I came across this short story through a YouTube channel that features audio narrations. The story isn’t particularly well known these days, but it sounded interesting enough to give it a try.

„This short story was also published as “The Hounds of Zaroff”. The story features a big-game hunter from New York City who falls off a yacht and swims to what seems to be an abandoned and isolated island in the Caribbean, where he meets a Russian aristocrat. The story is inspired by the big-game hunting safaris in Africa and South America that were particularly fashionable among wealthy Americans in the 1920s.“

The plot begins (as mentioned in the blurb) somewhere in the Caribbean. There’s no mention of a specific date or location, just two characters on a ship talking about a mysterious island. From there, the story unfolds. It wasn’t the most original concept, but the writing was strong and the pacing made it a comfortable and enjoyable read.

The story doesn’t maintain constant tension, but there are a few suspenseful moments where you might hold your breath to see what happens next. The twists and the ending weren’t especially surprising, but they were handled well and felt satisfying.

The characters were likable, although a bit flat. For a short story, that’s not a major flaw, but I would have appreciated a bit more depth.

All in all, it was a solid 3-star read for me. Not bad, but definitely not a hidden gem either.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️