It Can't be October Already (Kindle Single): A Story

by Jeffrey Archer

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Archer demonstrates his mastery of the short story in It Can’t Be October Already. In this engaging and funny episode, Pat O’Flynn returns once again for his annual internment in the London jail system. Along the way, he’ll reconnect with the staff and inmates of his sometime-home and perhaps even reach the punchline of his favorite joke. Archer is at his best in this delightful and surprising story.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2017

About the author

Jeffrey is published in 114 countries and more than 47 languages, with more than 750,000 5* reviews with international sales passing 275 million copies.

He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).

Jeffrey has been married for 53 years to Dame Mary Archer DBE. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is October already and the simple reason chose to read this. It's my second short story/book by Jeffrey Archer and another winner! This is an amusing story yet sad and makes you think after you finished. Love the character of Pat O'Flynn who is well-known to the London police and the court.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jeffrey Archer, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Lord Jeffrey Archer continues to prove that he is a wordsmith, showing off those skills in this wonderfully succinct piece. Patrick O'Flynn is caught red-handed as he is in the midst of committing a crime one October night. O'Flynn seems to be well-known to the authorities, all of whom wonder if it can, again, be October. As he is taken in and processed, O'Flynn continues to greet those who know him well. A brief encounter with the courts earn him six months in jail, which seems to play into the larger plan that he has concocted already. After he is sent off the Belmarsh, O'Flynn reveals his larger plan to his cellmate, at which time it all makes sense. Quick witted throughout this short piece, Archer keeps the reader guessing through to the 'aha' moment. Perfect for a coffee break and sure to impress a cross-section of readers.

I remain impressed with the work Lord Archer produces (or resurrects) at the drop of a hat. He has a way of pulling the reader in from the early pages and not letting up until the final phrase lingers in the air. While there is little time for character development, Archer does present enough backstory for the reader to feel some connection to O'Flynn. From there, it is the short back and forth as the narrative builds through to the end, where Archer injects his notable twist. Any reader who loves a full novel by this English master will adore the short stories that keep things light and highly entertaining. Well worth the invested time and effort.

Kudos, Lord Archer for this wonderful piece. I look forward to all you have going on and sketched out for future publications.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"More important to Pat, the alarm was directly connected to the local police station."
-Jeffrey Archer , It Can't be October Already

Very sad but very good.....review to follow.

My review:

It is described as funny but I found it deeply moving and sad.

It can't be October already is a short story and my review will also be short as I just do not want to give anything away. I really don't.

Pat O’Flynn is a delightful and engaging man whom I'd like to be friends with and most likely so will you. But he has a problem. He's homeless. And it's October. And getting cold.

I realize this review is shorter and way more vague then most of mine are, but there is not any real way to do a long review without giving anything away in this bittersweet little tale. It is my first time reading Jeffrey Archer's work and I was deeply impressed and plan to read more.

Highly recommended if you have less then an hour and want something quite short but moving and lovely.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat O’Flynn is what you might refer to as a frequent flyer in the prison system. Now that it is October again Pat picks up a brick and throws it at the jewelry store window and awaits his fate with the police. Being brought into the station Pat rekindles his friendships with the officers and hopes to find someone to tell his favorite joke.

It Can't Be October Already is a short story by Jeffrey Archer. The story was rather cute and quirky as you get to know Pat and try to figure out why he wishes to be arrested every October. He's very familiar with the system and seems to have his own agenda which had me quite interested until the end. Pat was also such a likable character with his sense of humor and interactions that this was a nice little read. Would definitely recommend this to the short story fans.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy reading Jeffrey Archer books and admire his gift of being an excellent story teller. He is one of the few authors that I enjoy reading short stories such is his talent. This story is well written and draws the reader in from the very first page, building the suspense and keeping you held until the very end. With this story it is maybe not so difficult due to the length and I can't help feeling I would like to have read a much longer version.
The main character Pat O’Flynn returns once again for his annual internment in the London jail system. Along the way, he’ll reconnect with the staff and inmates of his sometime-home and perhaps even reach the punchline of his favourite joke. Pat is a great character and with a touch of humour brings this book to life.
Having read this short story I am keen to read another Jeffery Archer book real soon.
I would like to thank Net Galley and St Martin's Press for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

A nice little short story from one of my favorite authors.

Irishman Pat O'Flynn commits a crime every year to be thrown in prison before the snow flies. The story takes us from his crime, to his court date, to his final destination, as he cordially greets all the policemen and court attendants he once again meets along the way. Everyone knows Pat. Pat is quite the orator and loves to relate stories from his past. He is polite, joyful and respectful - as long as his sentence will keep him behind bars throughout the winter. We see him happily settled back in prison for the winter.

The story ends on a sad note. We are not told why it ends this way, but are left to conclude on our own, after being given hints throughout the story.

A sad story of another man who chose homelessness as freedom, rather than to be in debt to anyone.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote:
Patrick O’Flynn stood in front of H. Samuel, the jeweler’s, holding a brick in his right hand. He was staring intently at the window. He smiled, raised his arm and hurled the brick at the glass pane. The window shattered like a spider’s web, but remained firmly in place. An alarm was immediately set off, which in the still of a clear, cold October night could be heard half a mile away. More important to Pat, the alarm was directly connected to the local police station.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the ironic twist at the end! A very short story about Patrick who, every October, commits some crime to serve time in jail. It makes you think about what fate it worse - jail or homelessness. Well worth the read. I will be pondering this one for a while.

Thanks to Jeffrey Archer and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny with a hint of sad. The relatioship between Pat and most of the officers is heart worming, the end though was heartbreaking.

Thanks Hitessh for the great recommendations

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Can't Be October Already

I've read many times that Jeffrey Archer is one of the top ten best authors but he is the number one top author as far as I'm concerned. This is the first short story that I have ever read by him but it is just as good if not better than any novel he has written. I highly recommend him. Jeffrey Archer is phenomenal.

[Kirsti · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was a short novel, but it is actually a long joke. Disappointing.

[Fictionophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful and interesting short story written by the inimitable Archer. A quick, fun read that I really enjoyed.

[Midge · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a funny novella. just 30 something pages. Every October, a homeless man commits a pretty crime, so he will spend the winter in jail to get out of the cold. Every year he sees some familiar people who make the remark "It Can't Be October Already ".

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat O’Flynn is caught red handed throwing a brick at H Samuels window. He returns once for his annual internment in the London jail system. Along the way, he reconnects with the staff. An endearing & engaging very short story. If you like to read Jeffrey Archer’s stories then you’ll enjoy this & even get to the punch line of Pat’s joke. Be warned though it’s extremely short & read in about half an hour. Even in such a short story Pat is brought to life.

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, I love Jeffrey Archer's books. He has his own way of narrating, which might not be shown in such a short length. He's more like a family chronicle author. His expertise in politics and business brought his books to another level.

I've read about a story in high school about a person trying to get into prison during winter. This one is quite similar. And from the ending, I think it is a true story happened to him. From one side, this showcases how extreme and cold can winter get in U.K.(where Archer's from), but on the other side, you can see how wardens and officers stuck to the rules. They would've been able to get rid of him if they thought about trying something creative and new. And the prisoner just took the advantage of the plughole in the system to survive.

However, at the end, the author said that he died of coldness in 2005, which means that there must've had a change in the law or he met someone jumping out of the box. The society is progressing, in a good way.

I can imagine one day in the future, his books got put up in the textbooks all around the world because his books really represent the big social environment at a certain time. He's a big name!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeffrey Archer shows his mastery of the short story genre in this book. It is a quick read, which is both good and bad because you reach the conclusion quickly but then the characters are gone.

The characters aren't as developed in this book as in some of his others, but I chalk this up to the brevity of the form.
Pat O'Flynn, the lead character, comes around every October and does something that lands him in jail. Jail is not an unpleasant thing for him, and as he goes to jail in this story he greets everyone with enthusiasm. It seems that O'Flynn has a larger plan that required getting into jail where he could then work on it.
This is a mystery with laughs. I liked the read, although I am not a fan of short stories in general. But I am a fan of Archer - and he didn't let me down.

[KAREN RUTH ULLOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

LEAVE IT TO ARCHER TO TELL US THE REALITIES OF REAL LIFE!!

As a former public health and a emergency room nurse, I can verify how the hungry and homeless live--like Pat. The main difference is that Pat had a happier outlook than others in his circumstances. Leave it to Mr. Archer to give us a humerous twist to a sad 😢 reality. My last patient died under an Atlanta bridge after which he could no longer greet us on the cold nights.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Sir Jeffrey Archer and have read most of what has been in the public purview. I have found his writing to be charming, witty, reflective, honest with well constructed story lines. This short story is all of the aforementioned but also a very poignant social commentary.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for an arc.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice little short story that is perfect for your lunch break at work. The author does a nice job of quickly making you feel a part of the story and, while entertaining, it is a little sad. If you like entertaining short stories, as well as something written by Jeffrey Archer, you will get more than 99 cents worth of entertainment value out of it.

[Gena DeBardelaben · Rating 4 out of 5]

eARC: Netgalley

Pat O'Flynn reminds me of Otis Campbell, the loveable frequent flyer from The Andy Griffith Show. You can't help smiling and laughing along with him.

As always, Jeffrey Archer's writing is a delight.

[mary bevis schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I prefer novels

The short story was not a bad read; however, I really prefer a novel. I enjoy reading more about the time in history in which the story is set as well as development in the characters and their circumstances.

[Sherrie74 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not consider this a short story at all .... I was practically finished it when I realized I didnt see any Chapters listed at front and when I hit how far I was through it (ebook) I was at the 80% ... WHAT! What a joke, took me appr 20 minutes to finish it ... or less.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story about a homeless man named Patrick "Pat" O'Flynn does his predictable and familiar act of vandalism to a jewelry store to ensure that he's arrested, and sentenced to at least six months in a London jail to avoid the harsh winter season on the streets.

[Karen Lalonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good short story.

A homeless man commits a crime so he can live in jail from October to April. He starts committing crimes and gets arrested. People start asking "it can't be October yet can it?" Funny in parts.

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A five minute read.

[nancy nguyen · Rating 1 out of 5]

10 min read

Didn't know it was a comic strip. Should have looked more carefully. Love his long series. This was a waste of time for me.

[Penny Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shortest Jeffrey Archer book I've ever read. Gave it three stars because I really wanted it to be longer.

[Rui Ma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for a short read in airport

[Gail O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally captivating story which grabs you immediately.
It is so J. Archer.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming little story. Predictable but fun.