Short Story Wednesday Review: Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense ---- Editor Judy Penz Sheluk

 

Once more, friends, we dip into the massive archive….

 

Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense opens with a powerful tale by Joseph S. Walker titled “Crown Jewel.” Keenan Beech has brother issues. Specifically, twin brother issues. Xavier has now taken something that rightfully belonged only to Keenan. Xavier knew how to stick the knife in--figuratively-- and Keenan intends to restore balance by getting back what is his. At least, that was plan before everything got so very complicated.

 

Twins and their relationship are also a major part of the following story, “The Ballard of The Jerrell Twins” by Clark Boyd. Whether Darrell and Terrell really are or are not twins is not the question. The real question here is the accepted idea that two heads are better than one. In this case, they may not be as neither one is all that smart. That is apparent before the mystery, the nitrous oxide, and many other things come to light.

 

Tammy Lee Swanley sets up to watch Lombard’s Jewelry as “Tammy Loves Derek” by Bethany Maines begins. She has history with Derek Lombard. The same Derek Lombard coming out of the jewelry store as he is locking up for the night. She has a plan. In fact, she has a five-step plan to gain wealth. That plan is now in motion.

 

Lorretta Bremer with two little ones and an important job to do she has her hands full in 1921 as she rides a train from Camden to Atlantic City. You do what you do when you are a widow and on your own. Things are hard. Finding a body in her hotel room makes things so much worse. The fact that the body is of Roger MacNair who had hired her for dictation and typing at the convention is going to be a huge problem in “Moonset” by Jeanne Dubois.

 

After reading “Reunions” by John M. Floyd, you may think again about striking up a conversation on a plane. Larry Taylor did just that, helped out Roger Farnsworth by paying for his drink, and things went into motion.

 

Uncle Kenny has a plan, but Josh O’ Leary does not want to hear it. Uncle Kenny’s plans are never fool proof-- even when he claims they are-- and often result in long prison sentences. Uncle Kenny is sure his plan will absolutely work this time because they will keep it in the family in “A Currency of Wishes” by Kate Fellowes.

 

Gwen, as a child, started lifting items here and there. The Barbie doll was the first treasure in “Cereus Thinking” by Tracy Falenwolfe. She lived with her grandparents, Don and June, who never leave the campground they run. Manatee Playground Campsite is her home and she lifts treasures from those folks who tick her off as they come through while on vacation. By the time she is of legal age, she has long since realized she needs to get out of there. Leroy Lafontaine might be her ticket out.

 

Readers go back in time to the early 1930s in the next tale, “Just Like Peg Entwistle” by Robert Weibezahl. In the time of the big studios and controlled access to movie stars, the sudden death of Peg Entwistle was huge news. Was it a suicide? Was the death of the young actress murder? What really happened is the subject of this tale.

 

The trio is out in the swamp hunting for a lost treasure in “Scavenger Hunt” by Michael A. Clark. It was lost in February 1958. All these decades later, the three are deep in the Wassaw Sound with the faint city light glow of Savannah far to their south. Lit by moonlight, the search is on.

 

It is back in time again with the next short story, “My Night with the Duke of Edinburgh” by Susan Daly. It is the fall of 1951 and Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, will soon arrive in Canada for a royal tour. The group of college students in Toronto want to make some sort of symbolic public statement regarding Canada’s sovereignty as a nation. Exactly what kind of statement and the repercussions of their act are the theme of this tale.

 

She had a pretty good idea of who her big brother was, warts and all, and now Oliver is “Dead on the Beach” by KM Rockwood. At least, she thought she knew everything. But, what she is being told regarding his death does not make a lot of sense. She starts asking questions. As any reader should know, not only do snitches get stiches, asking questions can get you killed.

 

Mom is dead and now Uncle Peter wants his share of what the daughters have coming to them. Not that there is a lot in “Madeline in the Moonlight” by Susan Jane Wright. Mom was an artist and a bit eccentric so pretty much what you see is what you get. Peter, being Mom’s baby brother, has no claim but he certainly is pushing things.

 

Murder is hard and messy work. Especially when you use a sledgehammer. It was well worth it in “Not a Cruel Man” by Buzz Dixon. Cleanup should be easy.

 

Angie Kritt is more than ready to shut down the old tavern for the night. It has been a long day and she is very much ready to go in “12 miles to Taylorsville” by C.W. Blackwell. Once she gets rid of the last few guys from the logging crew, she can do a couple of things and get home. That is until Meena shows up terrified and on the run.

 

Old Man Harper is some sort of creepy perv who likes teen girls. At least, that is what everybody at school says. Everybody knows what he is and want him gone. Katy, Ron, and Grace-Rose have decided to give him a push on to somewhere else in “Chicken Coops and Bread Pudding” by K.L. Abrahamson.

 

Peter Hayes puts in a lot of unpaid hours. In “The Promotion” by Billy Houston, that hard work is finally going to pay off. One way or another.

 

Just before the power went out, the police got an alert from the security system at the library. Officers Grabowski and Tyler are dispatched in “The Library Clue” by Sharon Hart Addy. A broken basement window means they have to check it out.

 

The plan is the thing in “Ill Met By Moonlight, Proud Miss Dolmas” by Elizabeth Elwood. Teaching Drama and English is hard enough due to the actions of some students who think they are entitled. Some want to ignore the rules. They seem to have found an ally in the new principal, Martha Dolmas, who has never taught a class in a day of her life.

 

Being a public health inspector is a hard job. Having an overbearing and incompetent boss, as was present in the preceding story, just makes things worse.  In “The Moon God of Broadmoor” by M. H. Callway, Liz gets reminded that her job means she has to shovel some stuff. Figuratively and literally.

 

The last tale is “Strawberry Moon” by Editor Judy Penz Sheluk. All she wants to do is cross the border into the US. Unfortunately, she is dealing with a United States border guard that likes his power a little too much.

 

From the complicated and powerful opening tale to the twist ending in the last one, the twenty stories in the book are all good ones. Moonlight as well as misadventure in a variety of ways plays a major role in all of them. So does more than a hint of madness in many of the tales. In some cases, things happened as they always would because of the nature of the folks involved. In others, the plan failed sometimes in surprising ways.

 

Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense is an anthology that features many complicated reads. Every tale selected is a good one and well worth your time.

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4g3AZj7 

 

 

Editor Judy Penz Sheluk sent me a digital ARC of the book with no expectation or promise of a review. 

 

 

 Kevin R. Tipple ©2021, 2023, 2025

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense-- Editor Judy Penz Sheluk

  

From the massive archive…

 

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.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/41YYrbp

 

 

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, 2025

Little Big Crimes: Front Desk Staff, by Bethany Maines

Little Big Crimes: Front Desk Staff, by Bethany Maines:    "Front Desk Staff," by Bethany Maines, in Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk,, Superior Sh...

Review: Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery and Suspense Editor Judy Penz Sheluk

 

After an introduction by author/editor/publisher Judy Penz Sheluk that explains the inspiration for the new anthology, Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery and Suspense, it is on to the stories. All are good ones. Some resonated with me more than others. Some of those that struck me more are listed below. My personal choices do not mean that they are better than the others. They just clicked with me more.

 

It is also worth noting that I am one of those rare readers that does not dip in here and there in an anthology. I don’t chase friends or names I recognize. I read from front to back, as I do with a novel. It has always seemed to me that nearly every editor arranges the lineup of short stories in a certain way for a certain reason. Whom am I to defeat that idea by choosing my own path? So, the order below, as always, is the reading order I hit them as they appear in the book and nothing more at all.

 

“Big” John Warmer thinks he has a good system working in “Secretly Keith” by Charlie Kondek. Nick Papke and Rex are pretty sure they can rob the local bookie and get away with it. They have a plan and timing is everything.

 

Hallie writes memoirs and she is very good at it. This time the subject is a woman she has known, off and on, for two decades. They have a complicated past. Sylia Starr is going to be a difficult client in “A Talent for Fame” by Susan Daly.

 

They have a new guy and Michael has to take him out with the crew. Michael will do what the boss says as that is what is done. But, Frankie is going to be a problem. Michael is sure of it. Time will tell in “The Artist” by Linda Bennett.

 

Ellie knows how things are to be done in “Dinner at Angelo’s” by Julie Hastrup. Angelo, her father, sees here as a woman and nothing more. He only has eye for her brothers and has no idea what she does to keep the family, and their business, going.

 

The Oak Creek Retirement Home is a lie in so many ways. There is no creek. There is no oak. There is a crummy courtyard with a broken fountain. The staff, such as it is, are worthless. That means several seniors can, and do, pull off a great escape in “Evening Escapade” by KM Rockwood. Once out, things get very complicated.

 

Hopper McTaggert is about to retire from the FBI. His career is going to go out on a whimper. Unless the tip proves out and he can arrest Alfonso Ancona in “Hopscotch & Pop Tart” by Clark Boyd.

 

After spending 420 days in the Brockville Jail, Mikey has a new skill. He also has plans in “Ticket Out” by Jim McDonald.

 

Ripping off others is also the idea behind the next story, “Ghost Wolves” by Peggy Rothaschild. Finding a dead body in the house was absolutely not part of the plan.

 

Shea died two months ago. There was a funeral and everything. But, she is now back and needs help in “Friendship never Dies” by Beth Irish.  

 

Agatha has a plan and the disguises to pull it off in “Secret’s Unleashed” by Gina X. Grant. But, like all plans, her plan required other people to do their expected part. The human element is screwing her up and there is too much at stake to back out now.

 

While these ten stories were my personal favorites, all the stories in the anthology are solidly good. Plenty is going on in each tale. Misdirection is a theme in many of the tales as well. The result makes Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery and Suspense a highly entertaining read.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3FP1evX

 

 

In the interests of fair disclosure, a digital ARC of the read was provided by author/editor/publisher Judy Penz Sheluk with no expectation of a review. I have a standing policy not to review works that I have a story in as I have always felt it a conflict of interest to do so. My submission was quickly rejected as the stories were cut down from eighty submissions, so I was free to read and review the book.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Guest Post: Secrets and Schemers by Amanda Capper

  

Please welcome Amanda Capper to the blog today as she discusses her short story, A Time to Tell, in the upcoming new anthology, Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, published by Superior Shores Press, the read is available at Amazon and other vendors and will release on June 18th.

 

Secrets and Schemers by Amanda Capper

 

I firmly believe if you want to write well, you must read. Lots. Bonus if you read as a child.

I was raised on Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen. Library books, novels written by Catherine Cookson and Jeffrey Archer, were borrowed and left strategically around my childhood home, used as bait to get me to sit in one place long enough to read them. And I enjoyed them. But they took time, and I was a busy child.

Short stories were, and still are, my drug of choice. The horror of Hitchcock and the suspense of Queen captivated me, and I remember thinking, “I can do that.” And I tried, but all I really did was copy them. Which was a start because, eventually, if you keep reading and writing, chances are good you’ll get that buzz when your own story comes together.

Judy Penz Sheluk is carrying on the short story tradition, and I was buzzed to the point of combustion when Judy accepted my story “A Time to Tell” for her fourth anthology, Midnight Schemers and Daydream Believers.

I had read the first three and enjoyed them all, first because I love a story I can read in bed and know the ending before I turn off the light, and second, because these short stories are excellent for studying the craft. Why did I like this one? What would I have done different? And the best – Holy Hannah, I did not see that coming.

My contribution to Midnight is full of secrets. Rebecca’s dad has a secret. So does her mom. Even the neighbours have a secret. And finally, so does Rebecca. Here’s the first paragraph:

I started collecting secrets when I was six-years-old. Not by design. More by the unfortunate circumstance of being a sickly, solitary child, cursed with curiosity. I hovered in doorways, or stared out windows, and was always startled when someone noticed I was in the room. I had, at one time, concluded I was invisible and that was okay.

When the anthology comes out on June 18^th and you finish reading my story, I hope you have a Holy Hannah moment. There are 22 stories in Midnight Schemers and Daydream Believers; I expect you’ll have more than one.

Readers: Have you had a Holy Hannah moment lately? Leave a comment and don’t worry—your secret is safe with me.

 

About the book:

Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense 

Desire or desperation, revenge or retribution—how far would you go to realize a dream? The twenty-two authors in this collection explore the possibilities, with predictably unpredictable results.

Featuring stories by Pam Barnsley, Linda Bennett, Clark Boyd, C.W. Blackwell, Amanda Capper, Susan Daly, James Patrick Focarile, Rand Gaynor, Gina X. Grant, Julie Hastrup, Beth Irish, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Jim McDonald, donalee Moulton, Michael Penncavage, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Peggy Rothschild, Debra Bliss Saenger, and Joseph S. Walker.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/44vnrJF

 

Amanda Capper ©2025

 

Amanda Capper is a Canadian author. Her debut mystery novel, A Bother of Bodies was published by Divertir Publishing in 2014. During the years since, she’s had flash fiction and short stories published in e-zines and anthologies. You can find her at https://ajcapper.wordpress.com

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Little Big Crimes: The Hospital Boomerang, by Kevin R. Tipple

Little Big Crimes: The Hospital Boomerang, by Kevin R. Tipple: "The Hospital Boomerang," by Kevin R. Tipple, in Larceny and Last Chances, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, Superior Shores Press, 202...

Guest Post: First Lines in Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense-- Part 2 by Judy Penz Sheluk

Please welcome Judy Penz Sheluk back to the blog today as she shares some of the first lines from the stories in the new anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense, releasing Tuesday. Part 1 ran last Sunday on the SMFS blog. The anthology was released last Tuesday and includes my short story, The Hospital Boomerang.

 

 

Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

First Lines: Part II

 

That’s right. Part II. If you missed Part I, you can find it on the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s blog spot, where it was posted on June 16^th. And now, here’s Part II (or, for those of you not keeping up, the first lines of the final 11 stories in Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense):

 

No Good Deed by Kate Fellowes

 I’ll just say, that Bible should have been mine in the first place.

 

Incidents & Intentions by Wil A. Emerson

Lily unlocked the back door of the thrift shop using a key that didn’t belong to her.

 

A Tight Squeeze by Larry M. Keeton

My wife, Denise, was dead.

 

Not This Time by Mary Wills Fraser

I’m hiding in my ex-husband’s closet when my phone rings.

 

Wheel of Fortune by John Bukowski

Karl slid his last token into the slot and pushed the glowing button.

 

Robbery at The Birdcage by Cate Moyle

Deputy Michelle Simmons received the dispatch call at 05:49 and steered her cruiser toward the village of Dunecrest.

 

The Crimson Salamander by Tracy Falenwolfe

Since her induction into The Modus Operandi Supper Club, Billie Burgess often said Mark Luxor was the devil.

 

The Case of the Pilfered Parka by Gina X. Grant

Five minutes into the interview, Noah was ready to confess.

 

A Promise Kept by Karen Grose

The only reason I’m working at Big Jim’s is because no one else wanted the job, let alone applied.

 

The Pool by Brenda Chapman

Greg opened the gate to his neighbor’s backyard and surveyed the wide expanse of fresh sod, his gaze coming to rest on the newly installed, inground pool that sparkled like a box of gems in the June sunshine.

 

The Last Chance Coalition by Judy Penz Sheluk

I watch Jake McFadden strut into O’Leary’s Bar & Grill with the swagger of a man who’s dabbled with the big time and likes to flaunt it.

Have a favorite? Leave a comment. We really do love comments.

 

About the anthology

Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense

Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk

Publication Date: June 18, 2024

 

Sometimes it’s about doing the right thing. Sometimes it’s about getting even. Sometimes it’s about taking what you think you deserve. And sometimes, it’s your last, best, hope. Edited by Judy Penz Sheluk and featuring stories by Christina Boufis, John Bukowski, Brenda Chapman, Susan Daly, Wil A. Emerson, Tracy Falenwolfe, Kate Fellowes, Molly Wills Fraser, Gina X. Grant, Karen Grose, Wendy Harrison, Julie Hastrup, Larry M. Keeton, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Gregory Meece, Cate Moyle, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Kevin R. Tipple, and Robert Weibezahl.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4bq7wwo 

 

Judy Penz Sheluk ©2024 

Judy Penz Sheluk is a former journalist and magazine editor and the bestselling author of two mystery series, several short stories, and two books on publishing. She is also the publisher and editor of four Superior Shores Anthologies. Find out more at www.judypenzsheluk.com.

Short Story Excerpt: The Hospital Boomerang by Kevin R. Tipple

 

This Tuesday is Publication Day for the new anthology, Larceny & Last Chances: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense. Published by Superior Shores Press, edited by Judy Penz Sheluk, the read is available in both print and digital formats at Amazon and other vendors. It also contains my short story, “The Hospital Boomerang.”

My short story is a crime fiction tale set in small town Texas.  Our narrator is a bit bitter and has gone through some things over the years. He also has a bit of a sarcastic streak as he narrates the story.

Below is a small excerpt from the beginning of the tale. I hope you will want to see more and pick up the book.

 

 

The Hospital Boomerang by Kevin R. Tipple 

 

It was the damn beeping that woke me up. I opened my eyes, only to see the same crappy tile overhead that I had seen once before. A heart monitor and an IV drip machine beeped. I looked down my bed. Neither wrist was handcuffed to the rail of the bed. An improvement over my last visit.

            The pain in my stomach was not an improvement. Neither was the pain that ripped through me when I moved my legs.

            “Damn.”

 

I am also going to have a guest post on Art Taylor’s The First Two Pages  where I go into a bit more depth about the tale and what I tried to accomplish in it. Will let you know when that piece goes live. It should be up soon. 

Hope you check out the read. I am still amazed to be in the book. 

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Short Story Wednesday Review: Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense Editor Judy Penz Sheluk

With the recent announcement by Judy Penz Sheluk that she is gearing up to do a fourth anthology, it seemed a good time to remind you of this anthology from Superior Shores Press. From the massive archive…

 

Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense opens with a powerful tale by Joseph S. Walker titled “Crown Jewel.” Keenan Beech has brother issues. Specifically, twin brother issues. Xavier has now taken something that rightfully belonged only to Keenan. Xavier knew how to stick the knife in--figuratively-- and Keenan intends to restore balance by getting back what is his. At least, that was plan before everything got so very complicated.

Twins and their relationship are also a major part of the following story, “The Ballard of The Jerrell Twins” by Clark Boyd. Whether Darrell and Terrell really are or are not twins is not the question. The real question here is the accepted idea that two heads are better than one. In this case, they may not be as neither one is all that smart. That is apparent before the mystery, the nitrous oxide, and many other things come to light.

Tammy Lee Swanley sets up to watch Lombard’s Jewelry as “Tammy Loves Derek” by Bethany Maines begins. She has history with Derek Lombard. The same Derek Lombard coming out of the jewelry store as he is locking up for the night. She has a plan. In fact, she has a five-step plan to gain wealth. That plan is now in motion.

Lorretta Bremer with two little ones and an important job to do she has her hands full in 1921 as she rides a train from Camden to Atlantic City. You do what you do when you are a widow and on your own. Things are hard. Finding a body in her hotel room makes things so much worse. The fact that the body is of Roger MacNair who had hired her for dictation and typing at the convention is going to be a huge problem in “Moonset” by Jeanne Dubois.

After reading “Reunions” by John M. Floyd, you may think again about striking up a conversation on a plane. Larry Taylor did just that, helped out Roger Farnsworth by paying for his drink, and things went into motion.

Uncle Kenny has a plan, but Josh O’ Leary does not want to hear it. Uncle Kenny’s plans are never fool proof-- even when he claims they are-- and often result in long prison sentences. Uncle Kenny is sure his plan will absolutely work this time because they will keep it in the family in “A Currency of Wishes” by Kate Fellowes.

Gwen, as a child, started lifting items here and there. The Barbie doll was the first treasure in “Cereus Thinking” by Tracy Falenwolfe. She lived with her grandparents, Don and June, who never leave the campground they run. Manatee Playground Campsite is her home and she lifts treasures from those folks who tick her off as they come through while on vacation. By the time she is of legal age, she has long since realized she needs to get out of there. Leroy Lafontaine might be her ticket out.

Readers go back in time to the early 1930s in the next tale, “Just Like Peg Entwistle” by Robert Weibezahl. In the time of the big studios and controlled access to movie stars, the sudden death of Peg Entwistle was huge news. Was it a suicide? Was the death of the young actress murder? What really happened is the subject of this tale.

The trio is out in the swamp hunting for a lost treasure in “Scavenger Hunt” by Michael A. Clark. It was lost in February 1958. All these decades later, the three are deep in the Wassaw Sound with the faint city light glow of Savannah far to their south. Lit by moonlight, the search is on.

It is back in time again with the next short story, “My Night with the Duke of Edinburgh” by Susan Daly. It is the fall of 1951 and Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, will soon arrive in Canada for a royal tour. The group of college students in Toronto want to make some sort of symbolic public statement regarding Canada’s sovereignty as a nation. Exactly what kind of statement and the repercussions of their act are the theme of this tale.

She had a pretty good idea of who her big brother was, warts and all, and now Oliver is “Dead on the Beach” by KM Rockwood. At least, she thought she knew everything. But, what she is being told regarding his death does not make a lot of sense. She starts asking questions. As any reader should know, not only do snitches get stiches, asking questions can get you killed.

Mom is dead and now Uncle Peter wants his share of what the daughters have coming to them. Not that there is a lot in “Madeline in the Moonlight” by Susan Jane Wright. Mom was an artist and a bit eccentric so pretty much what you see is what you get. Peter, being Mom’s baby brother, has no claim but he certainly is pushing things.

Murder is hard and messy work. Especially when you use a sledgehammer. It was well worth it in “Not a Cruel Man” by Buzz Dixon. Cleanup should be easy.

Angie Kritt is more than ready to shut down the old tavern for the night. It has been a long day and she is very much ready to go in “12 miles to Taylorsville” by C.W. Blackwell. Once she gets rid of the last few guys from the logging crew, she can do a couple of things and get home. That is until Meena shows up terrified and on the run.

Old Man Harper is some sort of creepy perv who likes teen girls. At least, that is what everybody at school says. Everybody knows what he is and want him gone. Katy, Ron, and Grace-Rose have decided to give him a push on to somewhere else in “Chicken Coops and Bread Pudding” by K.L. Abrahamson.

Peter Hayes puts in a lot of unpaid hours. In “The Promotion” by Billy Houston, that hard work is finally going to pay off. One way or another.

Just before the power went out, the police got an alert from the security system at the library. Officers Grabowski and Tyler are dispatched in “The Library Clue” by Sharon Hart Addy. A broken basement window means they have to check it out.

The plan is the thing in “Ill Met By Moonlight, Proud Miss Dolmas” by Elizabeth Elwood. Teaching Drama and English is hard enough due to the actions of some students who think they are entitled. Some want to ignore the rules. They seem to have found an ally in the new principal, Martha Dolmas, who has never taught a class in a day of her life.

Being a public health inspector is a hard job. Having an overbearing and incompetent boss, as was present in the preceding story, just makes things worse.  In “The Moon God of Broadmoor” by M. H. Callway, Liz gets reminded that her job means she has to shovel some stuff. Figuratively and literally.

The last tale is “Strawberry Moon” by Editor Judy Penz Sheluk. All she wants to do is cross the border into the US. Unfortunately, she is dealing with a United States border guard that likes his power a little too much.

From the complicated and powerful opening tale to the twist ending in the last one, the twenty stories in the book are all good ones. Moonlight as well as misadventure in a variety of ways plays a major role in all of them. So does more than a hint of madness in many of the tales. In some cases, things happened as they always would because of the nature of the folks involved. In others, the plan failed sometimes in surprising ways.

Moonlight & Misadventure: 20 Stories of Mystery and Suspense is an anthology that features many complicated reads. Every tale selected is a good one and well worth your time.

 

Editor Judy Penz Sheluk sent me a digital ARC of the book with no expectation or promise of a review.

 

 Kevin R. Tipple ©2021, 2023

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories Of Mystery & Suspense

 

With the recent announcement by Judy Penz Sheluk that she is gearing up to do a fourth anthology, it seemed a good time to remind you of the first book. From the massive archive…

 

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 the 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 Short 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 Short 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. 

 

 

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. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2019, 2023