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Patrick Quentin
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The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow: And Other Stories Kindle Edition

by Patrick Quentin (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 76 ratings
This Edgar Award–winning collection from the author behind the Peter Duluth novels delivers “a dozen shock treatments for varying degrees of murder” (Kirkus Reviews).
 
Patrick Quentin, best known for the Peter Duluth puzzle mysteries, also penned outstanding detective novels from the 1930s through the 1960s under other pseudonyms, including Q. Patrick and Jonathan Stagge. Anthony Boucher wrote: “Quentin is particularly noted for the enviable polish and grace which make him one of the leading American fabricants of the murderous comedy of manners; but this surface smoothness conceals intricate and meticulous plot construction as faultless as that of Agatha Christie.”
 
This Edgar Award–winning short story collection introduces multiple murderers with a myriad of motives:
 
In the title story, which was adapted for an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, a wealthy woman trapped in a vault passes the hours pondering her life and her loves as time—and her oxygen supply—runs out . . .
 
In post–World War II Sicily, a visiting American discovers that his charity toward a young boy has ensnared him in a trap only a child could have dreamed up . . .
 
A cheating husband planning on killing his wife learns that even the best-laid plans can go astray—especially if your wife is a lot smarter than you . . .
 
A child writes down what she’s going to say in a court case, revealing the honest, innocent heart of a little girl—and the cold, calculating mind of a monster . . .
 
Quentin’s collection of crimes “produces a cool chill and a calculated thrill” (Kirkus Reviews) and includes: “The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow,” “A Boy’s Will,” “Portrait of a Murderer,” “Little Boy Lost,” “Witness for the Prosecution,” “The Pigeon-Woman,” “All the Way to the Moon,” “Mother, May I Go Out to Swim?,” “Thou Lord Seest Me,” “Mrs. Appleby’s Bear,” “Love Comes to Miss Lucy,” and “This Will Kill You.”
 
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  1. Print length
    265 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
  4. Publication date
    August 28, 2018
  5. File size
    5.3 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Patrick Quentin, Q. Patrick, and Jonathan Stagge were pen names under which Hugh Callingham Wheeler (1912–1987), Richard Wilson Webb (1901–1966), Martha Mott Kelley (1906–2005), and Mary Louise White Aswell (1902–1984) wrote detective fiction. Most of the stories were written together by Webb and Wheeler, or by Wheeler alone. Their best-known creation is amateur sleuth Peter Duluth. In 1963, the story collection The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow was given a Special Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America.
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DVVY5QN
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MysteriousPress.com/Open Road (August 28, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.3 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 265 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 76 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Patrick Quentin

    Patrick Quentin

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    I went to school for about 20 years; I enjoy writing a lot I suppose. When I was very young I attended American School of Paris where I achieved very high marks on the English placement exam. I finished at University of California, Davis in 2007 with degree in Political Science and Psychology.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Patrick Quentin

    Patrick Quentin

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    I went to school for about 20 years; I enjoy writing a lot I suppose. When I was very young I attended American School of Paris where I achieved very high marks on the English placement exam. I finished at University of California, Davis in 2007 with degree in Political Science and Psychology.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
76 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's stories engaging, with each one being different from the others. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer noting it's a fine read for crime fiction enthusiasts.

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8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the stories in the book, noting that each one is different, with one customer particularly impressed by the author's storytelling skill and another mentioning interesting plot twists.

"...Each story is unique and packs a punch though masterful use of irony and occasionally humor. Very enjoyable." Read more

"...The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow was the longest and most suspenseful, but each story contained a crime, usually murder...." Read more

"The stories are good, but almost all of them had too much detail and were too long, if they had been shorter I would have given this book 4 stars...." Read more

"...These tales are fascinating and I recommend and perhaps worth a re-read, just in case you forgot and get another urge of extreme prejudice...." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's a fine read for crime fiction fans and another noting it kept them engaged until the end.

"...Very enjoyable." Read more

"...These tales are fascinating and I recommend and perhaps worth a re-read, just in case you forgot and get another urge of extreme prejudice...." Read more

"Good book. I would read again." Read more

"...All in all a fine read for any fan of crime fiction." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Vidar
    5.0 out of 5 stars A well-written collection
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    There is not a loser among the murder mysteries this book contains. It is perfect for periods when a person just needs an escape, but hasn’t the time for a full book. Each story is unique and packs a punch though masterful use of irony and occasionally humor. Very enjoyable.
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  • B. McKee
    4.0 out of 5 stars Grand stories here
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed every one of the stories in this book. The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow was the longest and most suspenseful, but each story contained a crime, usually murder.

    I was impressed by the author's storytelling skill. Perhaps I will find more of his stories in the future.
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  • LN
    3.0 out of 5 stars Too much detail, stories would have been better if shorter
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The stories are good, but almost all of them had too much detail and were too long, if they had been shorter I would have given this book 4 stars. The stories fell into two categories, either the villain gets their comeuppance (The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow, All the Way to the Moon, Mrs. Appleby's Bear, Thou Lord Seest Me, The Pigeon-Woman, and This Will Kill You), or the villain gets away with their crime (Portrait of a Murderer, Little Boy Lost, Witness for the Prosecution, A Boy's Will, Mother, May I Go Out To Swim).
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jili Power
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely charming...
    Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This collection of, shall I say, fables is a must read for all who would like to do away with anyone. It just never works out the way planned, no matter how expertly. These tales are fascinating and I recommend and perhaps worth a re-read, just in case you forgot and get another urge of extreme prejudice. Just kidding.
    One person found this helpful
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  • annemaryt1
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book. I would read again
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Good book. I would read again.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Crochet Shawn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Murder!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this. I thought that a bunch of short stories by the same author may be dull. All the same genre I think was what worried me. But it was fun. Each story was different, a few may have been predictable, but they were so much fun I didn't mind. The last story and the first were my two favorites. I needed a book that I could make it through, but enjoy. I've been having issues reading. This was just the book I needed. Mindless murder.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Khirul
    4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful crime
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Books of stories are hard to give a single rating. The title story here is wonderful, a horrible crime told mostly from the point of view of the victim, and very effective. The other eleven stories are also effective, crimes told in various voices, some of them chillingly successful, others masterpieces of clumsiness. Their overall tone is disturbingly noir.

    The kindle book disappoints, having no Table of Contents, so you'll want to mark the start of each yourself
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Some damned fine stories in this collection. Honed and buffed and elegantly crafted, with interesting plot twists. All in all a fine read for any fan of crime fiction.
    2 people found this helpful
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