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Richard Godfray-Hoare
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If I Had Died Last Summer Paperback – April 26, 2022

by Richard Godfray-Hoare (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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Richard returns with his second offering. A heterogeneous collection of short stories. Once more, drawing on the past, having rifled through old papers and manuscripts from his youth. Various scribblings of ideas, some fully formed short stories, a couple even previously entered into writing competitions.

However, this time, each idea has been revisited. Half-finished ones completed. Completed ones reviewed with older eyes. Some have been modernised, a couple left firmly set in the past. And the title story, If I had Died Last Summer, is an entirely new creation from his adult mind. As is the tale that completes the collection. Both are emotionally challenging creations.

So, what might you expect to follow on these pages?

It seems Richard had quite an active imagination in his youth. There are tales of time travel, horror, and adultery. A foray or two into the supernatural. A story of corporate jealousy and a somewhat embarrassing and misogynistic attempt at erotica. And halfway through, there is even an attempt to reimagine a literary classic!

All in all, a plethora of stories covering murder, mystery, sex, greed, tragedy, and downright betrayal, ranging in length from flash-fiction to the cusp of a novella.

In sympathy with the style found in Echoes of a Boy, Richard has capped each tale with a small footnote, explaining a little history of the piece. And, as a gay author, you can expect a thread of homosexuality throughout. But this is not gay fiction. This is just fiction with some gay characters. Just like everyday life.

Happy reading to all!
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    233 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 26, 2022
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.53 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-13
    979-8421767411
  6. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09YHJLLBV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 26, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 233 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8421767411
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.53 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

About the author

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Richard Godfray-Hoare

Richard Godfray-Hoare

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Richard currently lives in Burford, Oxfordshire, with his husband, Scott.

Despite a long-held ambition to be a writer, crafting many a story in his late teens/early twenties, life seemed to take a different direction for the next thirty years or so.

COVID lockdown, and some mid-life crisis self-questioning, presented the opportunity to try again, and through his debut novel "Echoes of a Boy", Richard has crafted an exceptional concept piece. A fictional whodunit interlaced with a biographical commentary.

Richard's second offering, "If I Had Died Last Summer", is a collection of short stories again drawn from his youth, although we are also treated to a number of new creations.

And now we have his first complete novel, "Enigma: A Twisted Tale of Love and Magic". A different genre again, telling the tale of a schoolboy romance between Patrick and Craig, which blossoms over the years along with Patrick's increasing magic skills. There is a tragedy to be overcome along the way when their relationship is discovered by Patrick's religious parents, but nothing compared to the developments following Patrick's stunning audition on Future Stars, a TV talent show he has been desperate to showcase himself on.

Richard continues to write engaging, memorable stories, and although his new offering takes us once more in a different direction, it is undoubtedly in his unique style. Clever, twisted, and attempting to place his LGBTQ+ characters at the heart of mainstream fiction. Enjoy!

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
8 global ratings
Go with open mind, these are short stories in a book
5 Stars
Go with open mind, these are short stories in a book
I enjoyed the part that i got to see indivual short stories from different time of his age. The LGBT aspect was a nice touch to it. Seeing that you kinda portrayed some parts of youraelf in the story was relatable.
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Top review from the United States

ahmed s.
5.0 out of 5 stars Go with open mind, these are short stories in a book
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022
I enjoyed the part that i got to see indivual short stories from different time of his age. The LGBT aspect was a nice touch to it. Seeing that you kinda portrayed some parts of youraelf in the story was relatable.
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ahmed s.
5.0 out of 5 stars Go with open mind, these are short stories in a book
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022
I enjoyed the part that i got to see indivual short stories from different time of his age. The LGBT aspect was a nice touch to it. Seeing that you kinda portrayed some parts of youraelf in the story was relatable.
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Top reviews from other countries

Lesley Mary Close
5.0 out of 5 stars Clever short stories and a great novella
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
This set of stories kept me awake - I didn't want to put the book down for a moment. As a fellow writer, I found that the authorial explanations made the stories come alive in a really interesting way. There are two stories that will stick with me forever because of their unusual twists - I love unresolved problems like those in The Magic Box and The Red Room. Keep writing, Richard - you have a real talent for it.
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MR MARTYN DORE
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant collection of short stories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
I'm not normally a fan of short stories - much prefer 400 +  pages - but really enjoyed this second collection by Richard Godfrey-Hoare, using stories that he first wrote in his youth.

At times, it very much reminded me of Tales Of The Unexpected by Roald Dahl, or even MR James's ghost stories - although not many ghosts appear!

The first and last stories, which are brand new, are quite emotional - except there are two twists in the first one that changes everything. And one of the stories in between there is a brilliant reworking of a classic story that you will soon recognise.

Now I must go and read his first collection!
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marvinmc40
4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating throughout
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
Followed on with this book after previously enjoying Echoes of a Boy and thoroughly enjoyed this one also. An interesting and diverse collection of short stories which are a joy to read. Once again liked the addition of the honest, reflective notes after each story. Highly recommended! Time to move on to the next instalment from Richard.
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Mrs. S. Burrows
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2022
Verified Purchase
I truly enjoyed this book. Even after reading Richards first book, I am still pleasantly surprised, that he has kept notes of all his stories, even going back to being in school. I love this. So few of us document our life stories, it’s wonderful to be invited into another’s stories and to experience them via reading. If you haven’t read either of Richards books, please do so, you will enjoy them, I am sure.
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Mrs Paula Newman
5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect summer read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
Looking for a great summer read, a fascinating series of short stories with lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped. I whizzed through this book and now I am just hoping for the author to delight us with his 3rd book soon. I also recommend you check out Echos of a Boy.
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