Books in the Strictly Business series

Foster is bored of New York City. It seems impossible, but it's true. He has been forced to turn to his own imaginary world to escape the monotony. Until he meets Ives. Eccentric, entertaining, interesting Ives. Foster has met his match, or so it seems. In this short story, O. Henry dives headfirst into the idea of hedonism - perfect for fans of Oscar Wilde.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. The most notable of which being "Cabbages and Kings", "The Voice of the City", and "Strictly Business." In fact, his legacy was so great that the ‘O. Henry Award’ was established to celebrate the best short stories. His vivid storytelling is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl.

Johnny Bellchambers is one of the wealthiest men in New York. His outlandish style is famous across all of America. But one day he disappears without a trace. A kidnapping? Alien abduction? Spontaneous combustion?'The Robe of Peace' follows Johnny's friends as they race against time to not only find him but potentially save his life. This transformative story reminds us that not everything is as it seems, and even those of us who have everything are secretly longing for something unattainable.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. The most notable of which being "Cabbages and Kings", "The Voice of the City", and "Strictly Business." In fact, his legacy was so great that the ‘O. Henry Award’ was established to celebrate the best short stories. His vivid storytelling is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl.

Receiving large sums of money is never without its challenges and Dan's situation is no exception. When he inherits an impossible amount of money from his father, he is over the moon, but it soon transpires that the cash is blood money, born from ill intentions. He becomes desperate to right his father's past wrongs, in order to make peace with his own present and inspire hope for the future. Luckily for Dan, when he falls in love the solutions to his problems start to become clear. In this raw tale of humanity, O Henry reminds us that no misdeed goes unpunished.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. The most notable of which being "Cabbages and Kings", "The Voice of the City", and "Strictly Business." In fact, his legacy was so great that the ‘O. Henry Award’ was established to celebrate the best short stories. His vivid storytelling is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl.

Fuzzy the homeless drunkard is infamous. What most people aren't aware of though, is his kind heart. When he finds a tattered rag doll lying in the snow, he realises that it belongs to a spoiled child living in a nearby mansion, and promptly goes to return it. He is unaware of the reward that awaits him, and he is even less aware of the three street gangsters watching his every move, desperate to claim the reward for themselves. A morality tale with a twist, 'Compliments of the Season' is O. Henry's exploration of just how small the world is, and how people from completely different walks of life can find themselves entangled.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. The most notable of which being "Cabbages and Kings", "The Voice of the City", and "Strictly Business." In fact, his legacy was so great that the ‘O. Henry Award’ was established to celebrate the best short stories. His vivid storytelling is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl.

General Falcon casts his ship's anchor at Pier No. 55, close to the Spanish-Amerian colony in Columbia. He disembarks and heads towards a shady hotel with the intention of engaging in an elusive rendezvous. Mysterious meetings, hidden messages, and revolutionary ideas follow -alongside an impossible to predict plot twist. O Henry puts his idea of morality on full display in this compelling story, perfect for fans of Oscar Wilde's flamboyancy.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. The most notable of which being "Cabbages and Kings", "The Voice of the City", and "Strictly Business." In fact, his legacy was so great that the ‘O. Henry Award’ was established to celebrate the best short stories. His vivid storytelling is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl.

In 'The Girl and the Graft' O. Henry challenges the traditionally held expectations of a woman's role in society. With his hallmark matter-of-fact wit, O. Henry questions the chasm between women's and men's socio-economic conditions in the newfound era of women's activism. The unfairness that the protagonist addresses is that men are the sole proprietors of "all the money in world." A must read for fans of satirical short stories and feminists alike.American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.

"All right. I suppose you think I'm spoiled by the city. I'm as good a Westerner as you are, Greenbrier; but, somehow, I can't make up my mind to go back out there. New York is comfortable - comfortable. I make a good living, and I love it. No more wet blankets and riding herd in snowstorms, and bacon and cold coffee, and blowouts once in six months for me."An Arizona cowboy on a short visit to New York finds himself rubbing shoulders with an old friend- but finds the man deeply changed by his seven years living in the Big Apple. Can he convert him back to his old ways without alarming too many fellow New Yorkers?American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.

By day a restaurant owner and by night a self-styled ‘Prince of Bohemia’, Margrave Quigg is a man who longs for excitement. One evening, whilst roaming the streets seeking people to help, Quigg encounters a distressed young man called Simmons. Hopelessly in love, Simmons must solve a riddle in order to turn his life around and win the hand of the woman he loves. This is just the sort of quest that Quigg has been waiting for, and before long, his own life is also turned upside-down by the mysterious riddle. A delightful, mysterious short story by the much-loved author William Sidney Porter – also known as O. Henry.William Sidney Porter (1862-1910) was an American writer best-known for his short stories. Born in North Carolina, Porter moved to Texas in his early twenties where he began his literary career contributing to newspapers and magazines such as ‘The Houston Post’. During this period he also began work at a bank where he was accused of embezzlement, lost his job and was arrested a year later. Growing fearful of his upcoming trial, Porter escaped to New Orleans and then Honduras while on bail, where he hid for several months. It was here that he was inspired to write one of his famous short story collections ‘Cabbages and Kings’. In 1897 Porter returned to the US and was sentenced to five years in prison. He continued to write and had several stories published from prison under various pseudonyms, the most famous of which was ‘O. Henry’ – a name by which he is better known. Upon release Porter moved to New York where his most intense period of writing began, authoring hundreds of short stories mostly for the New York World Sunday Magazine. His witty narration and plot twists made his stories a huge hit with readers, a legacy which endures to this day. Some of his most popular short stories include, ‘The Gift of the Magi’, ‘The Cop and the Anthem’ and ‘The Caballero’s Way’. 1952 film ‘O. Henry’s Full House’ featured five of his short stories and starred Marilyn Monroe and Charles Laughton. Annual American literary prize ‘The O. Henry Award’ was established in his honour in 1919.