From the Publisher
All of the stories spotlight the author’s gifts for creating fully fleshed characters and absorbing plots in lean, efficient prose. All are written with Archer’s keen eye for time and place, and his keen ear for dialogue. Another reminder that Archer is as accomplished at writing short stories as he is at writing long-form fiction.”
Booklist
“As with Archer’s previous collection, And Thereby Hands a Tale, this new volume again demonstrates the author’s talent for captivating his readers with engaging characters and clever plot twists.” Library Journal
Library Journal
10/01/2017
Best-selling author Archer's travels over the past decade inspired this new collection of 13 unpretentious tales. A young detective from Naples struggles to arrest the mayor's murderer in an Italian hill town in "Who Killed the Mayor?" "A Gentleman and a Scholar" revolves around a challenge that Yale students throw at the school's first female professor: to identify random quotes from William Shakespeare's works. The industrious protagonist of "The Car Park Attendant" gets rich, slowly but surely, while the American lit major in "A Wasted Hour" hitches a ride with John Steinbeck. In "The Holiday of a Lifetime," a vacationing couple purposely misplace their luggage in order to cash in on an insurance claim. VERDICT As with Archer's previous collection, And Thereby Hangs a Tale, this new volume again demonstrates the author's talent for captivating his readers with engaging characters and clever plot twists. [See Prepub Alert, 3/13/17.]—Jerry P. Miller, Cambridge, MA
FEBRUARY 2018 - AudioFile
Accomplished narrator Robert Bathurst is a perfect match for this collection of poignant stories with heartwarming or surprising endings. Each one is inspired by people the author has met on his travels. Bathurst brings the characters to life with seeming ease, engaging the listener throughout his performance. The variety of characters is wide, and Bathhurst captures their diversity. The result is rather like listening to a friend recounting his or her experiences, or hearing the village storyteller spin a story in the local pub. All in all, this audiobook makes for an enjoyable and not-too-challenging listen. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine