I read this collection straight after reading Marjorie Bowen’s “The Bishop of Hell & Other Stories”. Having really enjoyed the former volume, I expected a similar experience again. Sadly, this proved to be a disappointment.

Most stories here ramble on and on, with the narrator telling the reader what happened, which lacks action and engagement.

Some stories are repeated from “The Bishop”, so I skipped these, though they are the better tales.

Of the stories new to me, "Elsie's Lonely Afternoon" is my favourite. It’s impossible not to feel sympathy for a lonely six-year-old girl who lives in a big house with her strict grandma.

Poor Elsie has no parents, no friends, and the servants have little time for her. She gets the backs of her hands beaten with a hairbrush for the slightest fault. This is a sad and touching tale.

So apart from four of five tales, this isn’t Ms Bowen’s best contribution to the short story genre. ( )