Piranha to Scurfy: And Other Stories Paperback – December 3, 2002

I adore Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine novels, and was thrilled to discover a number of short story collections by her. This collection does not disappoint. It has all the earmarks of the author at her finest: the ability to provide subtle thrills and chills, literate prose and plots that are at once surreal and believable. This was a winner.

This collection displays Rendell's continuing mastery of storytelling no matter the length or format. The tone here is somewhere between Vine and Rendell, and could easily have been written under either name. The title story (perhaps a novella' I'm never sure where the cutoff is here) combines Vine's mastery of rich character and Rendell's relentless plotting.While Rendell is widely acknowledged as a brilliant mystery writer, she should be so regarded irrespective of genre.

I am a huge fan of this author’s books but was unfamiliar with her short stories until recently, when I came across two anthologies of them. They were each so enjoyable that I was hooked. I could not wait to read more of her short stories. Then, I came across this book, with its odd and intriguing title, and could not resist. I snapped it up and am ever so glad that I did.This anthology has nine well-written, mildly suspenseful, twisted stories. Two of them could be classified as novellas. They are all different, as well as quirky. They run the gamut of human experiences and emotions. Yet, I found all of them interesting and very enjoyable to read. My favorite was the decidedly creepy novella, High Mysterious Union, which I absolutely loved. This is another first rate anthology by this author.

Many and varied stories from a top-notch mystery writer. Each is quite different from the others. Some are short and some are long. All worthwhile listening to.

It's been a long time since Ruth Rendell published a book of short stories, but _Piranha to Scurfy_ is worth the wait. There is plenty to like here; although the nine stories (including the novellas "High Mysterious Union," and "Piranha to Scurfy") have their high and low points, overall they make an interesting and entertaining addition to Rendell's work.I should say at the beginning that I do not believe, as some seem to do, that Ruth Rendell's work is in any way in decline. Though _The Chimney Sweeper's Boy_ and _Harm Done_ will never rank among my favorite Rendell novels, I don't believe that they are on any different literary level from her books of five or ten years ago, and I freely admit to preferring her most recent work to earlier books like _One Across, Two Down_. I think Rendell's prolificacy leaves her books susceptible to uneven quality. Additionally, her affinity for writing and plotting in several different styles means that many readers will not like all of her books.The title story, called "Piranha to Scurfy" in the Rendellian tradition of the initially incomprehensible title, is a claustrophobic story of paranoia and obsessive compulsion that reminded me initially of earlier Rendell books like _The Bridesmaid_ and _Talking to Strange Men_ but an important difference soon became apparent; there is a surprisingly funny side to "Piranha to Scurfy." The protagonist is so unattractive, so irritating, that it is nearly impossible for the reader to feel empathy for him. "Piranha to Scurfy" does not force the reader to align herself with the protagonist/murderer in this story as she has in some of her other work; the dramatic depth of this story is therefore less than in a book like _Live Flesh_ but judged on its own merits and as a story which is intended to be humorous, "Piranha to Scurfy" succeeds.Of the shorter stories, "Catamount" was an enjoyable story that illustrated something that every horror movie viewer knows to be true: just because you know what's going to happen doesn't mean it won't scare the bejesus out of you when it does. "Walter's Leg" was funny, and almost something of a tease on Rendell's part; sometimes, she seems to say, nothing really terrible happens. "Fair Exchange" reminded me of some of the occult-inspired short stories of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie. "The Professionals" was an interesting portrait of not-quite-cheeky-enough bootblack and a brief case study of class in that bizarre microcosm, the department store.Some of the stories were less satisfying; "The Wink" was a story about revenge, but not a particularly spectacular or satisfying revenge. "The Astronomical Scarf," reminded me of a 7th grade essay written from the point of view of Ben Franklin's pocket watch and seemed to get bogged down occasionally. "The Beach Butler" was well written, the characters quickly and skillfully drawn but seemed to lack resolution."High Mysterious Union," the eighty-page novella that finishes the book was a departure from the rest of Piranha to Scurfy, and not just because of its greater length. It doesn't share the humor present in the other stories and the writing is more studied than that in the rest of the book. The narrator and her friend are strangers in a small village, but the villagers are very much outsiders to normal society. The unusual behavior of the villagers and the choices forced upon the outsiders are thought provoking and reminded me of a fleshed-out scenario from a "Book of Questions." What would you do? Why? The story seems to want to know.Taken as a whole, Piranha to Scurfy is even more engaging than its component stories. Rendell demonstrates her facility for writing from several different viewpoints and in several different styles. Additionally, Piranha to Scurfy shows a sense of humor often absent from Rendell's non-Wexford stories, and the excellent craftsmanship we have come to expect from Rendell's work. Though even longtime Rendell fans may not like every story in the book, this volume contains a selection from which almost anyone should be able to find something they like.

Piranha to Scurfy and The High Mysterious Union alone make this collection worth the reading. Ribbon, the self-styled and pompously fussy book critic in Piranha, must have been invented as revenge against those (Amazon) reviewers who have the temerity to give any Rendell book one star. Rendell is in a class by herself. She's nearly always great whether it be short stories, novellas, or novels short and long. I've read everything she's published.

Of the nine stories in this collection, the seven in the middle are good. Some of them are very good. But the stories that open and close the collection are great.Rendell has the ability to put people in strange situations and make us feel what they feel: danger, fear, panic, disgust, or just plain unease. Her stories have a sense of justice. We see someone doing something they shouldn't and a part of us wants justice. Rendell knows how to write such a story and make it thoroughly satisfying.The title story focuses on a young man named Ribbon. Ribbon is well-off, not filthy rich, but well-off. He spends his time reading novels, examining their grammatical and factual inaccuracies, and writing letters to the publishers and authors involved. He's the original literary snob (and a real jerk). But who can blame him? His mother taught him this behavior, after all. Ah, but she's no longer with Ribbon. And when a book by a despised author takes on a life of its own, Ribbon doesn't know where to turn. But it's silly to be harassed by a book...isn't it?The final story, "High Mysterious Union," is a story that works on many levels. It's a great story, but it also speaks to our society and how we view culture, community, and sex. Ben is a writer who stays in a friend's cottage in a British village to work on a manuscript. Ben becomes obsessed with one of the local girls, a young local girl. Ben's almost old enough to be her father. You might think this is a typical Lolita-type story, but you soon realize that's not it at all. It's an amazing story, one of those that stays with you long after you've finished reading it.

Great to read a few quirky little tales from this wonderful crime writer

Poor

All the stories are absorbing. I enjoy the way Ruth Rendell describes people and places and makes them come alive. I am a great fan.

j'ai lu ce recueil avec plaisir, comme tous les romans et nouvelles de Ruth Rendell. A bientôt pour de nouvelles lectures