A happily married woman commits suicide for no apparent reason; a young man tries to break some important news to the beautiful girl he had hoped to marry; a con girl plays the same bold game too often and a novelist embarks on a romantic adventure but is woefully disappointed. In all these stories, glimpses into personal lives are vividly portrayed, but they are all written with warmth and are wonderfully evocative. This collection includes 14 of du Maurier’s short stories: ‘No Motive’ - in which a woman who is happily married decides to take her own life; ‘Panic’ - in which a man and a woman take an illicit trip to Paris, where disaster ensues; ‘The Supreme Artist’ - in which, after his performance, an actor is greeted by a strange woman at the stage door; ‘Adieu Sagesse’ - in which two men make a plan to escape their tedious lives; ‘Fairy Tale’ - the story of a gambling man and his wife; ‘The Rendezvous’ - in which a novelist experiences disappointment when his romantic adventure doesn’t go to plan; ‘La Sainte-Vierge’ - in which a wife prays for her fisherman husband’s safety while he’s at sea; ‘Leading Lady’ - in which an actress uses her skills in order to control the men around her; ‘Escort’ - in which a World War II merchant ship sales across the North Sea with mysterious cargo; ‘The Lover ‘- in which, using his romantic expertise, a man exploits women for their money; ‘The Closing Door’ - in which, after being told he has a terminal illness, a young man must come to terms with its devastating effects; ‘Indiscretion’ - a lesson in thinking before you speak; ‘Angels and Archangels’ - a tale of religion and hypocrisy; and ‘Split Second’ - in which a woman goes out for a walk, but when she returns home everything is different.

Publication Year: 1980