The reader of these stories will follow the author around the world. From Bangkok to Brixton, Capri to Cairo, Truro to Trinidad and Venice to the Vatican, they reflect his travels and mindset. Some have happy endings, many don’t; all shine a light on the human condition and its varied stimuli: generosity and greed; decency and deceit; love shared and love denied. “There could be no more apt title for this collection than Mixed Blessings. The world they describe is opulent: Gstaad, Mustique, Rome, Switzerland, Monte Carlo. But the people in these stories are not made happy by their vast wealth, their membership of private clubs, nor their rare collections of furniture or ancient books: there’s a scorpion’s sting in every tale. John Seilern has reimagined Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected for the White Lotus age. Just don’t expect the fast cars, beautiful women and opulence in these pages to bring anything other than bad fortune.” — Cressida Connolly, author of After the Party ‘These are very enjoyable stories from international high life written with great panache.’ — James Stourton John Seilern’s outstanding short stories evoke Stefan Zweig in their human sympathy, with a tinge of Roald Dahl in their narrative twists. — Philip Hook, author of Breakfast at Sotheby’s