Author:Ruth Rendell
In 'Myth' the shame of being made redundant seems to have robbed David Meacher of vitality. Then, on a trip abroad, he becomes fascinated with an ancient map of the Garden of Eden. Returning to England, his obsession only increases and even re-energises him...but it is not a force for good.
In 'The Astronomical Scarf' a magnificent silk scarf, deepest blue and with the constellations of the night-sky patterned in silver across it, is weirdly destined to pass through many hands, and to shape many destinies.
In 'Walter's Leg' his grandchildren's persistent questioning leads Walter to reminisce on a distant childhood escapade - in which he was shot in the leg. The memory provokes a desire to track down the perpetrator, but without a thought for the consequences.
Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection Piranha To Scurfy.
De Bernieres brilliantly evokes the red heat of Australian summers. Heat lifts off the pages: turning them is like opening furnace doors
—— SpectatorWhen I finished the final chapter I immediately extended a sought-after invitation to my dog to spend the night on the bed
—— ObserverContains some of his best writing
—— Sunday TimesIt's a novel that will appeal to everyone whether they're dog-lovers or not.
—— Daily ExpressThe title story in this marvellous new collection gives us a portrait of a marriage in ten short pages, saying more than many authors would tell us in a book.
—— Express on SundayThis is a crafted, talented display.
—— Daily TelegraphHadley is a writer of exceptional intelligence and skill Only Alice Munro and Colm Toibin, among all the working short story writers I’m aware of, are so adept at portraying whole lives in a few thousand words. With Married Love, Hadley joins their company as one of the most clear-sighted chroniclers of contemporary emotional journeys
—— ObserverTessa Hadley writes like a dream, the prose precise, but funny, too
—— Daily MailThese stories are shored up with sentences and paragraphs that demand immediate re-reading for their cleverness and warmth…This party is well worth attending
—— IndependentThis collection shows a writer quietly growing in style, perception and grace. She conveys to the reader that rare ability to see completely into someone else’s head
—— SpectatorAccomplished ... confident
—— Sunday TimesThe ghost of Katherine Mansfield hovers lightly over these deceptively delicate snapshots which zero in on the much maligned territory of the domestic and make it new and vital again
—— Metro