Alfred Hitchcock's Murders on the Half-Skull

by Alfred Hitchcock (Editor)

Alfie's complaint:

When Alfred Hitchcock was a child, his mother forbade him to read about Jack the Ripper at night, in his little trundle bed, and she yanked the bats he was dissecting right out of his tiny hands. We all now know the results of that cruel repression. Alfie just can't get his fill of the world's ghoulish goodies - and here that loveable master of the macabre serves up his greatest gathering of diabolical mystery and superlative suspense.

Genres: Short Stories, Horror, Mystery

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (13 August 1899 - 29 April 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.

Reviews

[Adela Rodríguez]

Me lo empecé hace muchos meses, pero por lo que sea no me terminó de enganchar. Hoy me he releído la historia que ya me leí en su momento y me he terminado el libro.

Me ha encantado, son pequeñas historias cortas con giros increíbles. Algunas un poco predecibles y otras que no te esperarías nunca.

[Scott]

Good collection of crime stories from the late fifties and sixties. If you ever liked the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television programme, you will probably enjoy these.

[Enrique Serrano Ruiz]

Este libro consta de cuatro relatos que explotan lo torcida que puede llegar a ser la mente humana y lo depravada que puede llegar a ser una persona. El punto que une estas historias es el giro final del relato, que tiende a ser irónico.
En lo personal los relatos me parecieron bastante predecibles pero entretienen.

[Paulalalala]

no quiero que este sea el único libro d este año q quede sin reseña. tampoco tengo nada concreto q decir sobre él. entretenido. no da miedo!!!! (lo agradecí) fue gratis (tb lo agradecí)

[Alessandro Spinelli]

Complessivamente un buon libro. Alcune storie sono molto carine anche se dopo un po' si capisce che lo schema utilizzato per le varie vicende ed il loro svolgimento si ripete praticamente per tutti i racconti. Consigliato a chi volesse soddisfare la curiosità di vedere come scriveva questo colosso del cinema.

[JR Álvaro González]

Casi 100 paginas que contienen tres relatos de intriga/suspense al estilo de Hitchcock aunque, evidentemente, no están escritos por él. Como reza el nombre de su colección: ideales para leer cualquier noche de verano.

[Josh Hitch]

A solid collection of crime tales, most have a twist but all are enjoyable. Authors include Jack Ritchie, Jack Webb, Henry Slesar, Lawrence Block, Richard Deming, and a few others.

Recommended, not a dud in the bunch.

[Jon Ayuso]

Recopilación de 4 relatos cortos de asesinatos/misterio/venganzas... Fácil y entretenido

[Catalina Veliz]

Asesinato a domicilio: 4,5 de 5
Dulcemente letal: 4 de 5
El plan hipotético: 4 de 5
El sonido del crimen: 5 de 5

[Thomas McDade]

Best
Confession is Good for the Soul
Bad Noose
Crime Doesn't Pay--Enough

[Heidi]

Here is a listing of the stories
in the paperback edition of this
book.

One November Night by Jack Webb
The Already Dead by C.B. Gilford
#8 by Jack Ritchie
The Day of the Execution by Henry Slesar
Who Has Been Sitting in My Chair by Helen Nielsen
The Vapor Clue by James Holding, Jr.
Wetback by Murray Wolf
Murder Between Friends by Nedra Tyre
Good for the Soul by Lawrence Block
Ace in the Hole by Elijah Ellis
Bad Noose by Arthur Porges
The Eyes of a Cop by Edwin P. Hicks
Cheers by Richard Deming
Crime Doesn't Pay--Enough by Ed Lacy

Here are my ratings for all the
individual stories.

One November Night 4.6/5
The Already Dead 4.8/5
#8 3.5/5
The Day of the Execution 3/5
Who Has Been Sitting in My Chair 3/5
The Vapor Clue by James Holding, Jr. 3/5
Wetback 3/5
Murder Between Friends 4.8/5
Good for the Soul 4/5
Ace in the Hole 3/5
Bad Noose 4.8/5
The Eyes of a Cop 3/5
Cheers 3/5
Crime Doesn't Pay--Enough 4.3/5

[Luisa Sun]

Estábamos viendo en mi clase de cine sobre Hitchcock y me súper encantó su estilo personal, cuando en el receso al ir a la biblioteca me topé que con este maravilloso libro en las estanterías, lo renté, y al regresar a clase una amiga me comento que ya lo había leído y le había gustado mucho, así que eso me animó aún más a leerlo; Al llegar a mi casa no lo solté hasta terminarlo, quedé fascinada y encantada por el estilo narrativo de Hitchcock, Este libro en particular es una compilación de cuentos cortos muy diferentes a lo que yo había leído antes, algunos me recordaron al estilo de Arthur Connan Doyle(Autor del maravilloso personaje de Sherlock Holmes).
Así que le doy 5 estrellas de 5, este libro me resultó refrescante y muy interesante.

[Cameron Trost]

"Murders on the Half-Skull" is an entertaining anthology of suspense and mystery tales selected by Alfred Hitchcock. The stories were mostly written in the sixties and this is evident in the atmosphere, writing style, and relationships between the characters demonstrated. There are tales of bumbling hired killers, sinister spinsters, framed lovers, Hispanic gangs, and rowdy rockers. I've yet to read an Alfred Hitchcock anthology that I haven't enjoyed, and although this isn't his best, it's definitely worth picking up if you come across a copy in a second-hand bookshop or a garage sale.

[Jennifer]

As if the cover is not fun enough!

These short stories are a mixture of genuinely gripping and predictable but overall fun and very much in keeping with Hitchcock's sense of humor and affinity for a surprising twist (Saki would be pleased).

[Joann]

anthology of mystery stories are always interesting to me.