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And Thereby Hangs a Taleby Jeffrey Archer |
Judy Stanton: If you like reading "news of the weird,"
you'll enjoy Jeffrey Archer's newest book of Short stories "And Thereby Hangs a Tale."
I had read "A Twist in the Tale" years back, so I picked this up in passing at the library.
I had read about this British author having been found guilty of perjury and perverting
the course of justice in a libel case; and knew that he spent time in prison. Interestingly,
that didn't seem to tarnish his reputation as an author. In fact, these stories are
often about "scams" or unexpected lessons learned. He indicates which stories are
based in fact; one is set in Belmarsh Prison where he was imprisoned for a short time.
Looking up some background, I found that this is his sixth collection of short stories,
based on tales gathered on travels the last six years. The reviewer said "the other
five stories are 'claimed' to derive from his own imagination" -- maybe he HAS
lost some credibility. But, he definitely has not the ability to write. Each story
is short and simple, a quick read, easily holding your interest with a little
intrigue or twist, and proving that "truth is often stranger than fiction!"
Rating: ****
