A review in the front of my copy of this book stated that "it is not dull to read." Well, I have to agree with that, although I'm still curious about why they couldn't find a better review to quote. The three plays in this collection are The Letter, about an Englishwoman on trial for murder in Malaysia; The Sacred Flame, about a woman who is accused of murdering her husband who was disabled in the war; and For Services Rendered, about the effects of World War I on a typical English family whose daughters cannot find suitable husbands after the war.

I enjoyed all three and don't think they lost much by being read instead of watched. Maugham raises some interesting questions about English culture and doesn't feel obligated to answer them, which turns out to be a very effective way of conveying his points to the audience. ( )