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To Cut a Long Story Short
From the master storyteller comes a masterful collection of fourteen riveting tales of elaborate confidence tricks, political chicanery, immoral behavior, and dangerously illicit affairs, rendered with the breathtaking narrative twists that have become the Jeffrey Archer hallmark.
Here are all new stories that will engross and astonish, peopled with a rich assortment of truly memorable characters: the intoxicating woman who appears to her lover only once every six years; the British diplomat who employs his rather creative -- if not entirely ethical -- financial talents for a greater good; the millionaire who declares himself bankrupt to test the love and loyalties of those closest to him.
This is Jeffrey Archer at the top of his form, as he offers us unique fables of our time and civilization, each one shining a harsh yet hypnotic light on that fascinating, complex being called "human."
Here are all new stories that will engross and astonish, peopled with a rich assortment of truly memorable characters: the intoxicating woman who appears to her lover only once every six years; the British diplomat who employs his rather creative -- if not entirely ethical -- financial talents for a greater good; the millionaire who declares himself bankrupt to test the love and loyalties of those closest to him.
This is Jeffrey Archer at the top of his form, as he offers us unique fables of our time and civilization, each one shining a harsh yet hypnotic light on that fascinating, complex being called "human."
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
697 people are currently reading
2948 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Archer
659 books12.4k followersJeffrey 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 359 reviews
July 22, 2016
As a fan of Archer's style of writing & especially his short stories, I would not consider this collection of stories as his best ( A Quiver Full of Arrows & Twelve Red Herrings were truly great)
Most of the stories are great but few were a bit predictable .
Among the good ones, the true stories like The Expert Witness,Crime Pays,A change of heart, Chalk and Cheese were excellent. Overall great but not his best!
Most of the stories are great but few were a bit predictable .
Among the good ones, the true stories like The Expert Witness,Crime Pays,A change of heart, Chalk and Cheese were excellent. Overall great but not his best!
February 26, 2013
As far as memory serves this is the first Jeffrey Archer I have read. I am a lover of the short story form and so when a friend, who is a big fan of ex-Lord Archer, lent it to me it seemed a good place to begin as it would be a win-win. If I liked his style of writing then I could throroughly enjoy them and perhaps move on to something more substantial later, if I did not, well it was only a small part of my reading life wasted. I did enjoy the stories but perhaps not as much as I had hoped I would.
The book consisted of 14 stories varying in length from 3 pages to 50. They were enjoyable enough but perhaps a bit of a curate's egg as so many collections of short stories often are. Archer does not have a terribly high opinion of humankind it seems to me and this is reflected in his rather tawdry characters who are, generally, unfaithful or insipid, devious or dull with a couple of notable exceptions. (The heroes of A Change of Heart and Other Blighters' efforts being their places to shine)
Three stories stood out for me. The Endgame, Chalk and Cheese and the already mentioned A Change of Heart, all of which dealt with a loosely similar theme, though dealt with in totally different ways, of relationship and how looking at the world in a
specific way can healthily enlarge or cripplingly skew our vision.
I suppose that this is actually what a good story is always suposed to do; each one beginning as a window and ending as a mirror which is a quotation I love though can never remember where I first read it but know it is not from my own thought sadly.
A numbr of the stories dealt with the legal profession both as the source of story and the end result of some of them. Archer, understandably enough thinking about his history, is ever so slightly pre-occupied with criminality, embezzlement and fraud but unlike himself who had the 'fragrant Mary Archer' as a judge so memorably described her during one of his court appearances, none of the women come out of his story terribly well. Indeed there seems a strain of misogyny, mild in its influence, but flavouring the atmosphere nonetheless.
The last story The Grass is always greener is a clever reflection on the inability of most of us to see beyond the limitations of our own experience. It is well constructed and imaginative but again populated with, in the main, unattractive and bitterly closed off people. The world of Jeffrey Archer, certainly from this volume, is not a joyous one, not one in which people generally pull together or look for the good. Here again was the curse of the highblown fly-leaf where we were told that this story is possibly the best piece Archer has written, and will haunt you for the rest of your life. Hmmmm. It was good but not that good.
That, I think, is why i liked particulalry the three I mentioned earlier because they do, at least, give a glimpse of something which manages to throw a healthier glow naturally rather than a cold, unsympathetic shine raking over his rather sordid world view.
The book consisted of 14 stories varying in length from 3 pages to 50. They were enjoyable enough but perhaps a bit of a curate's egg as so many collections of short stories often are. Archer does not have a terribly high opinion of humankind it seems to me and this is reflected in his rather tawdry characters who are, generally, unfaithful or insipid, devious or dull with a couple of notable exceptions. (The heroes of A Change of Heart and Other Blighters' efforts being their places to shine)
Three stories stood out for me. The Endgame, Chalk and Cheese and the already mentioned A Change of Heart, all of which dealt with a loosely similar theme, though dealt with in totally different ways, of relationship and how looking at the world in a
specific way can healthily enlarge or cripplingly skew our vision.
I suppose that this is actually what a good story is always suposed to do; each one beginning as a window and ending as a mirror which is a quotation I love though can never remember where I first read it but know it is not from my own thought sadly.
A numbr of the stories dealt with the legal profession both as the source of story and the end result of some of them. Archer, understandably enough thinking about his history, is ever so slightly pre-occupied with criminality, embezzlement and fraud but unlike himself who had the 'fragrant Mary Archer' as a judge so memorably described her during one of his court appearances, none of the women come out of his story terribly well. Indeed there seems a strain of misogyny, mild in its influence, but flavouring the atmosphere nonetheless.
The last story The Grass is always greener is a clever reflection on the inability of most of us to see beyond the limitations of our own experience. It is well constructed and imaginative but again populated with, in the main, unattractive and bitterly closed off people. The world of Jeffrey Archer, certainly from this volume, is not a joyous one, not one in which people generally pull together or look for the good. Here again was the curse of the highblown fly-leaf where we were told that this story is possibly the best piece Archer has written, and will haunt you for the rest of your life. Hmmmm. It was good but not that good.
That, I think, is why i liked particulalry the three I mentioned earlier because they do, at least, give a glimpse of something which manages to throw a healthier glow naturally rather than a cold, unsympathetic shine raking over his rather sordid world view.
October 8, 2020
Jeffrey Archer este unul dintre cei mai consacrati romancieri britanici, talentul sau reliefandu-se in foarte multe romane celebre. Viata sa este plina de controverse, a fost membru al Parlamentului si presedintele adjunct al partidului conservator, ajungand insa la un moment dat chiar si la inchisoare pentru obstructionarea justitiei. In 1992 a fost numit baron de catre regina Angliei.
Personal imi place felul in care scrie deoarece creeaza niste caractere foarte puternice, luptatoare, cu mintea ascutita. Scrierile sale au subiecte unice si ne arata cum trebuie sa ne folosim de sansa si resurse la maxim pentru a ne realiza visele. Insa cel mai mult imi place ca se joaca cu mintea cititorului si ca toate operele sale au un twist la final, total neasteptat si care iti ramane intiparit in minte.
Prezentul volum cuprinde 15 povestiri scurte iar autorul a tinut neaparat sa le marcheze cu asterisc pe cele care sunt bazate pe fapte reale aratandu-ne ca viata ne poate rezerva evenimente total neprevazute si pentru care pot exista solutii la fel de neconventionale, pline de talc. Amintesc cateva care mi-au placut in mod deosebit:
"Un martor expert" - bazata pe fapte reale, in care un iscusit avocat se foloseste de acelasi martor-expert in doua cazuri diferite de omucidere; o data credibilizandu-l si a doua oara discreditandu-l in fata juriului. Aceasta manevra mi s-a parut extraordinara, demna de un avocat de geniu.
"Jocul final" - un domn bogat alege sa-si testeze mostenitorii, implicandu-i intr-un joc in care se preface saracit peste noapte.
"Scrisoarea" - o doamna respectabila, casatorita, primeste o scrisoare deocheata de la amantul ei. Sotul o descopera si ea are cea mai ingenioasa rezolvare. Care este solutia, ramane sa aflati.
"Un delict profitabil" - un infractor iscusit profita de lacunele legii pentru a-si realiza afacerea si a se imbogati iar in ciuda eforturilor politiei si judecatorului scapa nepedepsit.
"Prea multe coincidente" - poveste inspirata din realitate ce infatiseaza siretlicul unui vanator de zestre de a lua averea unei vaduve. De retinut ca atunci cand intalnim un barbat si sunt prea multe coincidente in joc, ceva este in neregula.
"Un weekend memorabil" - de asemenea inspirata din realitate, descrie patania unui barbat care cade in plasa unei cochete femei ce il foloseste sa necajeasca si sa atraga atentia altui barbat. Trebuie sa tinem minte ca atunci cand o femeie frumoasa ne duce la Paris, poate ca nu o face pentru noi ci doar ca sa-i platim excursia.
In concluzie o culegere de short-stories care s-ar putea sa va amuze si pe care v-o recomand.
Personal imi place felul in care scrie deoarece creeaza niste caractere foarte puternice, luptatoare, cu mintea ascutita. Scrierile sale au subiecte unice si ne arata cum trebuie sa ne folosim de sansa si resurse la maxim pentru a ne realiza visele. Insa cel mai mult imi place ca se joaca cu mintea cititorului si ca toate operele sale au un twist la final, total neasteptat si care iti ramane intiparit in minte.
Prezentul volum cuprinde 15 povestiri scurte iar autorul a tinut neaparat sa le marcheze cu asterisc pe cele care sunt bazate pe fapte reale aratandu-ne ca viata ne poate rezerva evenimente total neprevazute si pentru care pot exista solutii la fel de neconventionale, pline de talc. Amintesc cateva care mi-au placut in mod deosebit:
"Un martor expert" - bazata pe fapte reale, in care un iscusit avocat se foloseste de acelasi martor-expert in doua cazuri diferite de omucidere; o data credibilizandu-l si a doua oara discreditandu-l in fata juriului. Aceasta manevra mi s-a parut extraordinara, demna de un avocat de geniu.
"Jocul final" - un domn bogat alege sa-si testeze mostenitorii, implicandu-i intr-un joc in care se preface saracit peste noapte.
"Scrisoarea" - o doamna respectabila, casatorita, primeste o scrisoare deocheata de la amantul ei. Sotul o descopera si ea are cea mai ingenioasa rezolvare. Care este solutia, ramane sa aflati.
"Un delict profitabil" - un infractor iscusit profita de lacunele legii pentru a-si realiza afacerea si a se imbogati iar in ciuda eforturilor politiei si judecatorului scapa nepedepsit.
"Prea multe coincidente" - poveste inspirata din realitate ce infatiseaza siretlicul unui vanator de zestre de a lua averea unei vaduve. De retinut ca atunci cand intalnim un barbat si sunt prea multe coincidente in joc, ceva este in neregula.
"Un weekend memorabil" - de asemenea inspirata din realitate, descrie patania unui barbat care cade in plasa unei cochete femei ce il foloseste sa necajeasca si sa atraga atentia altui barbat. Trebuie sa tinem minte ca atunci cand o femeie frumoasa ne duce la Paris, poate ca nu o face pentru noi ci doar ca sa-i platim excursia.
In concluzie o culegere de short-stories care s-ar putea sa va amuze si pe care v-o recomand.
December 15, 2017
14 tales from master storyteller Jeffrey Archer, according to him 8 from these were based on true events. Maybe not my favorite one, cause I liked “And thereby hangs a tale” more. Anyway, some of his stories are wonderful and make the book worth reading. In my case, my favourite ones were “The expert witness”, “The endgame”, “Crime pays”, “Chalk and cheese”, “A change of heart”, “Love at first sight”, and finally “The grass is always greener” (Though maybe this was the simplest one, a kind of Xmasts gift for readers). To anyone who likes this author, I would recommend not to miss Roald Dahl’s “Tales of the unexpected”, in case they haven’t heard of him.
September 1, 2013
Some of the stories are amazing. Others leave you wondering 'what was the point of this story again?!'
June 8, 2009
drags on.... and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on
October 31, 2018
It is a collection of short stories and each one is a master piece.
Rating says it all.
Need I say more?
Rating says it all.
Need I say more?
September 27, 2011
I am an avid fan of all Archer books. In general, I avoid short stories, probably because I find myself unable to master the genre, but I was willing to give anything by Archer a chance.
I found the the pleasure in reading these that I did in reading his novels. They are well written, with unseen plot twists that grab you when least expected.
If you've never read anything by Jeffrey Archer, give these a try. Then move on to his longer works which are even better.
I found the the pleasure in reading these that I did in reading his novels. They are well written, with unseen plot twists that grab you when least expected.
If you've never read anything by Jeffrey Archer, give these a try. Then move on to his longer works which are even better.
September 6, 2023
Heel schrijft heel fijn. Allemaal van die listige verhalen of verhalen die dan full circle komen dus heel lekker om te lezen. Sommige verhalen zijn natuurlijk wel beter dan andere. Een beetje typische mysterie en er staat dat sommige verhalen echt gebeurt zijn.
August 1, 2018
Engaging stories by a master storyteller!
June 15, 2016
This review and other book reviews can be found on my blog, among other kinds of posts: http://wordsaremymedicine.blogspot.co...
I don't know about anybody else, but I've always felt that Jeffrey Archer was a famous name I had heard many times but could not remember where I heard the name or anything about him. I saw his name on the cover of a book every time I walked into a bookshop, but I never really gave him much consideration. Then one day I decided to pick this up, only for my dad to say, "He went to prison, didn't he?" At that moment, I became a lot more interested in him.
To Cut A Long Story Short is a collection of fourteen short stories. From cheating wives and cheating the law to love at first sight from across the train tracks and faking debt to decide who's worthy of inheriting the family fortune. Some are true stories or based on real events, whilst others are pure fiction crafted using the experience Archer has attained over the years as an MP and other political positions he's held.
The collection is a mixed bag of a few great stories, some good tales, and a few bores that I can't remember anything about. "Love at First Sight" is perhaps the most memorable. It's one of the shortest pieces and I wouldn't have paid much mind to it, would have likely thought of it as silly and unrealistic, if it wasn't for the fact it's 100% true. Call me a sado, a sap, a hopeless romantic, or whatever, but I do love to hear a true love story that brings a genuine smile to my face.
"Chalk and Cheese" is a fantastic tale where I felt a close connection to the characters involved. One man is an unappreciated artist struggling through life, and his older brother is always having to give him money whenever they meet. You can't help but feel sorry for the older brother, but the ending is one of the most satisfying endings to a story I've ever read.
The blurb hyped up "The Grass is Always Greener . . ." and so I had high expectations as I began reading. At first, I didn't think much of it. But towards the end, I realised how Archer had been structuring the story and how all of the characters were connected, and I must credit Archer on his genius portrayal of perception and envy. Without ever saying the words, he paints the perfect picture to represent the phrase the title is taken from--a phrase all of us should never forget.
The ending to "The Expert Witness" will remain with me for some time, but I can't say anything about it without spoiling it. For me, "The Endgame" proposed interesting questions about who really loves us and why. Sometimes it's those who have nothing that value us for who we are, yet it is those with wealth--even if it is minimal wealth--only see how much we are worth financially. However, it also showed that those we doubt sometimes surprise us, and we might never truly know how one feels about us.
The other stories, though, were a bit 'meh.' I can remember vague details of some and nothing of others. After reading this collection, I don't get the urge to rush to a bookstore ASAP and pick up an Archer novel or delve into any of his other short stories. But I don't feel discouraged, either. This book was well worth my time, which wasn't much time as it was only a short book, and I'm confident I'll be reading more Archer in the future.
The Expert Witness: 4/5
The Endgame: 4/5
The Letter: 3/5
Crime Pays: 3/5
Chalk and Cheese: 5/5
A Change of Heart: 3/5
Too Many Coincidences: 3/5
Love at First Sight: 5/5
Both Sides Against the Middle: 2/5
A Weekend to Remember: 3/5
Something for Nothing: 3/5
Other Blighters' Efforts: 1/5
The Reclining Woman: 2/5
The Grass is Always Greener . . . : 5/5
OVERALL RATING: 3/5
I don't know about anybody else, but I've always felt that Jeffrey Archer was a famous name I had heard many times but could not remember where I heard the name or anything about him. I saw his name on the cover of a book every time I walked into a bookshop, but I never really gave him much consideration. Then one day I decided to pick this up, only for my dad to say, "He went to prison, didn't he?" At that moment, I became a lot more interested in him.
To Cut A Long Story Short is a collection of fourteen short stories. From cheating wives and cheating the law to love at first sight from across the train tracks and faking debt to decide who's worthy of inheriting the family fortune. Some are true stories or based on real events, whilst others are pure fiction crafted using the experience Archer has attained over the years as an MP and other political positions he's held.
The collection is a mixed bag of a few great stories, some good tales, and a few bores that I can't remember anything about. "Love at First Sight" is perhaps the most memorable. It's one of the shortest pieces and I wouldn't have paid much mind to it, would have likely thought of it as silly and unrealistic, if it wasn't for the fact it's 100% true. Call me a sado, a sap, a hopeless romantic, or whatever, but I do love to hear a true love story that brings a genuine smile to my face.
"Chalk and Cheese" is a fantastic tale where I felt a close connection to the characters involved. One man is an unappreciated artist struggling through life, and his older brother is always having to give him money whenever they meet. You can't help but feel sorry for the older brother, but the ending is one of the most satisfying endings to a story I've ever read.
The blurb hyped up "The Grass is Always Greener . . ." and so I had high expectations as I began reading. At first, I didn't think much of it. But towards the end, I realised how Archer had been structuring the story and how all of the characters were connected, and I must credit Archer on his genius portrayal of perception and envy. Without ever saying the words, he paints the perfect picture to represent the phrase the title is taken from--a phrase all of us should never forget.
The ending to "The Expert Witness" will remain with me for some time, but I can't say anything about it without spoiling it. For me, "The Endgame" proposed interesting questions about who really loves us and why. Sometimes it's those who have nothing that value us for who we are, yet it is those with wealth--even if it is minimal wealth--only see how much we are worth financially. However, it also showed that those we doubt sometimes surprise us, and we might never truly know how one feels about us.
The other stories, though, were a bit 'meh.' I can remember vague details of some and nothing of others. After reading this collection, I don't get the urge to rush to a bookstore ASAP and pick up an Archer novel or delve into any of his other short stories. But I don't feel discouraged, either. This book was well worth my time, which wasn't much time as it was only a short book, and I'm confident I'll be reading more Archer in the future.
The Expert Witness: 4/5
The Endgame: 4/5
The Letter: 3/5
Crime Pays: 3/5
Chalk and Cheese: 5/5
A Change of Heart: 3/5
Too Many Coincidences: 3/5
Love at First Sight: 5/5
Both Sides Against the Middle: 2/5
A Weekend to Remember: 3/5
Something for Nothing: 3/5
Other Blighters' Efforts: 1/5
The Reclining Woman: 2/5
The Grass is Always Greener . . . : 5/5
OVERALL RATING: 3/5
March 27, 2013
Death Speaks
This story is written by an anonymous writer. Jeffrey was so moved by the story that he placed it at the beginning of his book.
The fourteen short stories reviewed below are written by Jeffrey archer. The * in the title of the story indicated that the story is based on true incidents
1) The Expert Witness*
As the name suggests, it’s a story of a court room trial. No doubt this is based on a true incident.
The story has a very good climax and equally good ant-climax
I would rate it as 4 out of 5.
2) The Endgame
This story reflects the realities of life. A rich man declares himself as bankrupt just to test his relatives on where they stand if he has no money left. I loved the way the rich man carries out his plans. An excellent story, I would rate it as 5 out of 5.
3) The Letter
A story about an adultery, anything more I say would be a spoiler. I would rate this as 5 out of 5 as well.
4) Crime Pays*
Crime always pays if there is a genius master mind behind the crime. Hats off to the crime master on whom this story is based on. Yet another story with a 5 on 5 rating
5) Chalk and Cheese
This story could have been shorter. It story does not end on a very high note. I was able to guess how it is going to end and it ended exactly in the same way. I would rate this story as 3 out of 5.
6) A change of heart*
The story is about a hardcore racist. It runs very close to reality. The story might bring tears to over emotional people. I would rate it is 4 out of 5
7) Too many coincidences*
Again this is based on a true incident. While reading the story we know where it is leading to and what might happen. But the way it ends is again a master stroke. Another gem and would rate it as 4 out of 5
8) Love at first sight*
According to me this is the best story from this book. I bet you will always remember this story.
I would rate this beautiful story as 5 out of 5
9) Both sides against the middle*
I am surprised this is based on a true incident. As they say fact is stranger than fiction. The story could have been better. I would rate this story a 4 out of 5
10) A weekend to remember*
I didn't really like this story, It is a very simple story that ends on a high note. I would rate it as 3 out of 5
11) Something for nothing*
This story is full of ups and downs. This is one of the best stories from this book. It is a roller-coaster ride that ends with a bang! I would rate is as 5 out of 5
12) Other blighters’ effort
This story is about solo efforts of a man to complete a delayed project. The story could have been better. I would rate it as 3 out of 5.
13) The reclining woman*
This story is a master piece and again no doubt based on true incident. I would rate this as 5 out of 5. You would love the way the story ends.
14) The grass is always greener…
I didn't like this long story. I wish Jeffrey had not included this story in this book. The story is just a elaborated example of the proverb ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. You may choose to skip this story if you want to end this book on a high note. I won’t rate this story.
This story is written by an anonymous writer. Jeffrey was so moved by the story that he placed it at the beginning of his book.
The fourteen short stories reviewed below are written by Jeffrey archer. The * in the title of the story indicated that the story is based on true incidents
1) The Expert Witness*
As the name suggests, it’s a story of a court room trial. No doubt this is based on a true incident.
The story has a very good climax and equally good ant-climax
I would rate it as 4 out of 5.
2) The Endgame
This story reflects the realities of life. A rich man declares himself as bankrupt just to test his relatives on where they stand if he has no money left. I loved the way the rich man carries out his plans. An excellent story, I would rate it as 5 out of 5.
3) The Letter
A story about an adultery, anything more I say would be a spoiler. I would rate this as 5 out of 5 as well.
4) Crime Pays*
Crime always pays if there is a genius master mind behind the crime. Hats off to the crime master on whom this story is based on. Yet another story with a 5 on 5 rating
5) Chalk and Cheese
This story could have been shorter. It story does not end on a very high note. I was able to guess how it is going to end and it ended exactly in the same way. I would rate this story as 3 out of 5.
6) A change of heart*
The story is about a hardcore racist. It runs very close to reality. The story might bring tears to over emotional people. I would rate it is 4 out of 5
7) Too many coincidences*
Again this is based on a true incident. While reading the story we know where it is leading to and what might happen. But the way it ends is again a master stroke. Another gem and would rate it as 4 out of 5
8) Love at first sight*
According to me this is the best story from this book. I bet you will always remember this story.
I would rate this beautiful story as 5 out of 5
9) Both sides against the middle*
I am surprised this is based on a true incident. As they say fact is stranger than fiction. The story could have been better. I would rate this story a 4 out of 5
10) A weekend to remember*
I didn't really like this story, It is a very simple story that ends on a high note. I would rate it as 3 out of 5
11) Something for nothing*
This story is full of ups and downs. This is one of the best stories from this book. It is a roller-coaster ride that ends with a bang! I would rate is as 5 out of 5
12) Other blighters’ effort
This story is about solo efforts of a man to complete a delayed project. The story could have been better. I would rate it as 3 out of 5.
13) The reclining woman*
This story is a master piece and again no doubt based on true incident. I would rate this as 5 out of 5. You would love the way the story ends.
14) The grass is always greener…
I didn't like this long story. I wish Jeffrey had not included this story in this book. The story is just a elaborated example of the proverb ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. You may choose to skip this story if you want to end this book on a high note. I won’t rate this story.
August 14, 2013
I enjoy reading Jeffrey Archer's books. His style is one that appeals to me a great deal. He particularly demonstrates a mastery of 'the twist ending' in his short stories which generally prompts me to gasp aloud in astonishment.
In all honesty, this volume is not a collection of what I consider to be his best. I do not regret having read it... quite the contrary! He has published several other collections of short stories; I have found the others to be more compelling.
In all honesty, this volume is not a collection of what I consider to be his best. I do not regret having read it... quite the contrary! He has published several other collections of short stories; I have found the others to be more compelling.
August 16, 2021
I read another collection of Archer many years ago in high school and remember enjoying them a lot. So either my reading taste has changed too much since then or this collection is just a lot worse, but I did not have a good time with this one. Most of the stories were uninteresting and predictable, and there was some problematic content as well. Mostly, I was just bored.
October 21, 2025
I loved many (but not all) the short stories in this book. Many of them had surprising twists, or turned out differently than I’d expected. A few were disappointing. But it’s a great nightly read!
April 8, 2022
No está mal, si haces el ejercicio de meterte en la Inglaterra de hace un montón de años y tal ...
La primera parte de la "presentación" es muy acertada : "Quince muestras del talento multiforme y sutil de Jeffrey Archer, quince relatos, irónicos unos, románticos otros, pero siempre llenos de ingenio y elegancia"
Y está ... tal vez lea algo más de éste autor, tal vez ...
La primera parte de la "presentación" es muy acertada : "Quince muestras del talento multiforme y sutil de Jeffrey Archer, quince relatos, irónicos unos, románticos otros, pero siempre llenos de ingenio y elegancia"
Y está ... tal vez lea algo más de éste autor, tal vez ...
January 3, 2023
Starting the year with a re-read, which is unusual for me. But reading this familiar and easy read took me back to childhood and I remembered the awe I used to feel from reading Jeffrey Archer's iconic witty stories.
The last story - The Grass is Always Greener - was the only one I remembered since I last read it almost 15 years back. One of the best and a must read.
The last story - The Grass is Always Greener - was the only one I remembered since I last read it almost 15 years back. One of the best and a must read.
November 7, 2025
To Cut a Long Story Short is the second short story collection by Jefferey Archer I have recently read. This one I found very similar to the last (A Quiver Full of Arrows), in that it fell a bit flat for me. There are fourteen stories in this collection but I found only two worthy of a mention. They are Crime Pays and The Grass is Always Greener. The other twelve stories just kind of ended and left me wondering if I had missed something. I think Jefferey Archer is an amazing writer but I am wondering if maybe his writing style is not suited to short stories.
September 22, 2019
Siempre es admirable leer una antología por ver la capacidad del autor para condensar historias completas en textos cortos y lograr una selección con amplio rango de tramas, y conseguir conservar el interés del lector hasta el final.
En este caso, puedo declarar mi absoluta satisfacción por conocer al autor gracias a este libro. Si bien se nota su destreza con las palabras en cada uno de los textos, hay algunas historias arrebatadoras y otras simplemente entretenidas.
Las que consiguieron mi mayor estima fueron:
La muerte habla. Pese a que él mismo admite que es una historia popular, ese párrafo contiene tanta información, que es difícil procesar todo el impacto que te causa.
Final de partida. La historia típica del hombre que desea poner a prueba el afecto de sus familiares, tras declarar su bancarrota. ¡Pero está contada tan magistralmente que es una delicia ver quién de los parientes es un interesado y quién es realmente devoto al hombre!
Como la noche y el día. La más agridulce porque habla de una verdad gigantesca y triste en las familias. Un hermano exitoso en su vida profesional debe sacarle las castañas del fuego al hermano "talentoso", al que la madre endiosó toda la vida. El final es tremendamente satisfactorio.
Algo cambio en su corazón, porque a pesar de estar basada en un personaje real, la forma en que está narrada logró transmitir su historia a la perfección y que incluso buscara más información sobre este jugador de criquet.
Amor a primera vista. La segunda historia más corta, pero muy dulce.
Un Esfuerzo Malogrado. ¡Que astucia tenía este hombre, caramba! Forzosamente terminas con una sonrisa en la cara al leer los dos penúltimos párrafos, porque compartimos el secreto.
En conjunto, son historias cautivadoras que persistirán en mi memoria más tiempo que muchas novelas completas.
Lo Mejor
Hay historias para todos los gustos, hay acción, romance, lágrimas y risas.
Lo Peor
¡Algo a Cambio de Nada termina demasiado abruptamente!
En este caso, puedo declarar mi absoluta satisfacción por conocer al autor gracias a este libro. Si bien se nota su destreza con las palabras en cada uno de los textos, hay algunas historias arrebatadoras y otras simplemente entretenidas.
Las que consiguieron mi mayor estima fueron:
La muerte habla. Pese a que él mismo admite que es una historia popular, ese párrafo contiene tanta información, que es difícil procesar todo el impacto que te causa.
Final de partida. La historia típica del hombre que desea poner a prueba el afecto de sus familiares, tras declarar su bancarrota. ¡Pero está contada tan magistralmente que es una delicia ver quién de los parientes es un interesado y quién es realmente devoto al hombre!
Como la noche y el día. La más agridulce porque habla de una verdad gigantesca y triste en las familias. Un hermano exitoso en su vida profesional debe sacarle las castañas del fuego al hermano "talentoso", al que la madre endiosó toda la vida. El final es tremendamente satisfactorio.
Algo cambio en su corazón, porque a pesar de estar basada en un personaje real, la forma en que está narrada logró transmitir su historia a la perfección y que incluso buscara más información sobre este jugador de criquet.
Amor a primera vista. La segunda historia más corta, pero muy dulce.
Un Esfuerzo Malogrado. ¡Que astucia tenía este hombre, caramba! Forzosamente terminas con una sonrisa en la cara al leer los dos penúltimos párrafos, porque compartimos el secreto.
En conjunto, son historias cautivadoras que persistirán en mi memoria más tiempo que muchas novelas completas.
Lo Mejor
Hay historias para todos los gustos, hay acción, romance, lágrimas y risas.
Lo Peor
¡Algo a Cambio de Nada termina demasiado abruptamente!
November 12, 2025
Há poucas verdades absolutas na vida, mas esta parece-me indiscutível: é óptimo estar a ler no quentinho enquanto lá fora chove torrencialmente. O que já não é tão agradável é chegar ao fim do livro e perceber que os outros ficaram no carro. E o carro parece subitamente estar a quilómetros de distância, sob um dilúvio. Podia ter acontecido hoje, mas não. Esta é uma recordação das minhas últimas férias de Setembro.
Felizmente, estava na casa onde passo férias quase todos os anos. Não é minha, mas já lhe conheço a luz, o ranger do soalho e acima de tudo, as estantes. Estão bem recheadas, com livros que foram ficando, alguns até deixados por mim noutros verões, restos de quem por ali tem passado.
Fiz o óbvio. Em vez de desafiar a chuva, fui à estante e escolhi a minha próxima leitura. Acabei por pegar neste livro de contos de um autor cujo nome me soava vagamente familiar. Jeffrey Archer é daqueles nomes que já ouvi falar mas a quem não consigo associar nenhum título. Pareceu-me uma boa escolha para férias: histórias curtas, leves e ideais para acompanhar o som da chuva daquela tarde.
E não me enganei. Os contos sao interessantes. Nenhum arrebatador, nenhum inesquecível, mas todos com algo de invulgar. As personagens agem como quem tem a coragem ou a loucura de seguir um impulso fora do guião. Há sempre algo inesperado, que as afasta da tão proclamada (e aborrecida!) normalidade.
Entre sorrisos, sobrancelhas erguidas e uns quantos “não estava à espera disto”, o livro cumpriu o seu papel, entretendo-me. Não é uma obra que eu vá recomendar com entusiasmo, nem uma leitura que me vá acompanhar depois das férias, uma vez que já nem me lembro dos contos, mas não me arrependo de a ter feito.
Foi um bom livro para uma tarde de chuva e outras tantas de preguiça. E convenhamos, há momentos em que é exactamente isso o que se pede da literatura.
Felizmente, estava na casa onde passo férias quase todos os anos. Não é minha, mas já lhe conheço a luz, o ranger do soalho e acima de tudo, as estantes. Estão bem recheadas, com livros que foram ficando, alguns até deixados por mim noutros verões, restos de quem por ali tem passado.
Fiz o óbvio. Em vez de desafiar a chuva, fui à estante e escolhi a minha próxima leitura. Acabei por pegar neste livro de contos de um autor cujo nome me soava vagamente familiar. Jeffrey Archer é daqueles nomes que já ouvi falar mas a quem não consigo associar nenhum título. Pareceu-me uma boa escolha para férias: histórias curtas, leves e ideais para acompanhar o som da chuva daquela tarde.
E não me enganei. Os contos sao interessantes. Nenhum arrebatador, nenhum inesquecível, mas todos com algo de invulgar. As personagens agem como quem tem a coragem ou a loucura de seguir um impulso fora do guião. Há sempre algo inesperado, que as afasta da tão proclamada (e aborrecida!) normalidade.
Entre sorrisos, sobrancelhas erguidas e uns quantos “não estava à espera disto”, o livro cumpriu o seu papel, entretendo-me. Não é uma obra que eu vá recomendar com entusiasmo, nem uma leitura que me vá acompanhar depois das férias, uma vez que já nem me lembro dos contos, mas não me arrependo de a ter feito.
Foi um bom livro para uma tarde de chuva e outras tantas de preguiça. E convenhamos, há momentos em que é exactamente isso o que se pede da literatura.
July 13, 2013
This is the first book I've read by the infamous Jeffery Archer, and it turned out to be a short-story book so I thought maybe why not try something new this time...
The book in itself was well-written; like a story being told but the main problem I felt was that the stories were mostly about crimes, cases, courts, business and finance; all of which is clearly not my area of interest. So sometimes it did get a tad boring for me.
But in the end what I liked most about reading it was that it made me realize that short stories are also part of literature and that they have their own charm.
The book in itself was well-written; like a story being told but the main problem I felt was that the stories were mostly about crimes, cases, courts, business and finance; all of which is clearly not my area of interest. So sometimes it did get a tad boring for me.
But in the end what I liked most about reading it was that it made me realize that short stories are also part of literature and that they have their own charm.
November 18, 2019
Exceptional! A master story teller, Jeffrey Archer is one of the most revered writers in the world. I loved each one of the stories - all are beautiful and 100% would read the book again.
January 22, 2020
I quite enjoyed this collection of stories. My favourite was The Endgame, which had the feel of a whodunit, even though no one was killed. It was like a whole novel crammed into fifty-some pages. I'm glad it was among the longer short stories of the book, because is was a real page-turner, and I really didn't want to run out of pages.
I liked the fact that many of the stories were based on true incidents; it made me all the more curious to see what they were really about. It just goes to show a great writer can make even other people's stories his own. Among the ones I really enjoyed were Crime Pays, A Change of Heart (which gets extra points for the double meaning of the title), and the Reclining Woman.
I liked the fact that many of the stories were based on true incidents; it made me all the more curious to see what they were really about. It just goes to show a great writer can make even other people's stories his own. Among the ones I really enjoyed were Crime Pays, A Change of Heart (which gets extra points for the double meaning of the title), and the Reclining Woman.
August 1, 2022
I am a great admirer of Jeffrey Archer and his work, however this was a disappointment.
I was unable to connect with any of the characters and found myself frequently pondering over the point of many of the stories.
His novels are entertaining; in my opinion, the same cannot be said for his short stories.
I was unable to connect with any of the characters and found myself frequently pondering over the point of many of the stories.
His novels are entertaining; in my opinion, the same cannot be said for his short stories.
August 23, 2024
I like Jeffrey Archer’s writing generally, but his sharp pen makes short form stories a real strength.
Some of these stories are based on fact and some are entirely fiction. It doesn’t seem to matter which as JA always produces a cracking story.
These may be light on words but they all carry a punch of magnitude.
I cant wait to read the next of his sort stories in Cat O Nine Tails.
Some of these stories are based on fact and some are entirely fiction. It doesn’t seem to matter which as JA always produces a cracking story.
These may be light on words but they all carry a punch of magnitude.
I cant wait to read the next of his sort stories in Cat O Nine Tails.
October 18, 2025
This is a really good collection of short mystery stories by Jeffrey Archer, who is. master of story telling. It is definitely a good read!
July 28, 2025
A very fine work. The stories were various genres and written very well.
March 17, 2023
Jeffrey Archer is a great storyteller especially if short stories. Each one was enjoyable
July 13, 2025
Novellit on nopeita, muttei välttämättä helppoja. Osa imaisi mukaansa, osa tuntui pakkopullalta.
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