Stay of Execution

Stay of Execution is a collection of mystery stories by the British thriller writer Michael Gilbert, first published in 1971 by Hodder & Stoughton. Unusually for a collection of stories, its reprint edition by House of Stratus in 2011 has no index detailing the stories in the book. The longest story, by far, is the last one in the book, Stay of Execution. At 54 pages, it is what is generally called a novella. Two of the stories feature Chief Superintendant Hazlerigg; three Henry Bohun; and one Detective Inspector Petrella, characters who have figured in other short stories and novels by Gilbert.

Stories in order

• Preface, page vii
• Back on the Shelf, page 1
• The Blackmailing of Mr. Justice Ball, page 6
• Murder by Jury, page 18 Chief Inspector Hazlerigg
• Xinia Florata, page 29 Henry Bohun
• Weekend at Wapentake, page 35 Henry Bohun
• The System, page 47 Henry Bohun
• Cousin Once Removed, page 61
• Modus Operandi, page 66 Chief Inspector Hazlerigg
• The King in Pawn, page 78 Detective Inspector Petrella
• The Rich Man in His Castle, page 92
• Where There's a Will, page 103
• Mr. Portway's Practice, page 116
• Stay of Execution, page 128