Short Story Wednesday Review: The Ehrengraf Fandango by Lawrence Block

 

From the archive….

 

The Ehrengraf Fandango is the twelfth short story featuring the lawyer Martian H. Ehrengraf. He has a small room at his home reserved for attorney-client meetings. The room is a bit reminiscent of such a room at a police station as both the table and the chairs are bolted to the floor. The surroundings lean towards the austere and Ehrengraf may or may not be recording everything that goes on in the room. It is not exactly clear from the start that he pushes the legal boundaries hard if not flat out obliterating them. That talent comes in handy with his latest client, Cheryl Plumley, as the story begins.

 

The entire world knows she fired the gun that killed three people in a house on Woodbridge Avenue. She has no memory of actually going into the home and shooting Mary Beth and Richard Kuhldreyer as well as their neighbor, Patricia Munk. While her only explanation other than sheer madness for the crime would be satanic intervention, Ehrengraf has a much more down to earth explanation. Not only does he know how he can help her with the case, he has a few other ideas to help her and her future.

 

Along with a touch here and there of subtle humor, The Ehrengraf Fandango by Lawrence Block is a complicated multiple case mystery. The Plumley case is just part of a much larger tale in this work. Martian H. Ehrengraf is a lawyer who bends the law to suit himself and enjoys the fruit of his labors in the process. He only defends innocent clients and he never loses a case. If you need his services, it is always best to pay his free promptly and without delay.

 

Also present at the end of the book is the original introduction to the first story, The Ehrengraf Defense, written by Edward D. Hoch for the 1978 initial appearance in Ellery Queen’s mystery magazine. That is followed by two different afterwards from the author, first in 1994 and then 2014. Those pieces by Hoch and author Lawrence Block provide intriguing details about the dapper lawyer, the other eleven tales in the series, as well as publishing in general. 

 

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

 

 

Material was picked up to read and review when the author made it free in January 2016.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2021, 2026

Short Story Wednesday Review: Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories) by Nigel Bird

   

The collection opens with the signature story “Beat On The Brat” where Stevie Boyle makes balloon animals for the kids. These days he is far from his days of playing for the New York Yankees, but he can bring some joy to the neighborhood kids by making anything they want with the balloons. But he can't change their reality or his own. As the story shifts in point of view through various characters, readers learn quite a lot about life and justice in this award-winning story.

 

Dr. Chrome has a room in the basement in “Mind Your Step” and Jess is willing to go down there and participate in whatever medical research he is conducting. The plan is for Jess to shock an unseen person when the Dr. tells her to for as part of a research project for the psychology department. As soon as they are done Dr. Chrome intends to take her out to eat. Things don't go as planned…. or maybe they did.

 

“Too Much Too Young” comes next where a recently released man is home from prison just in time to be there when his mom is buried. Johnny is not really welcome by what is left of his family and certainly not by his neighbors. Nobody really wants him around and considering his history they have very good reason.

 

A snowstorm made getting to work difficult, but made for quite the snowball fight after the visit to the bar. It escalates quickly into something for more in “Snow Angel.” The fireworks his uncle has will work nicely in what he is planning.

 

Some kids are not made of “Sugar And Spice,” and you know it as soon as they come out of the womb. Tommy Atkins has always been one of those. So too was Bruce Robertson who did the muscle work for Tommy. Killing Barnsey and his wife was pretty typical of them. But, Bruce didn't kill their kid like he was supposed to and, instead, let her live. Now, thanks to the fact that the young girl has identified both of them, the police aren’t the only ones looking.

 

John Champion is back in “Hoodwinked” and this time to legendary bs artist has company with him in the form of a female film director. Supposedly a movie is planned based on his novel and the locals are going to be in it. Plans are made and certain expectations on and off set are created.

 

“Regret” is a poem mixing history with reality where a crime was committed. A crime that will have to be answered.

 

If you ever watched that famous bounty hunter reality series of the last few years or any of the numerous imitators, you may have noticed many episodes were devoted to chasing the same person again and again as they move into and out of the justice system. Such is the case here in “Dance With Me” told from the perspective of the person being chased by bounty hunter Eddie Mailman. Willie is very tired of being caught--especially by such a man as Eddie Mailman.

 

“Killer Haiku” comes next to close the book and is open to more than one interpretation.

 

This is an interesting collection of mostly previously published works as well as three pieces that appeared to have never been published before. The nine pieces share a common theme of folks on the lower end of society looking to right wrongs. They don't wait for the legal system to dispense justice. These are folks who settle scores amongst themselves using whatever means and weapons are at hand. That theme that runs throughout Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories) is one of justice in this good read.

 

 

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

 

 

The author supplied a PDF of the book a very long time ago in exchange for my objective review.

 

  

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2022, 2026

Lesa's Book Critiques: March 2026 Treasures in My Closet – Part 1

 Lesa's Book Critiques: March 2026 Treasures in My Closet – Part 1

Lesa's Book Critiques: Sheriff Dan Rhodes Series Refresh

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Sheriff Dan Rhodes Series Refresh

KRL Update 11/30/2024

 Due to the Thanksgiving holiday KRL has a mini issue up this weekend!

 

Up on KRL this week we have a review and ebook giveaway of "Live, Local, and Long Dead" by Nikki Knight https://kingsriverlife.com/11/30/live-local-and-long-dead-by-nikki-knight/

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Trap, Neuter, Die" by Sharon Marchisello along with an interesting interview with Sharon https://kingsriverlife.com/11/30/trap-neuter-die-by-sharon-marchisello/

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "The Courtesan's Pirate" by Nina Wachsman https://kingsriverlife.com/11/30/the-courtesans-pirate-by-nina-wachsman/

 

And a review and ebook giveaway of "Deadlines and Valentines" by Heather Weidner https://kingsriverlife.com/11/30/deadlines-and-valentines-by-heather-weidner/

 

We also have the latest Mystery Coming Attractions from Victoria Fair https://kingsriverlife.com/11/30/mystery-coming-attractions-december-2024/

 

For those who enjoy a supernatural twist to their mysteries, up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of a signed copy of "Storm Waters" by Kat Richardson https://www.krlnews.com/2024/11/storm-waters-by-kat-richardson.html

 

And a review of "Peach Tea Smash" by Laura Childs https://www.krlnews.com/2024/11/peach-tea-smash-by-laura-childs.html

 

Happy holidays!

Loire

Last Editor Standing: Does Preordering an eBook Make Any Sense? No, bu...

Last Editor Standing:   Does Preordering an eBook Make Any Sense? No, bu...:   Does Preordering an eBook Make Any Sense? No, but we do it anyway.       Preordering is what a reader does to ensure a copy of a book tha...

Short Story Wednesday Review: Barb Goffman Presents: Restoration by Art Taylor

From the massively magnificent archive here at Casa Tipple and Home Eatery Library in my little part of NE Dallas….

 

Barb Goffman Presents: Restoration by Art Taylor imagines a world where, for a fee, a loved one can be duplicated as a sort of insurance against the worst. By buying a policy, one could ensure that in the case of an unexpected death due to a car accident, plane crash, or some other unpredicted traumatic event, a clone of sorts would be created to take the place of the recently departed loved one. The slick brochure calls it “victim replacement”” and the husband is proving to be a hard sell though the wife seems to be interested.

 

So begins the tale which originally was published in Crime Syndicate Magazine: Issue 1 comes to life here as part of the Barb Goffman Presents series published by Wildside books. The tale was a good one back when it first appeared and is still a good one now five years later.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3AIqtx0 

 

 

While I picked this up a few weeks ago when it was offered for free at Wildside Press, it does not come up there anymore and seems to only be available at Amazon. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2020, 2024

Vox: Amazon is filled with garbage ebooks. Here’s how they get made.

 Vox: Amazon is filled with garbage ebooks. Here’s how they get made.

Short Story Wednesday Review: Bad Men by Graham Powell

  

From the massive archive… you are also reminded that author Graham Powell will be reading at Noir At The Bar Dallas this Sunday evening at The Wild Detectives.

 

Bad Men by Graham Powell delivers the goods. The cover mentions the fact this collection is filled with “crime stories.” They definitely are crime stories. There are plenty of crimes, some mayhem, and a number of mysteries at work in these seven short stories. Short stories where people do what they do to survive and deal with the world as they see it.

 

“Grace, Period” opens the book where Tommy Roccaforte is being forced to relocate to an apartment far from where he used to live in Staten Island. Forced to give up his heavy oak and Italian leather furniture along with his old life to move to Tucson, all he has left is his wife Marie. That, a new job in a book store, and his old habits and urges which were not left behind when the Feds relocated him to save his life.

 

The man known to many as “Duke” for reasons that become clear was tending bar when Steven came in to talk that Wednesday night. Steven is just a college kid and out of place in the biker bar. But, he wants a job done and his money is good in “Payday.”

 

A job is also a major point in the next story titled “Cold Storage.” Dave Dewberry has a job in mind and wants Al to be involved. It involves a bank, a guy named Eugene Bosco, and the city of New York in its winter time glory.

 

The setting moves to Kentucky in “The Leap.” Specifically, the Kentucky State Correctional Center at Paintsville where new inmate Kenneth Pennywell has just arrived as the story opens. Assigned to the third room in dorm four, Pennywell has a plan for a certain inmate. The reason why is based on recent events told through flashbacks.

 

The truck may not be real and the narrator may not be stable in “The Ins And Outs.”  Then again, they really could be after him. He takes his medication and waits knowing if they find him they won’t make him wait long.

 

Crime Boss Bobby Gianetti was nabbed with a suitcase of money destined for one Tony Lambrusco. How the cops found out and what his bodyguards are going to do about it are a couple of things at work in “Cutting Diamonds.”

 

“Ken Bruen Is Dead, Alas” is the closing story of the book. A story that has its own story according to the preface. It is all best explained by reading it in the book. This is an incredibly funny read and a real highlight of the book.

 

Bad Men by Graham Powell is filled with plenty of crime, mystery, and certainly the possibility of  bad men. Ignoring the whole nature/nurture argument, these are seven short tales where the guys involved are doing what comes naturally. Whether or not they are truly bad men really depends on your moral compass …. assuming you have one.

 

 

Material was purchased to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate Account.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2023

Short Story Wednesday Review: Resume Speed by Lawrence Block

From the magnificently massive archive…

 

Resume Speed by Lawrence Block is a quirky stand-alone novella. The stranger with little more than the clothes on his back gets off the bus in the small town of Cross Creek, Montana after seeing a help wanted sign in a local diner. He goes by the name Bill Thompson. He keeps to himself and slowly begins a quiet existence in the small town.

He does that by taking the job as a fry cook. He takes a room in a local boarding house, gets a library card, and gradually begins to assume an identity among some of the locals. They know him to be a quiet and unassuming man who may or may not have suffered a great loss. While it is not clear to them it is clear to the reader that Bill Thompson is running from something though he seems like a good guy.  There are the occasional hints that make the reader wonder what happened before he came to town.

Currently only available as a kindle single e-book this sixty page read is a good one. Not all questions are answered in this highly entertaining read and that is more than okay. A whisper of mystery begins the tale and a gale of mystery ends it. In between there is plenty of complexity and details/allusions to ponder before one can Resume Speed.

 

 

Material was provided by author Lawrence Block in response to a comment I had made on Bill Crider’s review. You can, and should, read Bill's review and the many otehr good things on his blog. Don't forget his books too!

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: Riot: A Mike Dalmas Short Story by Jochem Vandersteen

Mike Dalmas left Special Forces and came back home to spend time with his family. Things didn’t go as planned. These days he works for his father-in-law’s car dealership selling cars. That is when he isn’t doing the occasional black bag job for the Bay City Police Department. Sometimes they need a fixer or troubleshooter to clean up a problem and they have the leverage on Mike Dalmas to get the job done.

One such problem has arisen and Carver has come to the dealership to give him his latest assignment. A week ago two officers arrested a known gangbanger. During the arrest things went very badly for one Lex Marcus and his days of being a bad guy are permanently over. The cops thought they had covered up things, but the incident was videotaped. Now somebody wants four hundred thousand dollars or they will release the tape. The cops know who sent the blackmail threat and have traced it back. The cops want Mike Dalmas to visit the blackmailer and get all the copies of the video while making sure this will never be a problem again.

Considering the blackmail the cops are using again Dalmas there is a certain amount of irony in him being tasked to stop their blackmailer. As expected that mission is proves to be far more complicated than anyone involved wanted in Riot: A Mike Dalmas Short Story. A complicated and good tale marred several times by typos and missing words. Part of a series featuring Mike Dalmas, former Special Forces soldier, it is a good tale despite the aforementioned issues.

 

Purchased using funds in my Amazon Associate Account to read and review.

 

Kevin R Tipple ©2015, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Alabaster-Skinned Mule: A Noah Milano Novelett by Jochem Vandersteen

 

From the massively magnificent archive…

The young lady in security specialist Noah Milano’s office is very thin with blonde hair. In her early twenties and very pretty, Noah considers the fact that she could be an acrobat. The alabaster skinned beauty’s name is Wendy Schultz and she has a big problem that is far more down to earth.

Recently while in Mexico her car broke down. After it was fixed, which took some time, she headed back to the border to go home. Right before she got to the border she had a flat tire. She stopped and checked the tire and discovered to her horror that it was full of cocaine. In a panic she called a male friend who came down to help her. The two of them discovered cocaine everywhere in the car and in all of the tires. Her and her friend destroyed all of the drugs by flushing them down the toilet at a nearby truck stop.

Eventually they got back across the border without any problems. Since they were now back in the United States they thought everything was over. Instead, some very scary guys have showed up at her apartment looking for their drugs. When she didn’t have them they trashed the place, put a gun to her head, and threatened her while they groped her. Wendy is clearly terrified and Noah is sure he can help.

After arranging protection for Wendy, Noah goes to work by contacting the garage where she had the work done. He wants to scare the guys off of Wendy and end the problem before it gets any worse. Maybe he should have body guarded the beautiful woman and sent the other guy to talk to the garage guys.

Another good read in the Noah Milano series of books, this mystery has plenty of action and quite a few twists and turns. Published in 2011 making it one of the earlier reads in the series, The Alabaster Skinned Mule: A Noah Milano Novelette is a good one.

 

Material was picked up to read and review via funds in my Amazon Associate account. 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: Redemption: A Noah Milano Novelette by Jochem Vandersteen

Howard Pratt would not stand out if you saw him on the street as he is just an average 36 year old guy. An average guy with hair a little too long and a scar at the corner of his mouth. An average guy who twenty some odd years ago killed another 16 year old boy after he tortured him. Pratt went to an adult facility, did his time, and since then has had a clean record.

Noah Milano, son of the most notorious crime boss in Los Angeles, is willing to consider being Pratt’s bodyguard while he is in town. That sort of thing is what Noah does these days as a security specialist. Pratt is supposed to meet with Brady’s parents in the office of psychologist Denny Sturgis. The meeting is supposed to help both sides heal at least somewhat, but Pratt knows many would like to see him dead including Brady’s parents, Martha and Frank Resnick. Milano agrees to be there as his bodyguard in in Redemption: A Noah Milano Novelette.

Also part of this e-book is an excerpt from Triage: A Thriller (Shell Series) as well as synopses for several other Noah Milano series books.

A good compact story, the novelette is very focused on the case with little of Milano’s personal life. While the results of the initial set up are predictable, the rest of the read is not as it blends action, detective work, and twists in a page turning story. Action and detective work at a fast pace was also present in The Death Business: A Noah Milano Novella though in that book readers do get a little more of the background of security specialist Noah Milano. Like that book this read is another good one for fans of hardboiled pulp style stories.

 

Material purchased to read and review by way of funds in my Amazon Associate account.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: Death’s Brother: A Top Suspense Story by Bill Crider

From the massive archive….

 

Professor Jon Cline always tried to help his students. Such was the case with Dana Randall. He taught Romantic Poetry at the University and Dana was in one of his classes. He soon learned as he tutored her outside of class that she was bored and soon to be wealthy once her inheritance come him. As things progressed, she started providing the very lonely and single Professor Cline her own brand of personal tutoring in her bedroom.

The middle-aged Cline can’t believe the 20 something Dana wants to be with him. Sure, over the years, he has heard all sorts of stories of nubile woman who got involved with their professors. He never believed it would happen to him and she can’t get enough of his help.

Far different than his Sheriff Rhodes series, this dark and twisted short story is a good one. Populated with characters that may annoy some readers and an overarching sense of doom and futility, this is a far different type of read that his other series work. It also contains quite a few twists all the way to the bitter end.

 

Material was recently purchased using funds from my Amazon Associate account for my use in an objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: The Shamus Sampler Edited by Jochem Vandersteen

 

From the massively magnificent archive…

 

As author Reed Farrel Coleman writes in the introduction, crime fiction these days has grown far beyond the private investigator. Not that PI novels no longer exist, far from it. But, these days the PI novel does not hold the preeminent position in the world of crime fiction as it used to back decades ago. The classic PI of yesteryear may be gone to a certain extent as no one walks around in trench coats while wearing a fedora these days. But the classic PI is still present in manner and action, though he or she appears in a far different form these days. That idea is very clearly illustrated in the excellent read The Shamus Sampler that features “new detective stories from around the world.”

This highly entertaining anthology begins with one of the hardest stories to explain while not giving away too much. “Mysterious Private Investigations” by Peter DiChellis is one very complicated tale. It involves a jewelry heist, a private investigator, a man in jail for a crime he did not commit, and a search for justice, among other elements.

 

Jake Diamond is up next in “One Hit Wonder: A Jake Diamond Short Story” by J. L. Abramo. If Darlene Roman had answered the phone like she should have instead of ducking across the street for a drink at the health food bar across the street, Jake would not have answered the phone. He did answer and the caller, who didn't give him time to speak, gave the instructions on how he wanted somebody killed. With little to go on, Jake has six hours to find the intended victim somewhere in the city of San Francisco.

 

“The Case of the Derby Diamond” by Jeffery Marks comes next with a classic style PI tale set just after World War II. Mrs. Van Hoskins is a very wealthy woman and exceedingly unhappy as her ring, a seven carat diamond surrounded by a jewel encrusted horseshoe, is missing. She wants it back. PI Donnelly has the chance to find the ring and make some money as The Van Hoskins want things keep very quiet.

 

Gypsy is a call girl and is about to get out of the life. She plans on making Nick Kepler her final client in “Gypsy's Kiss” by Jim Winter. Somebody is not happy with her, or her decision, and is making the point loud and clear. The Cleveland PI will have his hands full trying to keep Gypsy alive and well.

 

Sergeant Thomas Hamilton kept Harry Charters alive during the war and Harry knows he owes him a huge debt. It has been ten years since they saw each other and the passing years have not been kind to either man. Hamilton’s son is missing in “The Smell Of Perfume” by Graham Smith. Hamilton wants Chet found and wants Harry’s help.

 

Jim Wolf, private investigator, lives on a boat in a harbor in Oakland. When he isn't actively working he hangs out at a bar known as “Big Emma’s.” He almost never works for lawyers, but makes an exception for defense lawyer Sandra Jacobs. She needs his help on behalf of a client in “Rage: A Jim Wolf Mystery” by Tim Wohlforth. Wealthy psychotherapist Henry Platt was brutally killed at his outdoor pool. Sandra’s client, his wife Carol, has admitted to killing him, but none of it makes sense.

 

Set in Morris, Oklahoma in 1965 “The Patriot” by Sean Benjamin Dexter is right out of the Cold War with a tale of Russian spies, espionage, and life in small town, Oklahoma. One of the residents thinks he heard somebody who sounded like a “Ruskie” on his amateur radio talking about the local Dow Chemical plant. Local police can’t be trusted so the resident has come to local private investigator, Alex Taylor, for help.

 

He may not be a private investigator as such, but reporter Liam Michael Murphy who goes by the nickname of “Mad Mick Murphy” acts like one in “Drumstick Murder” by Michael Haskins. He is at the annual Key West Songwriters Festival and is supposed to interview the legendary Dallas Lucas. His interview subject is dead and it is very clear it was not a suicide. With Lucas murdered the planned interview feature will now be a piece on his murder--unless the local cops decide the reporter did it.

 

It is always a treat to come across a story from Texas author Bill Crider. Far from the East Texas stomping grounds of his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series, “A Matter Of Heart” is set on Galveston Island. The highly entertaining tale features a private investigator working the murder case of one Sue Traylor. It is a complicated case that has links to the past and the colorful history of Galveston when literally anything was possible on the island.

 

 “Christmas Morning” by Stephen D. Rogers comes next where a man is sure his wife is cheating on him. He bases that on how she behaved at the recent holiday party they attended. He wants proof and will use that to convince her to stop. First up, the private investigator has to find proof that his client is right.

 

Keith Dixon takes readers over to the United Kingdom in “The Same Old Story.” Richie Downes is insisting that he be the latest client of a private investigator by the name of Sam Dyke. He is a big physically imposing man who insists that he is not looking for a divorce; he just wants to know who his wife is seeing. All he wants is the name of the person and does not want proof. He is willing to promise not to hurt anyone. Dykes needs the money and reluctantly agrees.

 

“Q” didn't want to have to give up a knife she liked, but considering she just used it to gut a man in the frozen alley, it seemed like wiping and dropping it was a good idea. That dead guy is just one of the many issues going on in the complicated “The Dutch Connection” by Kit Rohrbach.

 

Fred Zackel is next with his tale set in San Francisco titled “Mario and Cheryse.” A streetwalker named Cheryse should lead to Mario Rosales. His grandmother wants him found and convinced to turn himself in before the cops find him. She would much rather have Mario alive and in jail as opposed to being killed in the streets by the cops.

 

Editor Jochem Vandersteen brings the book to a close his own tale titled “Hired From The Grave: A Noah Milano Short Story.” Noah Milano is a security specialist/ investigator who got a phone call from a man named Mark Beck who wanted to hire him. He would explain why when Milano cane to his Burbank area apartment. When Milano arrived, he found Beck dead in what could be construed as an accidental auto-erotic asphyxiation. Milano doesn't buy it and soon is working the case as a murder.

 

Each of the fourteen stories in “The Shamus Sampler” features a small introduction to the piece that provides context to the story as well as an author bio at the end. Each of the author bios makes a point of mentioning titles of other works by the author as well as the name of the publisher. The tales in this anthology are not only very good ones, but are often very complicated and provide plenty of twists right up to the end.

 

Material supplied by a good friend for my use in an objective review. 

 

Kevin R. Tipple © 2013, 2022

Publishers Weekly: Judge Backs Dismissal of 'Implausible' Amazon, Big Five Price-Fixing Suit

 Publishers Weekly: Judge Backs Dismissal of 'Implausible' Amazon, Big Five Price-Fixing Suit

Short Story Wednesday Review: Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories) by Nigel Bird

 

From the massively magnificent archive at Casa Tipple and Home Eatery Library…

 

The collection opens with the signature story “Beat On The Brat” where Stevie Boyle makes balloon animals for the kids. These days he is far from his days of playing for the New York Yankees, but he can bring some joy to the neighborhood kids by making anything they want with the balloons. But he can't change their reality or his own. As the story shifts in point of view through various characters readers learn quite a lot about life and justice in this award winning story.

 

Dr. Chrome has a room in the basement in “Mind Your Step” and Jess is willing to go down there and participate in whatever medical research he is conducting. The plan is for Jess to shock an unseen person when the Dr. tells her to for as part of a research project for the psychology department. As soon as they are done Dr. Chrome intends to take her out to eat. Things don't go as planned…. or maybe they did.

 

“Too much Too Young” comes next where a recently released man is home from prison just in time to be there when his mom is buried. Johnny is not really welcome by what is left of his family and certainly not by his neighbors. Nobody really wants him around and considering his history they have very good reason.

 

A snow storm made getting to work difficult, but made for quite the snowball fight after the visit to the bar. It escalates quickly into something for more in “Snow Angel.” The fireworks his uncle has will work nicely in what he is planning.

 

Some kids are not made of “Sugar And Spice” and you know it as soon as they come out of the womb. Tommy Atkins has always been one of those. So too was Bruce Robertson who did the muscle work for Tommy. Killing Barnsey and his wife was pretty typical of them. But Bruce didn't kill their kid like he was supposed to and let her live. Now, thanks to the fact that the young girl has identified both of them, the police aren’t the only ones looking.

 

John Champion is back in “Hoodwinked” and this time to legendary bs artist has company with him in the form of a female film director. Supposedly a movie is planned based on his novel and the locals are going to be in it. Plans are made and certain expectations on and off set are created.

 

“Regret” is a poem mixing history with reality where a crime was committed. A crime that will have to be answered.

 

If you ever watched that famous bounty hunter reality series of the last few years or any of the numerous imitators, you may have noticed many episodes were devoted to chasing the same person again and again as they move into and out of the justice system. Such is the case here in “Dance With Me” told from the perspective of the person being chased by bounty hunter Eddie Mailman. Willie is very tired of being caught--especially by such a man as Eddie Mailman.

 

“Killer Haiku” comes next to close the book and is open to more than one interpretation.

 

This is an interesting collection of mostly previously published works as well as three pieces that appeared to have never been published before. The nine pieces share a common theme of folks on the lower end of society looking to right wrongs. They don't wait for the legal system to dispense justice. These are folks who settle scores amongst themselves using whatever means and weapons are at hand. That theme that runs throughout Beat On The Brat (And Other Stories) is one of justice in this good read.

 

 

The author supplied a PDF of the book a very long time ago in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology Edited by J. Alan Hartman

From the massive archive…

 

After watching the success of anthologies from other writers groups have had in recent months, the members of the Short Mystery Fiction Society embarked on their own anthology. Over three hundred entries were whittled down to the final nineteen tales showcased in the book. Variety is the key in Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology. Edited by J. Alan Hartman, the read features tales that cross time as well as space in terms of geographic locations.

 

After a short introduction by current SMFS President Jan Christensen, it is on to the stories. Herschel Cozine leads things off with his flash tale “The Perfect Crime.”  Imagine, if you will, all of the great fictional detectives gathered together to discuss one case.

 

Bobbie A. Chukran comes next with “The Conflagration at the Nameless Cotton Gin.” The title easily enough explains what happened, but the why of the event is a bit more complicated.

 

“Murder on Elm Street” by Su Kopil comes next with a tale where a power outage on a brutally cold night drives nearby neighbors to the one house that has power. It is fitting on a night such as this that it is time for a twenty-two year old cold case to be finally solved.

 

P. A. Devoe takes readers back in time to a China of long ago in “Fireworks (From Judge Lu’s Ming Dynasty Case Files)". During the annual celebration of the monk Li Tian and his invention of fireworks, Lu is informed there has been a death at the nearby shop of the Lie brothers out on Xiao Di Road. The accident requires the immediate attention and investigation by Judge Lu.

 

Receiving unwanted attention from a bag lady is not a good thing. Even if she does give good advice in “The Bag Lady” by Laurie Stevens.

 

The chaos of a rapidly moving wildfire might be the perfect time to murder someone and get away with it. Tim Wohlforth examines the possibilities in “Sierra Noir.”

 

The Vikings have harnessed steam power in this alternative history mystery titled “Thor’s Breath” by Suzanne Berube Rorhus. It is the year of the Christian Lord 627, and this small area of coastal Norway has one mechanical healer by the name of Hamarr. He is possession of a magical new material from the Far East that has wonderfully intriguing possibilities if it can be harnessed.

 

Debbie and her companion, Arthur, have a job to do at Detweiller Industries. “Arthur” by Sandra Murphy is a clever and fun story that takes a little while to figure out.

 

The morning after is rough for Keith in “Fractured Memories” by Julie Tollefson. Andrea’s latest Fourth of July party was a real blast and Keith is paying the price. Somebody else paid a far bigger price due to last night’s events in this complicated tale.

 

A hostage situation that is gradually getting worse is at work in “Don’t Let the Cop into the House” by O’Neil De Noux. The small brick home in Lakeview was flooded during Katrina and was put back together. Somehow the police now have to save homeowner Mike Agrippa, who is drowning in his own way.

 

When men want protection money the elderly grandmother has few choices in “Rosie’s Choice” by John M. Floyd. These are not the kind of customers she needs in the store the day before Independence Day.

 

Readers again go back in time in the next story. “Don’t Be Cruel” by Joanne Lucas takes readers to June 1957 in Fresno, California where Homicide Detective Frank Ransom has a new case. Ransom thinks of movies quite a lot and sees the world as a movie scenario. Before he can make it all fade to black he needs to figure out who killed the woman in the diner and why.

 

Brigid Morgan is the client and she claims somebody is blackmailing her over some very adult pictures that were taken 15 years ago. As the new CEO of an internet search engine company she knows that once she starts paying it will never end in “A Simple Job” by Andrew MacRae. She has a plan and first she needs the identity of the blackmailer.

 

Twenty years later, Carly is back to the Quick ‘N Slow Diner located close to the nearby cabins. As a child, she came there with her family when they rented out one of the cabins. In trying to find herself, Carly unwittingly finds much more about others in “Beautiful Killer” by Judy Penz Sheluk.

 

Being a hooker is a tough job, but finding your client dead in a bed is a real problem. So too is the female already in the room in “The Fruit of Thy Loins” by Albert Tucher. Good thing Diana can fight and knows at least one good cop.

 

The small town of Sentry, Texas is the location for “The Raymond Chandler Con” by Earl Staggs. Murder is not supposed to happen in a small town such as Sentry, which is why Police Chief Harry Phillips left the job in Dallas and came here. The murder victim’s best friend, Martha Robinson, has no police experience, but she reads a lot of mysteries. She has an idea how to solve the case with or without Harry’s help.

 

No one ever takes notice of the janitor as he or she goes about doing a very necessary job. The person doing the cleaning blends into the background. Such is the case here in “The Wrong Girl” by Barb Goffman, where the janitor overhears a plot by three teens at an elite private school.

 

It has been three weeks, the ransom was paid quite some time ago, and the child still has not been returned in “Silent Measures” by BV Lawson. Scott Drayco, a private consultant, has been brought in to help find the boy who vanished from his boarding school.

 

A tale translated by Willem Verhulst is the final entry in the anthology. “A Day Like No Other” by Walter A. P. Soethoudt follows a Lieutenant Belloc as he goes through his day in Antwerp while thinking about the past and the many changes in the city.

 

Short author bios for the contributors bring the read to a close.

 

While not every story in the book is an actual obvious mystery, all of the stories have a mystery at the core. Some are more mysteries of the mind where characters think about their past actions and the resulting ramifications, while other tales are very much in the moment where one can smell the blood on the floor and the cordite in the air. Filled with interesting tales of complicated characters dealing with events in their lives, Flash And Bang: A Short Mystery Fiction Society Anthology brings a pleasant read by way of a variety of stories. As in other anthologies, each reader will have his or her own personal favorites among the 170 pages, but all the tales presented are good ones in their own way.

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

 

While I am a writer as well as a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, I did not submit a story for this anthology. Material supplied by the publisher in exchange for my objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015, 2022