This latest British Library Crime Classics collection features mystery and crime short stories written by Welsh authors or located in Wales. The stories were written from 1908 to the mid-1980s, and some of them are quite eerie in nature.
For example, in the 1936 story “Change” by Arthur Macken, holiday makers scoff when Vincent Rimmer tells them lights are on all night in the cottages of Tremant to keep the fairies away. Yet later a child is apparently exchanged by the fairies. Or is he?
In “The Way Up to Heaven,” Roald Dahl (born in Wales) tells the story of Mrs. Foster, whose husband purposefully torments her by being late even on the way to her flight to Paris to see her grandchildren for the first time. She figures out a way to take care of that problem.
In “No More A-Maying” by Christina Stead, the lies of two children with a guilty secret create an injustice in rural Wales.
Although most of the earlier stores are more traditional, “Water Running Out” by Ethel Lina White explains how Harvey deals with his aunt, who has been preventing his marriage to Annie for years by blackmail.
And another attempt to prevent marriage is perpetrated in “The Chosen One” by Rhys Davies. Rufus, whose family has occupied his cottage for hundreds of years, gets a note from his eccentric landlady, Audrey P. Vines, telling him his lease is up and she’s throwing him out.
This was one of the more entertaining and atmospheric of these collections that I have read. I usually like them, but prefer getting into a longer work.
I received this book from the publishers in exchange for a free and fair review.
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This sounds like a great collection, with a mixture of authors I’ve read before and others that are new to me. Wales can often be an atmospheric setting.
Yes, I liked this one.
I enjoyed this collection too and really must get around to writing my review! I liked the ones you mention and also really enjoyed the stories from Cledwyn Hughes – there was an extra one from him included in the subscription. A lot of the stories were quite original, I thought – not all the usual crime formula.
Yes, that’s true. I don’t remember which one was by Cledwyn Hughes.
The one about the student who hears people breaking into the bank and goes to investigate…
Oh, yeah.