Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Bonus FFB on Wednesday: Pieces of Modesty -- Peter O'Donnell

I'm happy to report that this collection of Modesty Blaise short stories is just as outrageously entertaining as the novels and comic strips.  Whether Modesty and Willie Garvin are smuggling a defecting scientist out of East Germany ("The Giggle-Wrecker") or whether Willie is rescuing Modesty (with plenty of help from her, of course, once he arrives on the scene) and destroying half of Glencroft Castle in the process ("I Had a Date with Lady Janet"), you're in for swell storytelling, humor, and nearly always a neat twist or to or three at the end.  Highly recommended.  

Reading these stories reminded me once again of how much fun the novels are, and I think I might go back and reread one of the early ones.  Not having read it in 40 years or more, I should find it pretty much just like a new one.

Table of Contents:
A better day to die
The giggle-wrecker
I had a date with Lady Janet
A perfect night to break your neck
Salamander four
The soo girl charity

10 comments:

George said...

It's been 40 years since I read a Modesty Blaise novel. Now, I want to drop everything and re-read one!

Todd Mason said...

I hadn't realized there were any short stories. Wonder how outrageous the book is on the market...checking now...

Todd Mason said...

Not too bad for a cult-interest item (albeit the ardor has probably largely cooled...Modesty Adamant? Did she hang out with Austin Showers?

Jeff Meyerson said...

I used to buy the story collection when I saw a copy on our trips around Britain. I could have sworn I'd read this one but it isn't on my list, so I guess not.

Mike Stamm said...

My favorite series of all time, slightly ahead of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee books. POM was a paperback original, unlike the other 12 books; it was not issued in hardcover until the Mysterious Press did so in 1986. There are in fact two collections of short stories; the final book in the series, COBRA TRAP, came out in 1996, though the newspaper strip continued until 2001. (Warning: do not read COBRA TRAP until you've read all the other books, though.)

Tom Johnson said...

Cobra Trap was also a good collection, and yes we learn how Modesty and Willie die, but it's a story worth reading.

Fred Zackel said...

I am reading A TASTE FOR DEATH right now and I am thoroughly impressed by O'Donnell's absolute control on the material, how well paced it is, and, no kidding, how well he writes.

Unknown said...

All true, Fred. He was a master.

Todd Mason said...

Speaking of mastery: http://linkis.com/blogspot.co.uk/wlVwN

Unknown said...

Thanks, Todd.