Customer Reviews

Cat O' Nine Tales

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jailed in 2001 after having been found guilty of perjury, "Lord" Jeffrey Archer spent much of his time while incarcerated listening to the stories of his fellow inmates, and after adding his own embellishment to each, committing them to paper. The resulting "Cat O'Nine Tales is a delightful collection of another twelve adroitly plotted short stories guaranteed to keep you amused with their portrayal of characters who are shrewd, resourceful, creative, inventive, and wily. These same adjectives might be said to apply to Lord Archer himself whose "tales of unexpected conclusions" always bear witness to his pre-eminent talent as a story-teller.

His previous short story collections like A Twist In The Tale - Twelve Short Stories and Twelve Red Herrings as well as his novels (my personal favorite being Kane and Able)have always provided this reader with much pleasure. As for this smorgasbord of morality (or if you prefer...immorality) tales, I once again find myself drawn to certain stories. "Don't Drink the Water" is a cautionary tale which shows us that even a seemingly infallible solution to ones marital problems can have dire consequences while "Charity Begins at Home" deliciously explores one mans ingenious solution to achieving tax free financial security.

Adding to the appeal of this book are the amusing and engaging illustrations of Ronald Searle. They possess a guileless charm reminiscent of Shel SilversteinA Light in the Attic (20th Anniversary Edition Book & CD). The unerring simplicity of Searles' drawings coupled with Archers versatility and veracity are sure fire winners.

I've been a long-time fan of Jeffrey Archer's works, be it his novels [Kane & Abel, First Among Equals, As The Crow Flies] or his short stories. Cat O' Nine Tales marks his fifth collection of short stories, the others being A Quiver Full of Arrows, A Twist in the Tale, Twelve Red Herrings [all three of which have also been compiled into 36: The Collected Short Stories]. The first three collections truly showcase Archer's talents as a craftsman of short stories. The fourth collection To Cut a Long Story Short, while entertaining, seemed, in my opinion, weaker than the earlier three.

This current compilation of short stories is quite well-done, though still not in the class of the earlier three. Partly based on ideas Archer obtained whilst incarcerated, e.g. The Man Who Robbed His Own Post Office & Maestro [about an Italian businessman who lands in trouble with the authorities for tax evasion], there are others that revolve around criminal motives ["The Alibi"], deception ["The Commissioner"], romance ["In the Eye of the Beholder"], and also the melancholic "Charity Begins at Home".

As is his style, Jeffrey Archer delivers these stories with a dose of wit and doesn't fail to entertain. A light and engaging read.

Archer's short story collection here is perfect. Each story is interesting and has that trademark twist that keeps us coming back for more. The incredible thing is the lack of any weak stories among the bunch. Granted, some move faster than others, while a few seem to take a long time getting where they're going, but they all pay off in the end for the patient reader.

Stand out stories include "Maestro" and "The Red King". While some of the stories seem similar in theme (prison), it's understood why and makes sense. A wonderful way to pass the time.

I'm not suggesting for a second that Sir Jeffrey Archer shouldn't have been in prison or that he didn't deserve his all expenses paid vacation courtesy of the UK taxpayer. But, on the other hand, if he felt he was served some lemons then you have to give him credit for preparing some lemonade that he could sell to his remaining fans after he was released.

CAT O'NINE TALES includes twelve short stories, nine of which were borrowed (stolen?) and then embellished from his fellow inmate cronies and three of which were original (and, if I do say so, the least interesting of the twelve). While they do have a certain ring of truth and are interesting, in the sense that they have ironic and sometimes mildly humorous endings, the story-telling is, to say the least, pedestrian. Especially when it's compared to the work that Archer produced when in such stellar novels as Kane and Abel.

Had this collection been "pure" fiction, tales such as "Maestro" which regaled us with the escapades of an Italian restaurateur, busted for evading a spectacular chunk of tax, might have struck the reader as picaresque, perhaps humorous portrayals of almost impish rogues. But, since we now know the story is based on a true-life criminal who sought to extensively line his own pockets at the expense of his fellow citizens and more honest taxpayers, it's tough to generate any sympathy for the character. As a result, it's also difficult to feel any real enjoyment in reading the story. The same comment about his characters generating any real interest or sympathy might be levelled at virtually every story in the collection.

Only moderately enjoyable and mercifully short and easy to read, CAT O'NINE TALES is probably the output of an author past his prime who should retire gracefully. I wonder if he's getting a pension from the British government in spite of his stint behind bars?

Paul Weiss

I have to say that Jeffrey Archer is a great writer and novelist. I do prefer his novels over his short stories though. I wasn't overly impressed with all the stories in this collection but they did provide an afternoon of entertainment, which is as long as you'll need read it. Recommend you check it out at the library first.

Entertaining, it's that simply put. Jeffrey Archer has a talent for putting a nice little twist in his short stories, that has either the reader heading for a total, "hey, wait a minute, what did I miss" or a redemptive," it's about time" moment.

I'm not here to discuss his criminal entanglements, but if he can entertain me with the antics of his fellow inmates the more power to him.

Don't expect the long novels that he has been known for in the past, this is a collection of short stories that should be taken in short bursts and for the majority of them, there is a twist, an "oh, that was different" flash that has you smirking at Archer's cleverness.

Take your time, don't rush through, don't judge the author, just know that no good deed goes unpunished and that each of his characters get what is due to the. In one way or another.

This is a collection of twelve short stories which the author says are based on fact and then embellished. Some of them he says are stories he picked up when he was in prison. There's humor, irony, intrigue; and all are interesting. Most of the settings are in current day England; the characters are truly varied; the illustrations add an amusing touch. It's a quick, entertaining read.

Twelve short stories with most inspired by the author's time in prison. Most of the stories are witty and the type you read in the papers or weeklies. Jeffrey Archer has you on the edge of your seat with some of these tales. Great reads and each will bring a smile at the end. I recommend Cat O' Nice Tales if you really want to know how the criminal mind works and how most end up in jail!

Cat O'Nine Tales: And Other Stories

I'll admit that I did not put this down till I was half way through it. It's not heavy reading but great for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. Some predictable, some clever, mostly entertaining. An easy recommend for the Archer fan.

"Cat O-Nine Tales" nominally consists of >9 crime stories (tales) related to Archer by fellow prisoners, during Archer's year in prison for perjury in the 1980s. Some or most of these stories are acknowledged to be at least third hand, if not apocryphal. Indeed, I've read the story of the greedy divorcee before (albeit, I don't know where)--it has obviously passed into urban legend, albeit I do not know whether before or after recorded by Archer.

Archer's versions of the stories are competent and enjoyable light reading. Even so, they are short stories, often cliched, and with limited character development. Archer skillfully weaves in the setting (prison life) in which he acquired the stories, but says little about himself and nothing of why he was imprisioned.

The last three stories appear to be Archer's own original stories tacked on to increase the page count (and increasing the story count beyond the specified 9). While pleasant stories, they are of a different genre. They are not "criminal", and lack the sharp irony. The stories ends with the reader still waiting for the punch lines. The stories are variously sweet, poignant, or entertaining by themselves---they are just misplaced in this collection.