The long title story is about a man whose life, in a sense, is a book. There are shelves in every room, packed with titles which Ambrose Ribbon has checked pedantically for mistakes of grammar and fact. Life for Ribbon, without his mother now, is lonely and obsessive, filled with psychoses and neuroses, with the ever-present possibility of a descent into violent madness. He still keeps his mother's dressing table exactly as she had left it, the wardrobe door always open so that her clothes can be seen inside, and her pink ...
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The long title story is about a man whose life, in a sense, is a book. There are shelves in every room, packed with titles which Ambrose Ribbon has checked pedantically for mistakes of grammar and fact. Life for Ribbon, without his mother now, is lonely and obsessive, filled with psychoses and neuroses, with the ever-present possibility of a descent into violent madness. He still keeps his mother's dressing table exactly as she had left it, the wardrobe door always open so that her clothes can be seen inside, and her pink silk nightdress on the bed. There is one book too that he associates particularly with her - volume VIII of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Piranha to Scurfy. It marked a very significant moment in their relationship. In the other stories, Ruth Rendell deals with a variety of themes, some macabre, some vengeful, some mysterious, all precisely observed. The second novella, High Mysterious Union, explores a strange, erotic universe in a dream-like corner of rural England, and illustrates very atmospherically what range Ruth Rendell has as a writer, expanding beyond her famous sphere of crime writing.
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Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy and Other Stories to cart. $1.69, good condition, Sold by Jenhams rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by Arrow.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy and Other Stories to cart. $6.86, very good condition, Sold by Yare Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Great Yarmouth, NORFOLK, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2000 by Quality Paperbacks Direct (QPD).
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy and Other Stories to cart. $7.03, very good condition, Sold by Jenhams rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2000 by Hutchinson.
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Seller's Description:
A hardback volume in Very Good condition, a little light tanning to page margins, in a Very Good dustjacket. This book is in stock now, in our UK premises. Photos of our books are available on request (the pictures you see on Alibris are NOT our own).
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy / Ruth Rendell to cart. $13.00, like new condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 2000 by London: Hutchinson.
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Seller's Description:
Physical description: 248 p.; 24 cm. Contents: Piranha to scurfy--Fair exchange--The wink--Catamount--Walter's leg--The professional--The beach butler--The astronomical scarf--High mysterious union. Subjects: Suspense fiction. Detective and mystery stories, English. Psychological fiction, English. Fine copy in the original gilt-blocked cloth. Slightest suggestion only of dust-dulling to the panel edges. Remains particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy / Ruth Rendell to cart. $16.54, like new condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 2000 by London: Hutchinson.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy: And Other Stories to cart. $17.45, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2002 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 224 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy / Ruth Rendell to cart. $18.94, like new condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 2000 by London: Hutchinson.
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Seller's Description:
Physical description: 248 p.; 24 cm. Subjects: Suspense fiction. Mystery. Fiction. Detective fiction. Genre: Suspense fiction. Fine cloth copy in an equally fine dust wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy / Ruth Rendell to cart. $37.00, like new condition, Sold by MW Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, G, IRELAND, published 2000 by London: Hutchinson.
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Seller's Description:
SIGNED by the author. Fine cloth copy in a near-fine, very slightly edge-nicked and dust-dulled dw, now mylar-sleeved. Not price-clipped. Remains particularly and surprisingly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong.; 8vo 8"-9" tall; 248 pages; Physical description: 248 p.; 24 cm. Summary: Ruth Rendell's seventh collection of short stories also includes two unpublished novellas. The long title story is about a man whose life, in a sense, is a book. There are shelves in every room, packed with titles which Ambrose Ribbon has checked pedantically for mistakes of grammar and fact. Life for Ribbon is lonely and obsessive. Rendell has created an intriguingly diverse selection of tales, united by the customary dark vision of the author. The title story is shot through with elements of the macabre. Genre: Short fiction--Mystery--Suspense.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy and Other Stories to cart. $5.35, poor condition, Sold by Hay-on-Wye Booksellers rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hereford, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2000 by Hutchinson.
Add this copy of Piranha to Scurfy: and Other Stories to cart. $9.06, good condition, Sold by The Maryland Book Bank rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from baltimore, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
