Criminalities:
Three Short Crime Stories and an Essay by
Barry Ergang
FREE ebook at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/643316
The first story is”Jewel of Denial,” a
gem originally published in the June 2005 issue of Mysterical-e. Lainie
Truscott is dismayed when guests at her bed and breakfast are robbed of cash
and jewelry during the night. Lainie follows a hunch and takes a short trip to
see if she's right. When she arrives at her destination, one surprising twist
after another will leave you grinning, nodding your head, and thinking, “Well
done, Mr. Ergang.”
Next up is “Vigilante,” which received
a Derringer Award in 2007 for Best Story of the Year. Weissman is alone in a
dark alley with a militant, tattooed skinhead. Their vast difference of opinion
about the Holocaust is settled in the only appropriate manner.
The third story, “Brianna’s Way,” was
an Editor’s Choice when it appeared in Flash Bang Mysteries Magazine. When his
ex-wife's lawyer wants to talk to him, Rutledge agrees to the meeting out of
curiosity. Brianna is accused of killing her second husband, the man she dumped
him for. What does the woman who ruined his life want from him?
In the essay “Impossible Pleasures,” Mr.
Ergang tells how in his youth, he became an “unregenerate, unapologetic fan of
the mystery genre,” and discusses classic writers and stories. He was drawn in
particular to the “locked door” or impossible crime” tales. These are the
stories in which a crime is committed in a space such as a locked room with no
way for the criminal to get in or out without being seen. If you're a fan of
this type of story, you'll learn which authors, past and present, to look for.
For an excellent example of a locked
room mystery, I recommend reading “The Play of Light and Shadow,” one of many
published stories by Barry Ergang. You'll find it at:
Earl Staggs ©2016
Texas author Earl Staggs earned all
Five Star reviews for his novels MEMORY OF A MURDER and JUSTIFIED ACTION and has twice received a
Derringer Award for Best Short Story of the Year. He served as Managing Editor of Futures
Mystery Magazine, as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars.
He invites any comments via
email at earlstaggs@sbcglobal.net
He also invites you to
visit his blog site at http://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com to learn more about his novels and stories.
Posts
7 comments:
Thank you, Earl. I appreciate your taking the time to read and review it, and of course I'm glad you like it.
Like Kevin with his collection Mind Slices, I'm participating in Smashwords' annual "July Summer/Winter Sale," so "The Play of Light and Shadow" is available there at a reduced price through July 31st--as is Mind Slices.
Impressive with the awards and all. Three short stories together would be a lot easier to read than the usual book-length short story collection. I'll look into to this. I'm way behind on my reading, so less in length that is still good reading is a selling point for me.
Maybe it's the immediate gratification climate which started with the remote control, or maybe it's because I'm a senior, but I do find shorter stories more appealing these days. Three short stories are easier to read and stay focused, than one long one, and these sound promising.
Morgan Mandel
Earl, you always do a great job with your reviews!!
Linda, I'm with you on the value of well-written short stories. They're easier to fit into a busy life schedule. I also like them for the variety they bring to my reading time.
Morgan, I promise you won't be disappointed with these three stories from Barry. Each one is excellent.
Sylvia, that kind of compliment will probably go to my head. Thanks for saying it, you sweet talking thing, you.
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