The man in black and other stories / Elly Griffiths.

The man in black -- Articulation -- Castles in the air -- Max Mephisto and the disappearing act -- The only pebble on the beach -- St Lucy's day -- The red handkerchief -- Justice Jones and the etherphone -- The farewell boat -- Harbinger: a Harbinger Kaur story -- One is silver -- The village church -- Turning traitor -- Ruth's first Christmas tree -- The stranger by R.M. Holland -- What I saw from the sky -- Flint's fireside tale: a Christmas story -- The valley of the queens: a Ruth and Nelson story -- Ruth Galloway and the ghost of Max Mephisto.

Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres and to explore what some of her much-loved creations such as Dr Ruth Galloway might have done outside of the novels. This collection gathers them all together in one splendid volume. Here are bite-sized tales to please and entertain every thriller taste. There are ghost stories and mini cozy mysteries; tales of psychological suspense and poignant vignettes of love and loss. There's a creepy horror story to make you shiver and a tale narrated by Flint, Ruth Galloway's cat, to make you smile. These stories illustrate the breadth and variety of Elly Griffiths' talent. Even the darkest of them is leavened with light touches of humour.