When unassuming shopkeeper, Mr Coombes, decides to end his melancholic life, he eats what he believes to be a poisonous mushroom: the 'Purple Pileus' of the title. However, Mr Coombes is mistaken in his choice and, instead, ingests a fungus with powerful hallucinatory properties. In the grip of a psychedelic fever, the shopkeeper decides it's time for a change. One of Wells' short stories, this intriguing tale was adapted for television in 2016, featuring Leanne Best and Ray Winstone.