Murder in a Country Town and other stories

Country, United States. Language, English. Genre(s), Southern gothic. Published in, "A Rose for Emily" is a short story by American author William Faulkner, first published in the He is a Northern laborer who comes to town shortly after Mr. Grierson's death. The connection surprises some of the community while.
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Had she got into that car? It was possible, the officers thought. But the video quality was not sharp enough to identify the occupants, or the number plate.

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And when police checked the national vehicle database, they found more than cars of the same make, model and colour. Silla pleaded to be taken seriously, and for an immediate search. Birna had no reason to go missing, she insisted: Nor did she have money worries: What was more precious was time — time spent with people she loved, and doing the things she loved. T he idea that everyone knows everyone in Iceland is a stretch. But mention one Icelander to another and they will probably know someone who knows them. There is a strong feeling that every person is a valuable part of the community — and that when assistance is needed, you step up.

By Monday afternoon, with no further leads, the police sought to tap into that spirit, calling a rare press conference to appeal for information that could help locate Birna or identify the driver of the red car.

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She added that Birna had recently joined Tinder after breaking up with her boyfriend. Its roots go back years, and its continued existence reflects the reality that the main dangers in this island nation come from the harsh natural conditions rather than from other people. But just a few hours after the press conference, late on Monday night, it led to a breakthrough.

On a whim, they headed to the harbour. Between the road and the sea was a fenced-off area with three large oil storage tanks, and next to it an open patch of rough ground littered with building supplies. The brothers decided to look around. Alongside some pipes, they spotted a pair of black boots. Officers rushed to the port. The boots, they quickly ascertained, belonged to Birna. They soon spotted a red Kia Rio entering the harbour shortly after 6am on the Saturday morning.

A man exited the passenger door and walked slowly, drunkenly, on to the ship. The car then drove off. This time the number plate was legible. He had returned the vehicle at lunchtime on Saturday, and it had since been hired out again to a young family. Police impounded the car. On closer inspection, officers found traces of blood on the back seat. The hunt was on for Thomas Olsen and the man seen walking from the car to the ship on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the trawler had set sail on Saturday afternoon with both men on board.

B y the Tuesday, three days after Birna disappeared, the Polar Nanoq was many hundreds of miles away, fishing off Greenland. Since leaving Iceland, Thomas Olsen and his companion from the car, Nikolaj Olsen a fellow Greenlander, no relation , had seemed their usual selves. But then Thomas, who was described by his crewmates as likable and easygoing, received a message on his phone that made him visibly agitated.

A coast guard helicopter had flown four police officers to a Danish warship, the Triton. He and the senior crew agreed they would tell Thomas and Nikolaj that the engine had malfunctioned, necessitating the turnaround. The captain also turned off the wifi, so the two men would not be able to read the media reports about the case. Early the next morning, Wednesday, six members of the Viking Squad boarded an A Super Puma helicopter and flew out to meet the Polar Nanoq as it crossed into Icelandic waters.

Although the weather was bad and the sea rough, with eight-metre waves, the officers safely rappelled on to the deck. Thomas and Nikolaj were arrested and confined to their cabins. By now, all of Iceland was following the story, with an increasing sense of foreboding. Parents who had never before needed to explain the dangers of crime to their children struggled to answer their questions about the missing young woman and the sailors. Other instances of violent crime, rare as they were, were not mysteries that needed solving, or that required manhunts.

This one was unfolding like the plot of the noir novels that have become so popular in Iceland over the past decade. But with so many people playing amateur detective, wild rumours were spreading online. Now there was fresh speculation: The port was blanketed in snow, and red-and-blue uniformed Ice-Sar volunteers quietly continued their search for evidence. More than a dozen police vehicles were parked in a line on the dock with their lights on when the ship finally sailed into view at 11pm on Wednesday night.

Viking Squad officers led Thomas and Nikolaj off the ship in handcuffs.


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There was always this chance that we had lost the suspects. After days of unrelenting bad news about the case, Icelanders at last had a small measure of relief. But both men, interviewed separately, denied causing her any harm. Their accounts of what happened the previous Friday night and the first part of Saturday morning, until Nikolaj was dropped off at the ship, were similar.

A Town & Country Murder

The Polar Nanoq had arrived from Denmark on 11 January , a Wednesday, to pick up fresh crew members, and on the Friday, a few of the men remaining on board decided to go for a night on the town before heading back to sea. By the time Thomas had driven the rental car to the capital and joined his crewmate, Nikolaj was already very drunk. They later moved to another bar, before going for a drive and ending up on Laugavegur, where the red Kia Rio was captured on CCTV at the same time as Birna disappeared.

Thomas told police that after dropping Nikolaj off at the Polar Nanoq, shortly after 6am, he had parked at the end of the harbour and climbed into the back of the tiny car with the two women, one of whom was Birna, who he claimed to have kissed. He said he dropped the women off at a nearby roundabout after about an hour. At 7am on Saturday, when he was seen on camera driving away from the harbour, his phone went off for four hours. The car was not seen on any surveillance footage again until 11am, when Thomas returned to the port. He said he had slept in the car during that time, although the odometer reading suggested he had taken a long drive.

Soon after, he was captured on video buying Ajax cleaning liquid, clothes and plastic bags at a supermarket, and then scrubbing the inside of the car. He claimed to have been trying to remove vomit from the back seat. But after the rental car was impounded, and the blood sample taken for testing, a forensics officer sprayed the interior of the vehicle with Luminol, a chemical that glows bright blue when it comes into contact with bloodstains, even those that have been cleaned up and are invisible to the naked eye. Other evidence also weighed against Thomas.

The doctor who examined him noted scratches on his chest, indicative of a struggle. The licence was sent to a crime lab in Norway for fingerprint analysis. But he was still no closer to finding her. Ice-Sar alone deployed volunteers and 87 vehicles, an extraordinary response in a small country.

Across the island, people waited anxiously for updates. Around noon the following day, a coast guard helicopter flying low over the desolate coastline neared the bright orange Selvogsviti lighthouse. There is no beach there, only a berm of large black stones littered with fishing buoys and driftwood from distant lands. Old fashioned mystery with a 3. Old fashioned mystery with a style reminiscent of Agatha Christie. The second story in this book, probably surprised me the most, because I had no clue where it was going.

Totally gobsmacked, full of James's trademark psychological darkness. Not a very large collection but happy to read anything by this author. Anything left of her writing is a total gift to her lifelong fans. View all 19 comments. Ideally to be read at Christmas time hint: The Mistletoe Murder An unexpected invitation to a family Christmas celebration leads to murder.

The last paragraph of this story left me gobsmacked! A Very Commonplace Murder It had all happened by chance. By chance he discovered and indulged his voyeuristic tendencies. Who knows what he might witness? Twists and turns galore The Boxdale Ideally to be read at Christmas time hint: It reared up in the headlights, looking more like an aberration of the natural world than a human habitation. This story had me laughing out loud several times.

It is atmospheric, very funny, and as Dalgleish says it is also very Agatha Christie. These stories are deftly crafted with excellent linguistic skill. View all 12 comments. Cozy mystery meets satire. I may or may not read the other selections at a later date. Shocking to have to admit, but this is my first PD James story. I know, I know. What have I been doing with my life? Nonetheless, I am happy to have begun the author journey with this little gem. An English country manor Christmas setting shines with it's ragged World War II charm as the first person narrator takes us through Cozy mystery meets satire.

An English country manor Christmas setting shines with it's ragged World War II charm as the first person narrator takes us through the incident. It all seems so very civil, until it's not. Nothing sordid or graphic per se, but the means of violence definitely made me smile as did the zinger at the end of the tale. Like a friendly slap to the face. Fabulous start and nice addition to my Yule list.

A Very Commonplace Murder - Dark and grim. A very cynical and disillusioned view of the average human. Morality and selfishness are front and center in this scathing remembrance of events past. The Boxdale Inheritance - Well, James is quite the cynic. I do think this is the beginning of a fine reading relationship.

I love the twist. The Twelve Clues of Christmas - The weakest of the bunch, but amusing and sad commentary on familial life, again. So, I've read them all. I'll leave the rating though the last story detracts from the overall strength of the others. Nice set of short mysteries. View all 9 comments. Mostly cozy and one not so cozy! Christmas mysteries filled with lots of little twists and surprises. This was the perfect read for this time of the year.

Oct 14, Trish rated it it was amazing Shelves: James mentions that short story mysteries are challenging to write because the author must give their psychological studies an immediate point, without all the space that a novel presents, all in service to the surprise and satisfaction of the reader. Agatha Christie is explicitly mentioned in at least one story, but it is Sayers and Conan Doyle who I think are evoked most completely. This collection brings together four very short detective stories all centered on the Christmas season and, no matter when James actually wrote her preface, there can be no doubt that these are a substantial Christmas gift to her readers.


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    8. I listened to the Penguin Random House Faber Audio production of this book, and enjoyed them absolutely. The stories are not new: It may be possible to find the stories elsewhere, but I am going to recommend you listen to these. Altogether the reading is about 3 hours, and the time spent listening places you way back in time, out of your daily life and into the early 20th Century, recalling a time when the mystery greats were stalking the earth. Born in , James centers her first story, "The Mistletoe Murders", about the time she in real life married Ernest Connor Bantry White, an army doctor, in Her husband White developed a psychological illness during World War II, and James subsequently had to support the family which included two young daughters.

    James then took a position as a civil servant within the criminal section of the Home Office. It is reassuring for me to find in this story the understanding of the staff of a local CID is quite up to the standards of the Met, though they allow Dalgliesh to strut his stuff before they take the case in hand themselves, on Christmas Day. This CD set or audio download is a great Christmas treat for parents or anyone who appreciates stories told in the vein of those earlier great mystery story-tellers, Conan Doyle, Sayers, Christie, and Poe.

    The reading is done most ably by TV and film star Jenny Agutter and Daniel Weyman, narrator of the complete series of Dalgliesh novels. Publication date is set for October 25, Of course the set will be available in e-reader and paper formats as well. Jul 08, Rachel Hall rated it really liked it. This anthology of four previously uncollected short stories based around a common theme of Christmas is my first read of P.

    James and this slimline volume was absolute reading indulgence! James was in actual fact anything but a cosy crime author and confronted the darkness in humanity head-on. In common with other British authors of her time, McDe This anthology of four previously uncollected short stories based around a common theme of Christmas is my first read of P.

    In common with other British authors of her time, McDermid also mentions how central to her characters the role of reputation and respectability is. Indeed just how much the characters in these short stories care about their reputations and standing proved fascinating and something which I had previously always associated with the writing of Ruth Rendell.

    The Mistletoe Murders This first story was my absolute favourite and sees a female war widow narrator travelling to spend Christmas with her grandmother and her cousin, Paul, only for a unexpected guest to make an appearance. As a police inspector arrives at the imposing Stutleigh Manor the previous evenings events are dutifully recounted and our fascinated narrator tests her own deductive powers.

    A Very Commonplace Murder Less detective story, more a creepy narrative of a voyeuristic filing assistant and his fascination with spying on an illicit relationship, this story relates to the curious position of power that the voyeur is placed in when he witnesses a murder. Suddenly becoming pivotal in determining a young man's future, whether he can afford to face the associated slander and job loss that it would entail is another matter. The Boxdale Inheritance Canon Hubert Boxdale, himself an elderly man, is godfather to DCI Adam Dalgliesh and is faced with something of a moral dilemma as to whether to accept what he fears may be a tainted legacy.

    This poignant tale showed a tactful and considerate Dalgliesh at work and I liked his honest endeavour and sensitivity and am keen to see him over the longer format of a full length novel. The Twelves Clues of Christmas This second story featuring Sergeant Adam Dalgliesh has a more playful air than the previous one, and sees Dalgliesh attending to a suicide at the dilapidated Harkerville Hall.

    Humorous descriptions of characters and the setting gives this story a noticeably lighter air than the others and perhaps because of this it felt less meaningful and neglected the subtle psychological element which was present in the others. In summary, four short stories of which two are absolute gems, one more lighthearted and one slightly unsettling.

    Given how unsatisfying short stories can often be, it was a pleasure to see such a skilled writer at work. View all 3 comments. If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review. James apart from the mainstream tradition of Golden Age English crime fiction, with its stately homes and bourgeois villages where reality never rears its ill-mannered head.

    James, however, brought such grace and style to the mystery that I became a true fan. This is the last P. James was so brilliant that the Agatha Christies I read as a teen now seem flat and characterless. Christie was at least a good plotter, but James was better. She produced the kind of thing that I liked. I continued to read her books just to see if she would ever allow Adam Dalgliesh to be truly happy and settled he will be floating in a kind of limbo state now, nothing in his personal life resolved.

    You can find the rest of this review elsewhere. Dec 22, HBalikov rated it liked it. Each Christmas my wife and I try to find something to read that enhances the holiday. This was her gift to me. I enjoyed reading the stories Second: Part of the enjoyment was the obvious self-reflection of the characters and the author of their involvement in the classic British mystery format Third: There were some surprises and satisfactions along the way Fourth: I would have enjoyed these more if Christmas had really been inoculated more fully into each You may feel differently.

    My thanks Each Christmas my wife and I try to find something to read that enhances the holiday. My thanks to GR friends Marita and Trish for their excellent reviews. I recommend taking a look at those if you are in need of further enlightenment. This makes my third P. James book in about a month's time, and I really enjoy her writing style! She combines the Golden Age of mystery with the contemporary, and it's a wonderful marriage.

    What I could never put my finger on before was highlighted in the Foreward to this volume of short stories written by Val McDermid, and it's the reason why I really love her writing style! Her stories are always very specifically located in terms b This makes my third P. Her stories are always very specifically located in terms both of time and place. She is meticulous in her descriptions, summoning up backdrops against which we can readily picture the events as they unfold.

    She makes those settings work for a living—they create atmosphere and often foreshadow what is to come. In the meantime, I have a whole back catalogue of her works to get through. View all 5 comments. I enjoyed these little short stories for this time of the year - when life can get hectic! There are four cozy short story mysteries in the book, all taking place at Christmastime.

    I thought the last two were better than the first View all 13 comments. Nov 18, Rita rated it liked it Shelves: This audiobook was my first selection received from Overdrive. I'm new to this app and I had fun putting holds on all sorts of ebooks and audiobooks. I have read almost everything by P. James but I was very glad that I hadn't purchased this book or put it on my Christmas wish list, even as a remembrance. I found it it all not that good. It took me a short time to listen to.

    Her estate must be publishing everything they can find. There are only four short stories. One featured a younger Dalgliesh This audiobook was my first selection received from Overdrive. One featured a younger Dalgliesh, but it was such a pale version, showing little of what he came to be.

    A Rose for Emily

    The other showed him as sharp as ever, doing a favor for an old friend. This is designed was for those who are huge fans of P. James and need to read everything she's written, like me. View all 10 comments. Dec 29, Carolyn rated it really liked it Shelves: This little gem is an enjoyable collection of four short stories from the late P. James , a master mistress? Three of them were set at Christmas and two featured a young Adam Dagliesh, so was an excellent choice for a pleasurable Christmas holiday read.

    This short collection of four mysteries written by P. James and three of them are Christmas themed. The last two are her strongest stories in this collection and they feature detective Adam Dalgliesh. They are beautifully crafted, and they keep you guessing till the last phrase. I enjoyed how she would insert a specific time and place for each story, each setting was life like and drawn from real places and perha This short collection of four mysteries written by P. I enjoyed how she would insert a specific time and place for each story, each setting was life like and drawn from real places and perhaps real people.

    Each of those stories would give the reader that cold winter feeling, yet radiant a bit of the fireplace into the reading room and a cup of tea. It has been nice dipping into the work of P. James again with these four Christmas-themed stories. What a joy to read these, including one taken from her own life. I've been reading her mystery novels for years and likely will return to some and read them again.

    I've always liked Adam Dalgliesh on the page or in the televised series.

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    He appears in two of these tales. James definitely will be missed but this is a nice reminder of her talents and characters. She remains as close as the nearby li It has been nice dipping into the work of P. She remains as close as the nearby library or bookstore. This is a small collection, readable in an afternoon. View all 8 comments. This collection reminded me a lot of Agatha Christie. I thought the first short story was very cleverly done and for me afterwards things just kind of went downhill from there.

    A Rose for Emily - Wikipedia

    I found him interesting enough to pick up one of her longer books starring him. Other than that, a good way to pass the time. This was a very short collection only pages so I was able to read through these four short stories fairly quickly. All of them take This collection reminded me a lot of Agatha Christie. All of them take place around Christmas too which I thought was kind of cute and also kind of messed up.

    I think that if the stories had been longer they would have left me with a better impression. A young woman who is recently widowed during WWII goes to visit her estranged family. A murder occurs that leaves her figuring out who killed a house guest and why. What I did enjoy was the reveal at the end that left me with even more questions. This one was quite disturbing. You don't get the reveal until the end which surprised me. Chief Superintendent Dagliesh is called in by his godfather to investigate a possible 60 plus year old crime in order to determine who the real killer was and if they got away.

    Dagliesh appears in this one again and quickly solves who murdered an eccentric elderly men using twelve clues left in the locked room. Four short stories by the late P. D James are contained in this slim volume. The first, the eponymous "Mistletoe Murder," is a tale told by someone 52 years after an unsolved murder was committed, when everyone else involved has passed away. Now the truth can be told. In story 2, "A Very Commonplace Murder," a man can give the accused an alibi for the murder of his lover, but to do so would put his own career in jeopardy. A crisis of conscience with a nice twist.

    Stories 3 and 4 involve our old friend, Adam Dalgliesh! In "The Boxdale Inheritance," Adam is asked by his godfather to investigate whether his step-grandmother might have in fact murdered his grandfather--a crime for which she was acquitted almost 70 years before. And the final story, "The Twelve Clues of Christmas," Adam is on his way to his aunt's for Christmas when he is called upon to investigate an apparent suicide.