1
of
1
Memento Mori
Series: Virago Modern Classics
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 7,189 ratings, 1,033 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Memento Mori. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Latest News
The Book Briefing - September 16th
This week there are so many exciting new book announcements out and about with covers,...
Every crime/thriller Novel Lizzy has read this year (so far!)
Lizzy is sharing her crime and thriller reads for 2026 so far and giving you...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (16th September)
We had some exciting new releases arrive with some huge names in fiction, a highly...
Lizzy's Top 5 Board Games
Lizzy is sharing her top 5 Board Games including her favourite cooperative games, two-player options,...
New Hero Alert! Meet Jade - our new Warehouse Sidekick
Weโre thrilled to welcome Jade to the Book Hero team! Itโs not always easy to...
See moreA brilliant, daring and darkly funny novel by Muriel Spark, 'mistress of the highest high comedy' (The Times). Published as part of a beautifully designed series to mark the 40th anniversary of the Virago Modern Classics.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Remember you must die.
Dame Lettie Colston is the first of her circle to receive insinuating anonymous phone calls. Neither she, nor her friends, wish to be reminded of their mortality, and their geriatric feathers are thoroughly ruffled. As the caller's activities become more widespread, old secrets are dusted off, exposing past and present duplicities, self-deception, and blackmail. Nobody is above suspicion.
Witty, poignant, and wickedly hilarious, Memento Mori may ostensibly concern death, but it is a book which leaves one relishing life all the more.
Books included in the VMC 40th anniversary series include: Frost in May by Antonia White; The Collected Stories of Grace Paley; Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault; The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter; The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann; Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith; The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Heartburn by Nora Ephron; The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy; Memento Mori by Muriel Spark; A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor; and Faces in the Water by Janet Frame.
Series: Virago Modern Classics
View all-
An Angel At My Table
An Angel at My Table by Janet Frame is a poignant and compelling autobiography that traces the extraordinary journey of one of New Zealand's most acclaimed authors. The narrative begins with her enchanting childhood, unfolding the wonders and curiosities of her early years. As Frame grows, she faces the dark and harrowing experiences of being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, resulting in...Paperback$2300Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Valley Of The Dolls
Before Jackie Collins, Candace Bushnell and Lena Dunham, Jacqueline Susann held the world rapt with her tales of the private passions of Hollywood starlets, high-powered industrialists and the jet-set. Valley of the Dolls took the world by storm when it was first published, fifty years ago. Never had a book been so frank about sex, drugs and show business. It...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
An Episode of Sparrows
Someone has dug up the private garden in the Square and taken buckets of dirt, and Miss Angela Chesney of the Garden Committee is sure that a gang of boys from Catford Street must be to blame. Angela's sister, Olivia, isn't so sure. She wonders why the neighbourhood childrenโthe 'sparrows' she sometimes watches from her windowโhave to be locked out...Paperback$2399Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Jane of Lantern Hill
For as long as she could remember, Jane Stuart and her mother lived with her grandmother in a dreary mansion in Toronto. Jane always believed her father was deadโuntil she accidentally learned he was alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane spends the summer at his cottage on Lantern Hill, doing all the wonderful things Grandmother...Paperback$8000Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Emily of New Moon
Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery tells the story of Emily Starr, who has never known what it is to be unloved. But when her father dies, she is left in the care of her mother's family. Emily is a stranger to the proud Murrays, none of whom think they can cope with such a heartbroken, headstrong girl....Paperback$3600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is, for me, her masterpiece - Robert McCrum, Guardian, 'The Best 100 Novels' An author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth - SARAH WATERS Jane Austen, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Bowen - soul-sisters all - ANNE TYLER On a rainy Sunday in January, the recently widowed Mrs Palfrey arrives at the Claremont Hotel where...Paperback$4200Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Fran Lebowitz Reader
Contrary to what many of you might imagine, a career in letters is not without its drawbacks - chief among them the unpleasant fact that one is frequently called upon to actually sit down and write. Acerbic, wisecracking and hilarious, this is the definitive essay collection from the New York legend and satirist. Lebowitz turns her trademark caustic wit to...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Emily's Quest
Emily's Quest follows the journey of Emily, who knows she's destined to be a great writer. She also believes that she and her childhood sweetheart, Teddy Kent, are meant to conquer the world together. However, when Teddy leaves home to study at the School of Design in Montreal to pursue his dream of becoming an artist, Emily's world falls apart....Paperback$3600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Secret Diaries Of Miss Anne Lister: Vol. 1
ANNE LISTER IS THE INSPIRATION FOR GENTLEMAN JACK, A NEW BBC/HBO SERIES BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT, STARRING SURANNE JONES. 'Engaging, revealing, at times simply astonishing: Anne Lister's diaries are an indispensable read for anyone interested in the history of gender, sexuality, and the intimate lives of women' โ SARAH WATERS 'The Lister diaries are the Dead Sea Scrolls of lesbian history;...Paperback$4500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Charioteer
Injured at Dunkirk, Laurie Odell, a young corporal, is recovering at a rural veterans' hospital. There he meets Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly. The men find solace in each other's friendship, which slowly develops into a covert, chaste romance. Then Ralph Lanyon appears, a mentor from Laurie's school days and now a naval officer. Through him, Laurie...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Yellow Wallpaper
INTRODUCED BY MAGGIE O'FARRELL 'A great work of literature, the product of a questing, burning intellect' โ MAGGIE O'FARRELL 'Even if the themes being explored might seem irrelevant . . . this is not the case' โ GUARDIAN 'I loved the unnerving, sarcastic tone, the creepy ending' โ PARIS REVIEW Based on the author's own experiences, The Yellow Wallpaper is...Paperback$5900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Phoenix and the Carpet
'I love her books - particularly the FIVE CHILDREN AND IT sequence' - Neil GaimanTHIS IS THE SECOND BOOK IN THE PSAMMEAD TRILOGY, FOLLOWING FIVE CHILDREN AND IT'For the egg was now red-hot, and inside it something was moving. Next moment there was a soft cracking sound; the egg burst in two, and out of it came a flame-coloured bird...'When...Paperback$8900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The book is praised for its witty and economical narrative, skilfully delivering surprises and well-crafted dialogue imbued with humour. It is noted for its chilling brilliance, combining a macabre and amusing approach that has captivated readers and critics alike. The novel's unique and gruesome achievement is recognised as delightfully entertaining.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780349010342
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 03 May 2018
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Virago Press Ltd
Contributors:
- Introduction by A.L. Kennedy
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 16.0mm
Width: 136.0mm
Height: 200.0mm
Weight: 202g
Pages: 240
About the Author
Muriel Spark, D.B.E, C. Litt, was born in Edinburgh in 1918. A poet and novelist, she also wrote children's books, radio plays, a comedy, 'Doctors of Philosophy', first performed in London in 1962, and biographies. She is best known for her stories and many successful novels, including Memento Mori, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Loitering With Intent, The Comforters, A Far Cry from Kensington and The Public Image. For her long career of literary achievement, Muriel Spark won international praise and many awards, including the David Cohen British Literature Award, the T. S. Eliot Award, the Saltire Prize, the Boccaccio Prize for European Literature, the Gold Pen Award and the Italia Prize for dramatic radio. Muriel Spark was given an honorary doctorate of Letters from a number of universities, London, Edinburgh and Oxford among these. She died in 2006.
Also by Muriel Spark
View all-
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
When an unbridled schoolmistress with advanced ideas is in her prime, the classroom can take on a new identity, and no one can predict what will happen. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie introduces Jean Brodie, a teacher whose unconventional ideas put her at odds with the other members of staff at the Marcia Blaine School in Edinburgh. She endeavours...Paperback$2599Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Driver's Seat
90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books Muriel Spark claimed The Driver's Seat to be her best and creepiest novel. Once you have met her heroine Liseโheading for the holiday of a lifetime in an extraordinarily garish dress and with violence on her mindโyou will understand why.Paperback$1700Elsewhere:$1799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: Popular Penguins
Romantic, heroic, comic, and tragic, unconventional schoolmistress Jean Brodie has become an iconic figure in post-war fiction. Her glamour, freethinking ideas, and manipulative charm hold dangerous sway over her girls at the Marcia Blaine Academy โ the 'crรจme de la crรจme' โ who become the Brodie Set, introduced to a world of adult games they will never forget. The Prime...Paperback$1599Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
At an Edinburgh school in the 1930s, glamorous, outspoken Miss Jean Brodie is quite certain of her role as teacher: to devote the wisdom of her prime years to six young girls, the crรจme de la crรจme, who will receive an education of the most unique kind. Known in school as the infamous Brodie set, the girls are soon entangled...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2199Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Driver's Seat
New to Modern Classics, published alongside The Ballad of Peckham Rye Lise has been driven to distraction by working in the same accountants' office for sixteen years. So she leaves everything behind her, transforms herself into a laughing, garishly-dressed temptress and flies abroad on the holiday of a lifetime. But her search for adventure, sex and the obsessional experience takes...Paperback$1900Elsewhere:$2100Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
New edition of the Penguin Essential featuring a schoolmistress you'll never forget... 'Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life . . .' Passionate, free-thinking and unconventional, Miss Brodie is a teacher who exerts a powerful influence over her group of 'special girls' at Marcia Blaine School. They are the Brodie set, the crรจme...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2400Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Very Fine Clock
Two stars team upโMuriel Spark and Edward Goreyโto bring the charming tale of Ticky the clock to life in this children's classic. Once there was a very fine clock named Ticky, who lived with Professor Horace John Morris and kept perfect time. Each night, at fourteen minutes past ten, his time was used to set the rest of the clocks...Hardback$5200Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Muriel Spark's classic novel, widely hailed as one of the twentieth century's bestโthe story of a young, unorthodox teacher and her specialโand ultimately dangerousโrelationship with six of her students. At the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, in Edinburgh, Scotland, teacher extraordinaire Miss Jean Brodie is unmistakably, and outspokenly, in her prime. She is passionate in the application of her...Paperback$4900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Letters of Muriel Spark (Volume 1)
The first of two volumes of the letters of Muriel Spark, one of the greatest and most fascinating writers of the twentieth century.*One of the TLS Books of the Year 2025* In 1944, on her return to England after a disastrous marriage, Muriel Spark was unknown as a writer except to a handful of close friends; by 1963 she was...HardbackSold Out -
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Edinburgh, 1930, and the world is on the brink of change. Leading the charge is the glamorous, free-spirited Miss Jean Brodie, schoolteacher at the Marcia Blaine Academy, whose guiding principle is 'Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she'll be mine for life. I am dedicated to you in my prime.' While Miss Brodie manipulates and charms 'her...HardbackSold Out -
A Far Cry From Kensington
I can't help it. Sometimes the words just come out and I can't stop them. It feels like preaching the gospel. When publishing assistant and war widow Nancy Hawkins tells Hector Bartlett he 'urinates frightful prose', the repercussions are swift. Losing not one, but two, much-sought-after literary jobs, Mrs Hawkins finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving anonymous letters, quack...PaperbackSold Out -
Spark's Europe
From the grimly gothic Do Not Disturb to the razor-sharp dissection of manners in The Takeover and the mordantly brilliant The Only Problem, in a panoramic sweep taking in the shores of the Italian lakes to the castles of Geneva, Muriel Spark casts her unflinching gaze over the continent and onto some of the odder specimens of human nature abounding...PaperbackSold Out
More from General Fiction
View all-
The Wedding People
'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people โ but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Yesteryear
A BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE โ Nita Prose WICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE โ Abigail Dean INVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE โ Ashley Audrain SHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS โ Clare Mackintosh The Stepford Wives meets The Handmaid's Tale โ Hannah Deitch My name was Natalie Heller...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Fourth Wing
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NUMBER ONE GLOBAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'This book contains an addictive, drug-like essence that will make you relinquish all responsibility until the very last word. Do not say I didn't warn you' Glamour 'I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and when I finished, I...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseTaipei Story
TAIPEI STORY is the electrifying new novel by bestselling literary phenomenon Rebecca F. Kuang, a profoundly moving coming-of-age story that explores first love, second language and final goodbyes โ all set against the backdrop of one unforgettable summer in Taipei. Yale student Lily Chen arrives in Taipei hungry: for family, for culture, for connection. But her summer of discovery quickly...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Iron Flame
The instant number one Sunday Times bestseller and thrilling sequel to the global phenomenon, Fourth Wing! DON'T BE THE LAST TO DISCOVER THE SERIES THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT: 'Yarros is the true inheritor of Harry Potter and inspires Hunger Games levels of devotion' Guardian 'Fear not, levels of fighting, rebelliousness and all-round sexiness are still sky-high' Daily Mail...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Carl's Doomsday Scenario
Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series -now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever...Hardback$4699Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The first instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON and TikTok sensation, from multi-million selling and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan โ Time Harry Potter magic, Taylor Swift sass, Fifty Shades-level athleticism โ The Sunday Times With bits of Buffy, Game of Thrones and Outlander, this is a glorious series...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Theo of Golden
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON'For anything to be truly good, there must be love in it. Nothing is what it's supposed to be if love is not at the core.' One morning, a stranger arrives in the town of Golden. No one knows who he is or where he came fromโฆHis name is Theo and he's arrived there by chance โ...Paperback$2899Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseCarl's Doomsday Scenario
Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl seriesโnow with bonus material exclusive to the print edition. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman-now with bonus material exclusive to the print edition! You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what's worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
A Court of Silver Flames
The latest instalment of the GLOBAL PHENOMENON, romantic fantasy epic and TikTok sensation, ACOTAR. From multi-million and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James โ Telegraph Spiced with slick plotting and atmospheric world-building...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Gate of the Feral Gods
The fourth book in the explosive LitRPG Dungeon Crawler Carl series New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that's talent. Surviving in a multilevel dungeon that also happens to be the set of the galaxy's most watched game show has taught Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess...Hardback$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
General Fiction lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Fiction about Fathers
Here are some incredible stories that explore various angles of fatherhood and father figures in the most poignant and wonderful ways. Featuring...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
What to read now you've watched The Odyssey
Contemporary fiction, classical non-fiction, feminist retellings, and inspired stories that would make for an interesting read now that you're obsessed with The...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Kevin's listGeneral Fiction
The Odyssey & Trojan War Classics (and Retellings)
Long before Christopher Nolan turned it into a blockbuster in the summer of 2026, The Odyssey was the original epic. After a...View the list -
![Tsubaki Stationery Store]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Have You Tried ... Healing Fiction
Healing Fiction is a relatively new genre still finding it's place, and yet people are reaching for it without realizing, desperate for...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Lizzy's Favourite Picks for Winter Reading
These are the books that Lizzy loves to read in Winter, or that feel like Winter. A combination of fiction, some non-fiction,...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Shirl's listGeneral Fiction
Shirl's Favourite Books of 2026
The first half of 2026 has been packed with brilliant books, making it hard to choose favourites but here are a few...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Books to Escape a Reading Slump
A reading slump can be a frustrating feeling and hard to break out of, but we've gathered together a list of crowd...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![Star Shipped]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Lizzy's Pride Fiction Picks!
June marks Global Pride Month so in case you're looking for your next great fiction read, here's a list of some of...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Readersโ Top 100 Novels of All Time - from The Guardian
There was some controversy when The Guardian released their critics and authors list of the top 100 novels of all time, but...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listGeneral Fiction
Seasonal Reads - 10 Books for Autumn
If you haven't tried seasonal reading, Lizzy thinks you should. It's a way to romanticizing the current season rather than trying to...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Hannah's listGeneral Fiction
Gothic Reads for Dark Nights
With the advent of movie adaptations like Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein, it looks like pop culture is seeing a revival of the...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
General Fiction
The 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Winners
Celebrate all the winners of the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Explore the powerful fiction of Ingrid Horrocks' 'All Her Lives',...View the list
