Do you recognise this book or short story?

[Dilbertian]

A couple return from holiday to find that their house has been stripped. Every single thing has been removed, right down to the telephone and the fitted carpets.

He sets out to get everything back and swindle as much as possible out of the insurance, eg by claiming for a much higher spec hi-fi. She realises that she feels liberated from the burden of having so much, though she misses the photo albums.

He has a stroke, and it seems to parallel their situations (him burdened, her freed).

Then she discovers the truth about the break-in. But I won't reveal the twist in the story, for fear of spoiling it in case anyone else wants to read it!

Anyone recognise?

Nobody?

I've only just seen this post. Don't recognise the story.

I don't know the story but if I were you I'd start writing it now because it's an interesting plot.

I don't, I'm afraid. It has some echoes of the recently televised 'Our House' by Louise Candlish - I just googled 'stories similar to 'Our House' and got quite a few results so that might be something to try if no one else recognises it and you don't mind trawling through a long list.

No, but would love to read it when you find out what it is

Sounds great

Yes- The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v18/n23/alan-bennett/the-clothes-they-stood-up-in

@Dilbertian Just @ing you in case you've forgotten this thread.

Yay, I love a 'found book' thread! Well done Obelisk.

Aww, it's a great piece of writing by AB. I haven't read it for years. Definitely going to re-read it later.

Well that was an enjoyable hour! Thank you

Thanks to the OP for the thread and to PP for the link. Really enjoyed that!

I've just read that and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks for the brilliant tip 👍

That was a very satisfactory read. Thank you.

Thank you for the link I enjoyed that.

I love that story. Mind you, I love Alan Bennett.

He is such a good writer.

But it's funny how I remember the story inaccurately. I think I may have conflated two stories in my memory.

It's reminded me of another Alan Bennett story, one of the Talking Heads, I think. A widow is left comfortably off by her dh, but their son scams her into penury.

Really enjoyed that just now. Thank you!

We’re going to break the internet at this rate.

Loved that! Thank you

that is such a beautifully written and observed story - it's going to stay with me for a while. Thank you!