Ring Once for Death

Robert ArthurProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 22K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Ring Once for Death by Robert ArthurAuthor: Arthur, Robert, 1909-1969,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Mar 31, 2010

Editor's review

Robert Arthur was a twentieth-century American writer of popular fiction and radio drama, known for suspense and fantasy short stories that often feature clever twists and a brisk, light-footed thrill. "Ring Once for Death" is a public-domain short suspense story: compact, driven by a single core premise, and accomplishing its setup and final reversal within a limited word count—a hallmark of genre fiction that succeeds through ingenuity. The language is straightforward and the barrier to entry low, making it suitable as an introduction to the English short suspense story and useful for observing the narrative conventions of Golden Age popular-magazine fiction. Readers can finish it in one sitting during a commute or before bed; afterward, they might look back at the opening to see how the foreshadowing was planted and how the author built toward the ending. As an early genre work, its characterization is relatively functional, with the emphasis on the plot mechanism rather than deep psychological portraiture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Casual readers who enjoy short suspense and thriller stories
English learners who want to practice reading rhythm with short English fiction
Readers interested in twentieth-century American popular-magazine fiction

Not a good fit for

Serious fiction readers who prefer long, complex characterization and literary depth
Veteran mystery fans sensitive to genre conventions and seeking wholly new narrative techniques

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting to avoid breaking the suspense; afterward, revisit the opening to look for planted clues.
Use it as English extensive-reading material: read through for plot first, then closely read key passages for language.
If you enjoy it, read other public-domain shorts by the author and compare the common features of his reversal technique.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What kind of story is this?

It is a short suspense story in the style of twentieth-century American popular magazines, built around a core premise and a final twist. It is short and fast-paced, with the emphasis on plot mechanism rather than character depth.

How difficult is the English?

The language is generally straightforward with uncomplicated sentence structures, suitable for extensive reading by readers with a basic vocabulary. Occasional period expressions can be understood from context without hindering comprehension of the plot.

When is a good time to read it?

It is short enough to finish in one sitting during a commute or before bed. Because it contains suspense and thriller elements, readers sensitive to tension may wish to avoid reading it alone late at night.

Comments

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About the author

Robert Arthur Author · American · 1909–1969

Robert Arthur (1909–1969) was an American writer and editor of mystery and science fiction. Born on Corregidor Island in the Philippines and a graduate of the University of Michigan, he died in Philadelphia in 1969. His work spanned fiction, television, and radio: he wrote mystery and science-fiction stories such as The Indulgence of Negu Mah, The Aggravation of Elmer, and Ring Once for Death; contributed to the juvenile detective series The Three Investigators; co-produced the radio drama The Mysterious Traveler; and wrote for series including The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. His writing is notable for skillful suspense and brisk pacing, and he was influential in the popular writing and adaptation of mystery and fantasy. Because public information is limited, further verification of his life and complete body of work is needed.