Reviewing an anthology takes far more skill
and finesse than reviewing a novel if one wants to make sure that one does not
ruin the read for a reader. Short stories are, obviously, far shorter than
novels and that means there is far less wiggle room for the reviewer. If one
explains too much of the setup of the story, one can mess things up for the
reader. Too little and the potential reader is left confused and unsure what he
story and ultimately the book is about. Therefore, the goal is to give a brief
explanation of each tale without giving away too many specific details that
would impact the read.
After an introduction to The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories Of Mystery & Suspense, KM Rockwood starts the book off with
“Frozen Daiquiris.” Penelope Regenwold intends to be part of the social
elite in her new community though the locals have not exactly welcomed her with
open arms. As part of her plan, she will host the annual gala for the Ladies’
Society in her new house. She has publicly promised that she and her husband,
Mathew, will pick up all expenses. In private she has promised her husband that
she will be as frugal as possible. As the time for the party inches ever
closer, that part of her plans seems to have backfired a bit.
It is October, 1964 in Toronto, Canada as
“Spirit River Dam” by Susan Daly begins. In a few minutes, a certain painting
will be auctioned making Imogen Pemberton and Bryan Grace a tidy sum. Much has
happened in the last six weeks to get to this point.
Gavoti has to wait until dark to get out of
the car and stretch. Planning is everything and Gavoti is not about to screw up
now when he is so close to the end. In “Oubliette” by Edward Lodi, his target
lives on a very quiet street. After three weeks of surveillance, tonight is the
night to go into the home and check it out.
Judge Lu has had a long day of travel and the
inn keeper just keeps talking. In “Gambling Against Fate (From Judge Lu’s Ming
Dynasty Case Files)” by P. A. De Voe, the travel south down along the Gan River
in search of the robbers has been tiresome. The Emperor wants the crimes
stopped and Lu has no idea where they are or whom among the locals he can
trust. At least he knows he can fully trust the three men in his entourage traveling
with him. A good night of sleep for all is desperately needed.
A birthday party for his niece,
Florence, is a bit awkward for everyone in “The True Cost Of Liberty” by
Chris Wheatley. It was that way before his estranged wife’s new guy,
Isaac, starts talking about some old coins he had found buried under some stuff
up in the attic. He knows the narrator is a collector of sorts and wants his
opinion on one of the coins. That coin could be worth millions and would be
just compensation for all he has been put through in recent months.
Killing somebody while doing food prep at a
nursing home was not the original plan in “Deadly Dinner” by LD Masterson. The
pay isn’t that great, but there are some fringe benefits including the fact
that the place is nicer than his apartment. He also can figure out a way to
make some real money.
Miranda is doing her best to hang onto her
marketing job, but her ways are not what her young boss is looking for at all.
In “Fire Drill” by Lisa De Nikolits, she does her best to stay under the radar
and cope even when the fire alarms are sounding and her boss should end the
meeting and evacuate.
The brothers, Seth and Aaron, have a plan to
get out of Diamond, West Virginia. They want to escape a bleak future of
working in the coal mines. In “Heirloom” by Tom Barlow they play it cool and
refine the plan. The time will come to act.
Big sister Marnie was the family golden child
and momma always loved her more. In “The Cookie Crumbles” by Peggy Rothschild,
a plan is baked and put into place. It will be delicious on so many levels.
Edith Maxwell’s “The Stonecutter” comes up
next where Fernando Andrade has caught the eye of the reference librarian. He
is the stone cutter, originally from Portugal, and married to a wife who is
ill. His presence brings Eleanor alive and she begins to consider many
possibilities.
The murder at the legendary Callingdon
Mountain Ski Resort has ignited a media firestorm. Celebrity skier Donegal Cain
was stabbed while riding in an enclosed gondola tram from the base of the
mountain to the peak. He was the sole occupant and the tram car was watched
throughout its ascent more than a dozen witness. A true locked room mystery
that must be solved in “Callingdon Mountain” by Peter DiChellis. The police are stumped so the administrator of
the resort brings in a private detective to solve the case.
Hailey Fields had thought that author Charles
Attlee would be interesting. As his chaperone for the literary event, she had
thought he would be a valuable contact and that he would be to provide some
guidance for her own literary career. Instead, the legendary author has treated
her like his personal slave while being a boor in “Festival Finale” by Mary
Dutta.
The plan hadn’t been to lose his job, have no
savings, and be forced to live in a trailer in a scrub palmetto field forty
miles from the coast while working a roofing job in August. Myra, his wife, isn’t
much help or support either as she has taken everything that has happened in
recent months pretty hard. In “Lunch Break” by Lesley A. Diehl, Ben can at
least talk to Ralph about how things are falling apart.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Alex, the Del
Ray Police Department is called out to investigate a death at the assisted
living community known as “Sunshine Rest.” Three patients at the facility died during the
storm and an investigator from the Department of Children and Families thinks
one of the cases is a possible homicide. In “Who They Are Now” by Vicki Weisfeld,
Detectives go out to the damaged property to investigate.
It is 8:42 am according to the computer
screens Marsha is monitoring as “Thank You For Your Cooperation” by Johanna
Beate Stumpf begins. The subway stations she has watch on by way of her
monitors seem quiet as the morning rush is over and the tourists are not out
and about just yet. Like clockwork her regular traveler arrives minutes later
and then he does something new.
Timothy manipulated them so they died as he
wished in “Last Thoughts” by William Kamowski. Timothy, at 22, has skills and
is quite the computer programmer and hacker. He also likes getting even and
proving his point. He isn’t the only one.
Rocco Sakarian did not think too much about
the call or the job in Oklahoma. After all, he was in Buffalo where another
snow storm was about to hit. A job was a job in “A Sure Thing” by C.C. Guthrie.
The prospect of spending time somewhere sunny, clear, and 6o degrees beckoned
and he was Oklahoma bound.
It has been three years since Trudy Sullivan’s
husband passed away suddenly. After a long period of grief, she has a new look
about her in “The Sweetheart Scamster” by Rosemary McCracken. Her financial
advisor, Pat Tierney, has serious concerns.
Swallowing a bottle of hair dye is a hard way
to go out. Mimi Courvoisier chose that path after deciding she could not live
with her hair color. A wig was not an option in “Better Dead Then Redhead” by
Lisa Lieberman. The fact that she was a model at the ongoing New England annual
hair show will ensure that her death will be blamed on the stylist.
Zach always has ideas and they are always a
sure thing. They never work out as planned and Freddy often winds up on the
short end of the deal. Freddy has known him since they were kids and he knows
what that look in Zach’s eye means in “Sucker Punch” by V. S. Kemanis.
Editor Judy Penz Sheluk closes the anthology
with a story of her own titled, “Plan D.” Jenny has a plan and is about to
implement it. After all, sometimes the wife has to really push to get her
husband to change things for the better.
The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of
Mystery & Suspense is an
entertaining collection of tales that deliver in all aspects. Some plans are
destined to fail, some are destined to succeed in unexpected ways, and all are
ways of dealing with an issue in ways that should solve everything once and for
all. Much like buying a lottery ticket, these characters are dreaming up
ways to permanently solve problems.
The
Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories Of Mystery & Suspense
Judy
Penz Sheluk
Superior
Shores Press
June 18,
2019
ISBN# 978-1-989-495-00-1
Paperback
(also available in eBook format)
292 Pages
$14.99
Editor Judy Penz Sheluk sent me a digital ARC
of the book earlier this year for my use to read and review. Though I was aware
of her market call and had planned to submit something, I was unable to get my
act together at the time of her call and did not submit anything to the
project. If I had submitted something, I would not have reviewed the book.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
13 comments:
Thanks so much Kevin. What an amazing review!
Thanks for your review, Kevin.
Kevin, what a thoughtful review! You really I am delighted to be included in this anthology. As you indicated, there is a wonderful range of stories under the one theme of The Best Laid Plans. Thanks for all you do for the short story community.
Thank you for the review!
Thank you so much for this great review! I really loved reading all about the stories! What a range indeed! Thank you very much Kevin!
Such a good job of telling enough to intrigue the reader, but give nothing away. Thanks for the review.
Thank you all. Good book and I was glad to say so.
Thanks, Kevin. Your kind words and diligence are much appreciated.
Thanks for the review, Kevin! I'm pleased to be a part of the anthology, and much appreciate you sharing your thoughts on all the stories.
What a thoughtful review, Kevin. Thanks!
Thanks for the generous comments.
Edward Lodi
Thank you all for entertaining stories. It is easy to write a positive review when each work is a good one. Thank you.
Thanks Kevin, for such an awesome review. And thanks Judy, for getting it all together.
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