By the author of THE HANDMAID'S TALE and ALIAS GRACE

A beautifully bizarre assortment of short stories and prose poems. Writing on an eclectic range of subjects from Bread and Strawberries, to Fainting and Women's Novels, Margaret Atwood brings her astonishing world view to the comings and goings of ordinary life. The pretentious male chef is taken down a peg, a gang of cynical five year olds concoct a poisonous brew; and knowing when to stop is of deadly importance in a game of Murder in the Dark.

Praise for Murder in the Dark:

These vignettes glow with the usual Atwood magic of intelligence ... an exhilarating performance, full of sharp pleasures for the mind -BRITISH BOOK NEWS

''A brilliant and witty writer'' -COSMOPOLITAN

''Direct, unpretentious, humorous'' -SUNDAY TIMES