The stories in this collection were written over the ten-year period before their publication in 1918 and represent the culmination of Munro’s literary development. They are witty and skilfully balanced tales from the hand of a mature and sophisticated writer. They include, as one would expect from the creator of Para Handy and the Vital Spark, a number of witty and humorous comedies, but also some beautifully constructed and ironic tragedies. The settings are diverse; from his native Argyll to lowland Scotland and Edinburgh and even further afield to Paris and Spain. Munro is confident and perfectly at ease with different periods in history and his chosen themes.
A native of Inveraray, Neil Munro was a journalist by profession and for many years was the editor of the Glasgow Evening News. He is best known for his comic tales about Para Handy, but he also produced a number of historical and contemporary novels, as well as poetry and non-fiction.