable to propose anything they can try him for. After a little amiable social conversation, the retired prosecutor discovers a plausible case. He accuses the traveling salesman of having murdered his boss. At first, this appears to be a wild improvisation. But Mr. Yaffe, using Mr. D

Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1959

About the author

Since 1968 member of the Department of English, currently professor of English, and since 1981 Director of General Studies, Colorado College, Colorado Springs.

Reviews

[David Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining and quite suspenseful.

[Mikael Kuoppala · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Deadly Game” kind of reminds me of Franz Kafka’s phenomenal “The Trial,” as it is built upon a very Kafkaesque sense of absurdity. The common theme of justice is also a factor, even if the two pieces approach it from very different angles.

Friedrich Dürrenmatt offers us a secluded cabin in Swizerland, where a traveling salesman finds a trio of former servants of the law. Indulging the trio’s desire for parlor games, the man agrees to become a defendant in a mock trial. The game soon starts to turn into reality.

This novel is mildly fascinating, even if the Kafka feel gets a bit too intense, crossing from homage over to inferior emulation. It’s odd how such an absurd story can be so predictable and overstating.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like an undiscovered episode of the Twilight Zone