Tales from the Moonstone Inn

Book excerpt: Written in the early 1900s by a down-on-his-luck Englishman living in Australia, this engaging collection of stories is now available in a collectible deluxe edition. The 2 novellas presented in this volume - The Moonstone Inn and The Man Who Tossed A Sixpence - are thrillers set in Australia and the South Pacific. Dark schemes, evil deeds and guarded secrets abound, mixed with romance, humour and local colour, not forgetting the dashing heroes and virtuous heroines. The collection includes 3 short stories - The Copenhagen Sails Tonight, The God of Luck and To Save France. Also presented are Strapp's other surviving writings, such as poems, letters to the press, and draft versions of two novella chapters. Several items in this section are exclusive to this edition. The collection also boasts photographic illustrations, a foreword by the author's great-niece, biographical information, and an afterword focusing on the author's life and the settings for his stories.