Bird in a Cage

A tense and yearning tale set in a Paris suburb during the 1960s. In "Bird in a Cage," nobody is quite as they seem to be. Dard is a consummate hoodwinker: as you read along, there are apparent incongruities of plot and characterization. But like the waiter who magically whips the tablecloth from beneath a heavily laden table without disturbing any cutlery, all things are left accounted for.

With their tight plots, the stories are particularly cinematic, and filmmakers are already showing interest. Dard also wrote screenplays and plays. Their revival could be just around the corner.

Melancholy and atmospheric, with a twist worthy of Agatha Christie at her devious best, this brief tale.