Twelve Red Herrings
Book - 1994
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Summary
Add a SummaryJeffrey Archer, the world's greatest story teller, offers twelve ingeniously plotted stories that display his renowned ability for the unpredictable twist. "Twelve Red Herrings" contains a dozen startling tales each of which makes use of misleading clues to surprise the reader. In each story, human beings are put under pressure - how do they react when they have an opportunity to seize, a crucial problem to solve, a danger to avoid? These stories display all the Archer hallmarks of relentless pacing, sophisticated glamour, thigh-slapping humour, and full-blooded eroticism.
Quotes
Add a Quote"Consuela was beginning to despair of finding anything worthwhile on Bond Street ... when she came to a sudden halt outside the House of Graff. Consuela could not recall the shop from her last visit to London ... and as she knew Bond Street better than she had ever known any of her three husbands, she concluded that it must be a new establishment. She gazed at the stunning gems in their magnificent settings, heavily protected behind the bulletproof windows. When she reached the third window her mouth opened wide, like a newborn chick demanding to be fed. ..." (p. 72-3)
Comment
Add a CommentRed Herring: a diverting of attention from the main subject by introducing some irrelevant topic. The publisher's description claims that "there is buried in each story a diversion - let us simply call it a red herring - which Archer challenges his readers to uncover." While I failed to see the "red herrings" in these short stories, nevertheless I think they are the best tales among the eight or so short story collections from this superb storyteller.
a collection of his short stories, he has done a few of these and they are great for a quick read when we are pushed for time.