The Return of Imray

by Rudyard Kipling

The Return of Imray is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936 was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He wrote tales and poems of British soldiers in India and stories for children. He was born in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of British India, and was taken by his family to England when he was five years old. Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (a collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), the Just So Stories (1902), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including "The Man Who Would Be King" (1888). His poems include "Mandalay" (1890), "Gunga Din" (1890), "The Gods of the Copybook Headings" (1919), "The White Man's Burden" (1899), and "If—" (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are enduring classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift". Kipling was one of the most popular writers in England, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. Among other honours, he was sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, all of which he declined. Kipling's subsequent reputation has changed according to the political and social climate of the age and the resulting contrasting views about him continued for much of the 20th century. George Orwell called him a "prophet of British imperialism". Literary critic Douglas Kerr "He [Kipling] is still an author who can inspire passionate disagreement and his place in literary and cultural history is far from settled. But as the age of the European empires recedes, he is recognised as an incomparable, if controversial, interpreter of how empire was experienced. That, and an increasing recognition of his extraordinary narrative gifts, make him a force to be reckoned with.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1891

About the author

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.

Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."

Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."

Reviews

[Quirkyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rudyard Kipling writes very atmospheric ghost stories.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

The Return of Imray is a sequel to The Mark of the Beast featuring the same character Strickland, who rents a bungalow once owned by his missing friend, Imray who has supposedly secretly returned to England. The narrator visits Strickland and finds the house haunted by an evil presence that Strickland’s dog, Tietjans, also notices. The dog refuses to stay in the house at night. Later, while removing snakes from the attic, the two men discover Imray, his body is tied and bound with his throat cut.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a similar vein to The Mark of the Beast, but, I felt it didn't quite hit the mark. Again, it feels like the style of writing in this book is very different to the earlier Kipling works I have read and exceptionally enjoyable.

This book can be described as a 'Murder Mystery' Novel. However, as the mystery unravels there are numerous suspects to the crime. Briefly follows a 'Who done it' scenario. The I find the failing of this book and the reason I have marked it down from its true potential is, on one side the book is too short, and then following on from this, you turn the page and, the suspect is found, end of story. I found it a bit of a let down because of this.

However, despite this failing, it was an exceptionally well written book to read.

[Sindy Castellanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narración breve en que la resolución de un crimen descubre la oscuridad que puede dominar el corazón de un ser humano debido a las acciones de sus semejantes.
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Brief tale that in the resolution of a crime discovers the darkness that can dominate the heart of a human being due to the actions of his fellow men.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening

I listened to this as part of the Victorian Mystery Megapack. A very interesting short story mystery with a quick ending.

I would recommend to readers looking for a quick read or listen. 2023

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool lil tale, but it finishes as soon as it gets interesting? Other than that dont read this if you have a phobia of snakes!

[Saeid Arghiani · Rating 1 out of 5]

به نظرم ضعیف بود
ارزش خوندن هم نداره به نظرم

[Fred · Rating 2 out of 5]

horror story turned mystery

[Torono · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool little story

[Sfz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written short story

[.biblio · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice snack.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mild horror story

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favourite Kipling story. It's also the scariest snake-related story I've read.