If you have read the author’s fiction before you are
aware that betrayal is a theme found in many of his works. Such is the case
here in Alive Into Hell: A Collection Of Crime Stories. All twenty stories have been
previously published in a variety of platforms both print and electronic. It
also happens that all of them are good ones while also very frequently packing a
hard punch to the gut.
The book opens with the signature story “Alive Into
Hell” where Vanessa Hickman is awakened from a dead sleep. She isn’t sure what woke
her up at first. Then she realizes that the voices are back in the baby’s room
down the hall. With or without her husband Reggie’s help, she has to go check
on four month old Anna as it sounds like there might be a man in the house.
Hubby isn’t much help either as “An Indolent Heart”
begins. Instead of sitting in his recliner drinking beer, Tom Becker should be
out cutting the grass. Lydia has pretty much had it with him, but can’t leave
for reasons that become clear.
An “Anonymous call” got them out there in the surveillance
van looking for Baxter Dean. Nothing much was happening and then the night
erupted in violence at the point of a gun.
An isolated campsite is the backdrop to “Bear
Illegal.” Rebecca Sims heard the noise first and saw something moving around
their campsite. Curry is sure that it, whatever it was, had to be something that
wasn’t worth worrying about. Rebecca isn’t so sure.
Working out in the barn makes it easy for Edward
Brooks to take a cell phone call without his wife Sarah knowing about it in
“Backyard.” Bessie Harrington is a special woman to Edward and at least two
other people.
Originally published as “Red Declaration” the story
“Blood Pursuit” comes next. A homeowner awakes to discover there is a violent
intruder in his house.
Kade was supposed to be building a shed. Instead he is
digging a hole in the backyard. Jeri is not pleased in “Box of Secrets.”
Lake Pontchartrain is a dangerous place in a storm.
Especially if you are in a Boston whaler in “Camp Keller.”
Nelson Devlin has not been acting normal as
“Candlestick Justice” begins and Vicky Devlin has questions and mounting
suspicions. Whatever he is doing it involves the computer and possibly an old
threat.
Sabrina isn’t that thrilled with the idea of being
in the Smoky Mountains in “Dead of the Day.” Barry isn’t worried about the
possibility of a serial killer in the area and is looking forward to the
picnic.
Chief Walton is mad from the get go in “Dear Joe.”
He has good reason and Detective Joe Leonard had better get it together. Looks
like he is going to need his partner, Detective Dan Pritchard, to help out.
The smell is what he notices first in “Death
Notice.” A dead body and quite a lot more is involved here in this complicated
tale.
“False Positive” as implied by the title revolves
around a blood test and the consequences of the results.
Rosalie Beard has had enough in “Final Divorce” and
no matter what Jay says it is over. He has a plan to salvage things and just
needs a little more time.
Raising kids is difficult at times and video games
can be an issue. Both are at work in “Final Level.”
Otis Redman is having a hard time of it and “Getting
His Job Back” might help. At least if he was employed again his wife Claire
might cut him some slack.
As if things already were not already this way in a
number of stories apparently they are about to be “Getting ugly.” Jimmy and
Steve have an issue with Buddy and the rookie, Ruben, does not like how they
are going about business.
Gracie is spending the night with Granny as Jenny
LeBlanc has work to do in “Happy First.” Being a mom and a cop is hard work,
but things are about to change for the better for her as well as her four year
old daughter.
40 year old Nelson Walton isn’t happy for good
reason. As he explains to his good friend Jerry Stewart, he knows Cindy is
cheating on him and just because of “Her Judas Eyes.”
It was another brutal night on two few hours of
sleep and the wake up from Mallory at 5:30 in the morning is not what Wyatt
needed. The day ahead is going to be a challenge personally and professionally
in “Severed Relationship.”
Betrayal is a constant there in the collection of
published stories from the mind of BJ Bourg. The betrayal comes in many forms
both in terms of the personal as well as the professional relationships these
characters have during their short visits with the reader. While it is easy to
see the author’s extensive background in law enforcement at work in many of
these tales, the twists and turns the tales take are often not so easy at all
to see coming. Alive Into Hell: A Collection Of Crime Stories is a fast and enjoyable read
that also gives credence to the idea that being a loner without attachments
might be a good thing.
Alive Into Hell: A Collection Of Crime Stories
BJ
Bourg
August
6, 2014
ASIN:
B00MHFWQ9Y
E-Book
104
Pages (estimated)
$0.99
Material was purchased for my use in an objective
review by way of monies in my Amazon Associate account.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
Amazon.com - Read eBooks using the FREE Kindle Reading App on Most Devices
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4 comments:
What a great, in depth review. Too bad I have a Kobo -- doesn't seem to be available on that format. I would definitely download.
Thank you!
I don't think the author has it there yet. It just recently came up on Amazon so maybe he will add it there too. I don't know.
I always enjoyed BJ's work and I look forward to reading this collection.
With every quick sketch I found myself thinking up a story. They sound like great stories. Fresh and original.
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