Book: I, Richard

At the library I noticed books by Elizabeth George for the first time. It’s not entirely surprising that I haven’t seen her material before, since I tend to work rather unadventuresomely from material I’m familiar with. I picked up a novel, which I am currently reading, and a collection of short stories, I, Richard. The title of the book comes from the title of the final story, which is a fine piece of writing.

I like the short story form, and this material is exquisite. I enjoyed every one. The settings vary somewhat, from England, to New England, to California. We join a study group in England learning about architecture (Exposure), a very eccentric neighbor (Good Fences Aren’t Always Enough), a very nearly (not so) perfect murder (The Surprise of his Life), a very shocking reason to tell someone you love them (Remember, I’ll Always Love You), and finally there is the fine tale of a man who just wants to finally exonerate Richard III of the crime of killing the princes (I, Richard). The lengths he’ll go to accomplish that may surprise you.

This is an excellent collection, and I’m glad it was my start in reading Elizabeth George.